2.  Building and Housing Group Report Back

Introduction:

The Building and Housing Group has been formed to promote a built environment in Totnes suitable for a sustainable low-carbon future.  The group consists of people from the community with profiles differing from local architects and builders to people with a much wider interest, including an interest in achieving sustainable homes and workplaces for themselves. Since April 2007 we met bi-weekly as a group, to discussed interests and priorities, and planned local projects and events.  Enthusiasm and interest have been considered as important as any particular skills or experience.

In response to the broad and complex nature of this subject, meetings which have displayed much energy, interest, and joint learning on often complex topics, we now have three active ongoing sub-groups, focusing on Planning & Policy, Eco-construction, and Co-housing.  These groups meet regularly and provide updates to the wider group at monthly meetings which take place on the first Thursday of each month at TTT office.  At these meetings which we have invited guest speakers, and identified group synergies and project opportunities.  Regarding these groups, my colleagues will briefly speak.

Eco- Construction Group

The Eco-Construction Group has been established because we want to explore the practical issues of building in a post - oil world and research natural building technologies that use local materials, developing  the skills necessary to implement them.

We are initiating practical projects that will be of benefit to the local community eg. we have proposed a scheme to design and build local, low-impact, low-cost housing in the form of timber eco-cabins to be sited in and around Totnes.

We are also in the process of setting up a not-for-profit Development Company that will carry out new builds, eco-refurbishment and general construction to the highest
environmental standard.  Retro-fitting existing housing stock to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions will become a major project for this group and the residents of Totnes, as we increasingly feel the effects of climate change and peak oil.

Co-Housing

The Totnes Cohousing group was formed in 2006, bringing together a small local group with ex-members of the defunct South Devon Cohousing group. A large public meeting was held in January 2007 and regular group meetings have been held since then. We became a sub-group of TTT Building & Housing Group in early 2008.

Cohousing is a recognised way of providing housing on the continent, especially in Denmark and Holland. The main distinguishing feature from community living is that each dwelling has its own front door, but there is a shared commitment to an ecologically sound and mutually supportive way of life. The economic benefits come from reduced running costs, growing food together, sharing household essentials such as washing machines, freezers, cars, tools. A communal area provides space for meetings, events, celebrations and occasional shared meals. Currently, a project group is exploring the potential for ecologically built cohousing on the Baltic Wharf site with a possible visitors' centre within the communal space.

The Totnes group includes members with differing ideas about their ideal cohousing complex: some would prefer a small group of homes occupied by same age people, whilst others favour larger number (approx 25-30) of mixed age, family and single occupancies. Developers and Housing Associations can work in partnership to enable cohousing schemes to provide affordable housing.  We hope to engage local professionals in design and build (or conversion) of dwellings sensitively sited with spaces for vehicles on the perimeter and the centre forming a communal sitting and safe play area, where people and families can mingle naturally.

We are keen for new members to join us in turning our dreams into wonderful and inspiring homes and communities.  To get involved, contact the chair, Paul McFadden, email: paul_mcfadden@hotmail.co.uk .  Or for further information regarding opportunities for cohousing at Baltic Wharf, contact Pat Sykes, email: pat@infoaction.org.uk .

LDF/Planning and Policy

During periods of public consultation the group has responded to the following South Hams District Council Local Development Framework (LDF) documents: Development Control Core Policies, Affordable Housing and, most recently, the Totnes and Dartington Development Plan Document for the future development of Totnes from 2008-2016. 

To build an effective public response to the DPD we have worked closely with the Totnes and District Strategy Group, Totnes Town Council and other local groups to establish Totnes as a progressive example of sustainable development for other towns and communities going through the LDF process. Natural resource depletion, climate change and the need for localization are common to all and we need to learn from each others experience.

As well as actively representing the interests of TTT we collaborate with other local groups in the Totnes Housing and Built Environment Forum and the Community/SHDC DPD Focus Group.  Responses made by the group are available on the group web page.