Baltic Wharf - where we are now

The Baltic Wharf cohousing now meets regularly, has begun the process of incorporation as a Company Limited by Guarantee. We have raised funding of 2.4k for legal support, design training, publicity and group development. As a group we are setting goals and priorities and along with settling on our legal structure are concentrating now (from February 2009) on getting to know those of us who have formed a core group. Key to a successful cohousing is the way we work and play together! We've started off the New Year with our first planning training (see links to the report on this) and we will add to the training sessions as we identify needs.
We also plan to meet up occasionally in different members' homes to share a meal and forget business for a while! The warmer weather and lighter evenings mean we'll have more chance to get out and about together as a social group, helping us to reinforce our friendships and our common aims - one of which has to be that we like eating, drinking, singing & dancing together!

Key Meetings Meetings with Key partners, the developer, SHDC officers, elected members, Devon & Cornwall Housing Association

The first one in spring 2008, was with cohousing representatives and the Developer, Steve Mittler who showed us the 3-D models for the site (details, see next paragraph) and outlined his proposals for the site. Attending were: Susan Hannis (co-chair of the Totnes cohousing group) Adrian Porter (TTT H& Building group) and Pat Sykes.

April 2008. Members of the (those who could attend on a workday) met with the representatives of the Devon & Cornwall Housing Association (The preferred HA selected by the Developer to oversee the development and tenure of the affordable housing on the site). Further discussion with HA will follow when appropriate. General impression from the meeting is that they are positive about a cohousing project but would like to see what the council feels about the entry eligibility for members who are not currently in 'housing need' but who want to benefit from affordable rental properties on the site.

May 2008. Meeting arranged with Pat Sykes and SHDC's Liam Redding Affordable Housing, Lead Officer and Debbie Holloway, Housing officer. Main issue of debate around the affordable housing and the eligibility of entry for those of our group who wish to rent but who are not on the priority housing needs register. Pat Sykes raised the possibility of some group members who already are social tenants. and how they could 'exchange' their present family-sized homes for smaller single occupancy homes. This was seen as a possibility and more talks to follow on this.
June 2008. Meeting at Baltic Wharf, with group members, Vivienne Skidmore, Marcea Colley, Adrian Porter, Pat Sykes, Adrienne Clegg, Robert Somerville (Observer). Also cohousing advisor, Max Comfort. For TQ9, Steve Mittler, Peter Sutton (Harrison Sutton, Architects, Rob Finch and Gareth Jones, Devon & Cornwall HA. Max outlined his involvement with setting up Stroud cohousing and described the very high eco-build features of this development. The outcome of this meeting was the importance of getting council support for the project and especially for the affordable housing numbers. Also for the cohousing group to begin to think about incorporation.

August 2008. Meeting with SHDC officers, Liam Redding, Debbie Holloway with Pat Sykes. The question of eligibility of cohousing members who wish to rent and who are not on housing needs register was central issue.
Liam agreed that there is a flexibility of thinking around this issue and that he maybe happy to waive the priority rule for the affordable rental applicants, allowing our group members the opportunity to rent within the cohousing development.

August 2008. Meeting with Steve Mittler and Pat Sykes. Update on the project so far: TQ9 finalising appraisal for financial viability. From the cohousing point of view, the issue of attaining the highest level of building code is key and code level 4 is our desired level (code level 5 could be achieved with biomass boiler, but more details awaited on this). The credit crunch has meant lower values, and some reviewing of the order of building. The cohousing will now be included in Phase 1 and might mean that bio-mass boiler might not be up and running in time for this.

December 2008. Meeting with Cllr Mike Saltern, Executive Portfolio holder for housing and Liam Redding, Affordable Housing Manager, and Pat Sykes. The question of whether the affordable housing percentage of 50% would still be achievable was raised. This makes a big difference to the numbers of rental options for the cohousing group, based on current level of interest in renting. If the percentage drops to 40% overall, affordable, this would reduce our rental homes to around 6 when currently 7 members of our group are interested. Pat expressed a sincere wish for the affordable % on the co housing site to be maintained at the original % level of 50%, and suggested that the differences could be made up on the rest of the site. SHDC confirmed it could put in safeguards to retain affordable properties as affordable in perpetuity.
Pat asked for a meeting of the HA and officers and asked for at least 2 further members of the cohousing be allowed to attend. This was agreed and this will be arranged with Liam when appropriate but probably in early spring. Liam also agreed to attend one of our group meetings. Pat will push for an increase of affordable housing on the cohousing site.

January 2009. Pat and Laura, with Steve and Ian Dennis, TQ9 Directors met with Charles Couzens of Ecos Development Trust and Julian Brooks, Director of at Bow Yard, Langport, Somerset. Steve interested in meeting Ecos with a view to involving them perhaps as Sustainability Advisors to B.Wharf Revival project. A lengthy discussion around financial viabilities and levels of sustainable Build code. TQ9 to work with Ecos on Baltic Wharf's sustainability report required for the Regional Planning Panel in February.

On Saturday the 31st January a group of us met up on Baltic Wharf and in the TTT offices for a day training on basic design/construction issues re the Baltic Wharf development.


To view the training day report please click here.

Agenda items to cohousing.totnes@transitionnetwork.org