Extreme Gardening - Sunday 16 September

Kitting up

Many people wanted to take part in this, as it sounded so much fun. In the end, for safety reasons we chose our experienced and qualified climbers, Steve, Robin and Becky. And though they all remained incredibly cheerful, it was cold and poured with rain, so maybe the fun aspect was somewhat diluted.

Getting started

Having seen the complexity of the climbing skills needed, on top of the dangers of stanley knives in operation near security ropes (very counter-intuitive for climbers), this was definitely the right decision.

Sowing seed

The retaining bank north of Terrace D was seeded as a meadow last spring as it is the plant roots which will really hold the soil in place long term rather than the green matting. Some of the soil washed out within a few weeks taking the seeds with them and leaving bare patches. We thought we would try and reseed the bare bits this September, by cutting small slits in the upper matting and spreading a mix of seed and sand behind and then repegging.

The bare bit

Becky said, 'This was a great new experience. I have never tried to garden from a rope before.' However in some areas all the soil has gone, which is useful to know as something else will need to be done there, and we could only have found out in this way.




 Kate

  www.lancastercohousing.org.uk

 Vertical Gardening Continued, Steve: 

To add to Kate's blog I have added a couple of photos taken hanging off the rope. From the big grin on her face it's obvious Becky just loves dangling from ropes in the pouring rain!

Hopefully the reseeding will take effect before the winter weather draws in. I suppose we will have to wait until spring to see how effective it was.

GM Weekend and more residents move in to Forgebank

Another month, another GM. This September saw a move closer to the Common House, just up the road at The Centre, Halton. A great location (with an amazing skate park) if, on that Saturday, a mite toasty what with the warm September weather and the number of bodies in one room.  Long discussions on Common House food were lightened by Polly taking the role of energy monitor and communicating with her fellow cohousers  through the medium of toy gesticulation, and sprint circling of the room.

The view along Terrace A. All is peaceful. The location of the children identifiable by the assemblage of bikes, scooters and shoes.

A view from the South side of Terrace A looking East to the Common House.

Sunday sees the return of another Marshalls van, this time loaded with Paul and Kathy's worldly belongings all of which are swiftly transported  to one of their two current abodes in Terrace A. For some (well me) this was the first experience of life on the pedestrian street - everyone lending a hand with a tag team of watchful adults keeping a relaxed eye on children whilst being able to help the removals.

Then afterwards hanging out on the stoop formed from the steps up to the cycle store opposite Huw and Lucy's house .

Martha, Lucy and Eliza at home.

Whittles must be feeling the pressure to deliver our homes on time. Even their most junior apprentices are working their weekends to help meet the September deadline... 

Some of our first guests to Forgebank. Two (or was it three) nests of swallows with their accompanying displays of aerial bird acrobatics in the sky above the street.

Wednesday sees work starting on the gabion wall to Terrace F. Pouring rain slows the work but must help to wash the mud off the stone.

And finally, through the deluge, the view of Forgebank from the over the Lune. Our homes are coming along fast.

Can't wait to move in...

Tom

www.lancastercohousing.org.uk

The first pioneers Forge ahead..

The first residents moved in today!


Everyone helped Miles & Jo to unload the van.









Whilst Fiona organised the celebrations and a Mezuzah ceremony. Amazingly there were 28 people in the room with plenty of space spare.

Though the same could not be said of the doorstep...

We even have a temporary post box until the common house letterboxes become available.

We've got there at last!

Only six terraces to go :o)

Luke.

www.lancastercohousing.org.uk

Terrace A - approaching completion

The building site is busier than it has ever been

The cladding on the flats is being finished off

The scaffolding on Terrace B and the Common House has come down a bit early  so that  we can get a cable through the the solar panels on the adjacent terraces before the 31 July Feed In Tariff registration deadline  

The Common House looks roomy now it's not full of scaffolding

The sliding doors will lead to a terrace overlooking the Lune 

A bathroom in a typical house

And the district heating station under the stairs

An upstairs flat

Paving the street

A typical house kitchen

We're screening the stone out of the subsoil which came from the slope that was below terrace E.  The subsoil can be recycled into topsoil whilst the stone can be reused.

Building gabions in front of Terrace A

Laying the floor in an upstairs flat - a couple of weeks ago

www.lancastercohousing.org.uk

Interested in one of our last few homes?

We expect to sell all our remaining homes this month!  All but two homes are bought or reserved and we have one application.  If you want to apply to join/buy a home please do so by Sunday 29^th July.  Info about joining is here.  If you do miss out this time don’t worry; we have an active waiting pool and potential rental opportunities. 

The homes that are available are

Plot 36; a 2 bed in Forgebank (the current owner wishes to move to plot 32)

This is a semi detached leasehold home with an elevated position, small private garden and great views, priced at £208,500.  Please contact us if you would like to know more details and they will be available on the website soon.

Plots 33 and 32; 3 bed Heron Bank homes

The details of these terraced freehold homes are available here.  They are on the edge of the site and have private gardens and car parking spaces. Buyers are welcome but not obliged to fully opt in to the community, details here.

Our events this month are

Sunday 22 July (and 4th Sunday every month)

• 11am Brunch at Whale Tail Café, 78a Penny Street, Lancaster, LA1 1XN

• 1.30pm site tour, Forge Bank, Halton (map), by request . Meet at the Mill building – follow the Whittle's signs (our building contractor) to get to the site

We hope to offer an integration meeting this month (provisionally 3.15pm after the site tour on 22 July) so please let us know if this would interest you.  Also if you’d like to meet us or see the site at another time get in touch.

Kathy
www.lancastercohousing.org.uk