Frequently Asked Questions
1. What age requirements are there for senior cohousing? You must be 55 or over with at least one member of a couple in that age range.
2. What is cohousing? Each household is personal and private but residents come together to manage their community and share activities.
3. What provision is there if I become disabled or develop dementia later in life? The homes are designed to meet lifetime standards which means each flat or house can be easily adapted to meet future needs. The garden is also designed to meet the needs of aging members.
4. Will we have garden space? The houses and the ground floor flats will have a small personal garden space and the upper floor flats will have balconies. The main garden area between flats and houses is shared.
5. What is a Common House? The Common House is a place where members can share meals, play games, watch films, or relax around the fire. We will no doubt be bringing books to fill a small library. It includes shared storage space, laundry room and guest rooms.
6. Will there be car parking space for everyone and visitors? Or will there be a car club with shared vehicles? There are limited car parking spaces as many older people give up driving and use public transport. This is encouraged as it is more environmentally friendly too. We intend to have a shared car club and will no doubt be car pooling into Lancaster from time to time. We will also be looking at shared mobility scooters and bicycle storage area.
7. Do we share meals? There will be times when shared meals are on offer. It is up to members to decide how often and in what format this takes place. It might be “Let’s meet for coffee and croissants.” or “Anyone for takeaway tonight?” or “Shall we do a Jacob’s Join tonight?”
8. Are pets allowed? Pets will be allowed. Our Pets Policy will set guidelines and restrictions.
9. What if I am not as environmentally aware as other members? We would like to support Lancaster City Council in their goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. There is an understanding that everyone is on a journey to becoming more sustainable. Halton Senior Cohousing has started with constructing to PassivHaus standards and linking in with the sustainable energy of the hydro-project. Our vision and values statement expresses the expectation that all members will consider the environmental impact of their lifestyle choices.
10. Will there be rented flats? We have a commitment to have 2 affordable rented flats. These will be flats 3 & 4. The council has set the criteria for those wishing to apply for the affordable flats and the rent which can be charged. More information can be found in our Affordable Housing Policy and Allocation Plan.
11. What will the other flats and houses cost? We have indicative prices based on the feasibility plan. We are currently reviewing these prices based on the latest architects drawings. We will be posting these soon.