Kia ora, we are a group of people who live on and off the land at Fareham and we have been meeting to discuss and design a cohousing community – or two!
JOIN US ON 31st August 2024, from 3-5pm for Cohousing event at Fareham; bring a plate if you’d like to join us for dinner and entertainment!
Layout Sketch Ideas
Cohousing is not a commune: each family has their own separate home with a kitchen and bathroom. In addition, there are shared facilities, like a dining room where meals are served on a weekly basis and worksheds.
Cohousing Principles:
1. Participatory process: Members organise and participate in the planning and design process for the housing development, and are responsible as a group for all the final decisions either with or without a separate developer.
2. Intentional Neighborhood design: The physical design encourages a strong sense of community while safeguarding privacy and increases the possibilities for spontaneous social contact.
3. Common facilities: Each household has a complete private residence but has access to common areas and facilities, including a large common house, which are integrally designed for daily use to supplement private living areas.
4. Resident management: Residents manage the development, making decisions of common concern at community meetings using inclusive, participatory decision making processes.
5. Non-hierarchical structure and decision-making: While there are leadership roles, responsibility for the decisions is shared by the community’s adults and no one person dominates the decisions or the community process.
6. Separate Income Sources: Households are responsible for their own income and finances and do not rely on the community for their primary income.
(from Earthsong website)
We’re keen to explore ideas with others about what we can offer and share, and what a community might look like.
Please get in touch if you would like to be involved.