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Frequently 
Asked Questions

Categories

 

Cohousing      Get involved     Properties and facilities     Norwich      Media and information

Cohousing

What is cohousing?

Find out about cohousing.



Who owns what?

Angel Yard’s residents will own their own home. Shared facilities such as the common house, workshop, laundry and guest rooms are collectively owned by the group.



How are decisions made?

We believe that everyone's opinion is important, so decisions are made by group consensus, during regular meetings. This does take time, but also enables us to act in the interests of the community.



What time do residents commit?

Whilst there’s absolutely no expectation that residents commit to group meals every week, or attend all community meetings, each household should be willing to play an active role in the community, perhaps by helping to cook some shared meals or washing up afterwards, or by tending to the allotment or helping to promote our events.



Is cohousing for me?

If you’re considering taking the leap to this alternative way of living, it may be useful to ask yourself some key questions: Can you commit the time required to living in a cohousing group? Can you compromise with people who may have different views from yours? Can you live with people of different ages and from different backgrounds? Can you afford to own your own home or pay a mortgage? Do you have any additional needs to discuss? Would you be comfortable to share some facilities and possessions?



What are the benefits of cohousing?

Discover the benefits of cohousing.



 

Get involved

Who is Angel Yard for?

Our cohousing community is for anyone, of any age, from any background, who wants to live as part of a sustainable neighbourhood. We also welcome members of the community to our open events and gatherings.



How and why should I get involved?

The earlier you get involved, the more input you’ll have into your final home. We are still in the planning stages, so new members will be able to make customisations to the design of Angel Yard and have a say in the way the community develops. Become a member



What does membership involve? And how do I join?

Membership is for those interested in living as part of the Angel Yard community. All members are invited to meetings to help plan the development, and to social events with our growing community. You can become a member here.

Or if you'd like to contact us directly please email hello@angelyard.org.uk



What sort of people are members?

Angel Yard’s community is a growing, intergenerational mix of working and retired people from Norwich, Cambridge and further afield. We are seeking to build a diverse, multigenerational community of families, partners and individuals, who are socially and environmentally-minded.



How do you benefit the local community?

Our residents are likely to be fully participating members of the local community, working or volunteering in Norfolk, attending events and making use of the city on our doorstep. Once it’s built, we hope to share our common house, offering it for public events and gatherings, such as yoga classes, repair cafes and community open days.



Do you host meetings or events?

We certainly do! We host welcome events for people interested in becoming members and, once Angel Yard opens, we hope to host community events in our common house. We list upcoming events here. If there are no events listed and you’d like to meet our group, please do get in touch.



 

Properties and facilities

Where is Angel Yard?

Head to The Project page to find out where our home will be.



How many houses are being built? What size are they?

The exact number has still not been decided, but we’re planning to develop around 30, one to four bedroom homes on our half acre site.



Do you have planning permission?

The site previously had planning permission for housing but we need to reapply in order to bring Angel Yard to life. We’re currently working with TOWN, developers of the award-winning Marmalade Lane cohousing community in Cambridge, and Archio architectural practice to create new building plans, which bring together the ideas and requirements of our group.



When will the properties be ready?

We aim to submit our new planning proposal in 2021 and start building soon afterwards. If all goes to plan, Angel Yard’s first residents will get the keys in late 2022 or early 2023.



Can I influence the design of my house?

Yes! We are currently in the design phase, so members who join our group early on and commit to buying a property will be able to make some key decisions about the look and layout of their eventual, custom-built home.



Will houses be privately owned?

Yes, all residents will be the private owners of their own home, which are likely to be sold on a long leasehold. Only shared spaces and facilities will be shared.



How much do properties at Angel Yard cost?

As we’re still in the planning stages, it’s too early to say exactly how much each property will cost, but we’re planning to make them as affordable as possible. Properties will eventually be sold at market value, with an additional supplement to cover the cost of Angel Yard’s common areas.



Will any properties be available for rent?

This is still being negotiated. If you’d be interested in renting a property at Angel Yard, please get in touch.



What happens if I want to sell my house?

If you eventually decide to sell your house and move on, properties are likely to be sold on a long leasehold and will be mortgageable.



What will the houses look like?

We’re still in the planning stages, so the final design of Angel Yard is yet to be decided. New members who come on board now will have a unique opportunity to influence the design of the development and make certain customisations to their own home. Our developers, TOWN previously worked on the Marmalade Lane cohousing development in Cambridge and our architects, Archio have worked on many successful housing projects.



Are the properties accessible?

We will ensure that a number of the homes at Angel Yard are accessible.



Do you welcome families?

Definitely! Families are a key part of a cohousing community and there’s lots of evidence to suggest that children and teenagers of all ages can thrive in a close-knit neighbourhood. We are planning to have a central shared, car-free courtyard at the heart of Angel Yard, and multipurpose indoor shared spaces, where children can play together safely. You may find this video from LILAC Cohousing informative.



Are pets allowed?

We’d love to welcome pets as part of our neighbourhood, however we respect that they’re not for everyone. There’s likely to be a reasonable limit on pets at Angel Yard, which will be negotiated by the community.



What shared facilities and resources will you have?

Discover our plans for the project.



 

Norwich

Where is Angel Yard?

Head to The Project page to find out where our home will be.



How many houses are being built? What size are they?

The exact number has still not been decided, but we’re planning to develop around 30, one to four bedroom homes on our half acre site.



Do you have planning permission?

The site previously had planning permission for housing but we need to reapply in order to bring Angel Yard to life. We’re currently working with TOWN, developers of the award-winning Marmalade Lane cohousing community in Cambridge, and Archio architectural practice to create new building plans, which bring together the ideas and requirements of our group.



When will the properties be ready?

We aim to submit our new planning proposal in 2021 and start building soon afterwards. If all goes to plan, Angel Yard’s first residents will get the keys in late 2022 or early 2023.



Can I influence the design of my house?

Yes! We are currently in the design phase, so members who join our group early on and commit to buying a property will be able to make some key decisions about the look and layout of their eventual, custom-built home.



Will houses be privately owned?

Yes, all residents will be the private owners of their own home, which are likely to be sold on a long leasehold. Only shared spaces and facilities will be shared.



How much do properties at Angel Yard cost?

As we’re still in the planning stages, it’s too early to say exactly how much each property will cost, but we’re planning to make them as affordable as possible. Properties will eventually be sold at market value, with an additional supplement to cover the cost of Angel Yard’s common areas.



Will any properties be available for rent?

This is still being negotiated. If you’d be interested in renting a property at Angel Yard, please get in touch.



What happens if I want to sell my house?

If you eventually decide to sell your house and move on, properties are likely to be sold on a long leasehold and will be mortgageable.



What will the houses look like?

We’re still in the planning stages, so the final design of Angel Yard is yet to be decided. New members who come on board now will have a unique opportunity to influence the design of the development and make certain customisations to their own home. Our developers, TOWN previously worked on the Marmalade Lane cohousing development in Cambridge and our architects, Archio have worked on many successful housing projects.



Are the properties accessible?

We will ensure that a number of the homes at Angel Yard are accessible.



Do you welcome families?

Definitely! Families are a key part of a cohousing community and there’s lots of evidence to suggest that children and teenagers of all ages can thrive in a close-knit neighbourhood. We are planning to have a central shared, car-free courtyard at the heart of Angel Yard, and multipurpose indoor shared spaces, where children can play together safely. You may find this video from LILAC Cohousing informative.



Are pets allowed?

We’d love to welcome pets as part of our neighbourhood, however we respect that they’re not for everyone. There’s likely to be a reasonable limit on pets at Angel Yard, which will be negotiated by the community.



What shared facilities and resources will you have?

Discover our plans for the project.



 

Media and information

Where can I find more information on cohousing?

We’ve shared some information on our Cohousing page. For further details, we recommend visiting UK Cohousing, or taking a look at the websites of some established cohousing communities in the UK, such as: Marmalade Lane, Cambridge LILAC, Leeds Lancaster Cohousing.



Do you have any press resources available?

Yes, take a look at our Resources and Press page. Please get in touch if you have any questions.



Do you have resources available for researchers?

We’d be pleased to support research into cohousing. Take a look at our Resources and Press page and get in touch if you have any questions.



Are you available for interviews?

Yes, we’d love to promote Angel Yard and raise awareness of cohousing more generally. Please drop us a line and we’ll be in touch to arrange a chat.