Co-Housing group buy site for work and homes
A DERELICT factory on the controversial Halton Mills site is set to become a £5million 'Co-Housing' project for Lancaster families.
The former Luneside Engineering factory, which closed last year, has been bought by not-for-profit group Lancaster Cohousing Ltd.
The organisation plans to turn the building into offices, workshops and around 25 zero carbon houses – together with shared community facilities.
There will be shared washing machines, guest bedrooms and outside space plus a shared dining room and kitchen so that residents can eat together.
Kathy Bashford, 37, her partner Paul Bradbury, 43, and their six- week-old daughter Polly, are among the 14 households who have already signed up to live there.
Kathy, who lives in Garnett Street, Lancaster, has been involved in the project since it started in 2006, but this will be the first time members have lived together.
Some of the residents plan to move their existing businesses into the office space.
"It was just a group of friends, and then we began asking more households to join us," said Kathy.
"We're trying to get back the community that we used to have – one that knows and looks after each other.
"We feel we've found an ideal spot in Halton and I think it's really positive for the village too."
The site was previously owned by developers Time and Tide, which went into administration last year, but the new proposals for the factory are of a smaller scale.
It remains unclear what will happen to the rest of the site.
Future residents and Halton villagers, will have a say on how the building is designed.
There are plans to generate electricity using solar and 'micro-hydro' power, and to cut out the need for central heating through extensive insulation.
Electricity and gas bills are expected to be drastically lower.
Jon Sear, of Lancaster Cohousing, said the aim was to create a nationally recognised community project.
Halton city councillor, Paul Woodruff, said: "This may be the start of new hope for Halton Mills to move forward, in a reasonable and acceptable way."
There will be a family picnic at the site on Sunday at 3pm, where people can find out more, followed by a public meeting at The Borough, in Dalton Square, Lancaster at 7.30pm on August 4.
Further details are available from Lucy Richardson on 01524 65808.
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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