Champion trials rider - and Halton local - Ben Slinger visits the site (on his bike!)

On Sunday 10 July, Ben Slinger, Halton's 'local hero', came to help us celebrate the start of our build with a fantastic on-site display of his trials skills.

Ben, 20, is a member of the GB Cycling Team and a former International Trials Cycling Junior World Champion -- and no stranger to the Lancaster Cohousing site, as he has used the Lune river bank alongside the site for many years to practise his amazing bike skills, which include hopping up steps and boulders on one wheel, six foot jumps, and fantastic spins. His professional trials bike display team has featured at many events and shows and made TV appearances on Tour of Britain, Sky Sports, Blue Peter and BBC London news.

Ben said: "It's been great to watch the cohousing project over the years as it's come through the planning stages. It's very exciting to know that it is going to happen. I'm proud to be a groundbreaking Halton lad, performing all over the world, and I'm proud that this project has chosen my village for its groundbreaking eco-design - hopefully it will be another reason for Halton to be world-ranking!"

We'd like to thank Ben again for coming along, he gave us a whole different perspective on the site. Amazing.

www.lancastercohousing.org.uk

Press release: eco-housing gets go ahead

Members of local community group Lancaster Cohousing are celebrating after Lancaster City Council’s planning committee approved their plans to redevelop a 2.5 hectare derelict site by the River Lune at Halton, near Lancaster, to provide 40 new private homes, shared indoor and outdoor space and managed business space. The cohousing group is a mix of individuals, couples and families of all ages whose aim is to build eco-homes of a cutting edge sustainable design and create a friendly, supportive neighbourhood.

The 1 bedroom flats, and 2 and 3 bedroom terraced houses will be built to the super-insulated Passivhaus standard and will form the largest Passivhaus development in the UK. Together with the hydro scheme being developed with the local community, this design will ensure a very low carbon footprint.

Each household will have their own home and there will also be shared facilities, including a laundry, child care area and workshops, and a common house, where residents can, if they wish, cook and eat together. This mix will ensure residents have their own space whilst encouraging social contact enabling them to build connections with their neighbours.

The derelict factory building on site, covering an area of 1200m², is to be refurbished to provide a mixture of serviced workshops, offices and studios for small businesses, organisations and individuals. Located in an attractive area, the units will enjoy a local and personal management service, shared facilities and a zero carbon energy supply, and will be available on flexible terms.

Project manager Jon Sear said: “This is a really important milestone for us. It means we can now start the detailed design work, get the necessary funding agreements in place and appoint a building contractor to work with us. If people wish to join the project, there are still a few homes available to buy and business units to rent.”

Construction on the site should begin early in 2011, aiming for completion of 34 of the 40 homes by Spring 2012.

Contact: Jon Sear
14 Kenilworth Place, Lancaster, LA1 4HE
telephone: 01524 555919
email: jon@lancastercohousing.org.uk
www.lancastercohousing.org.uk