Hi Jim (ecoboss),
Sorry it has taken me so long to reply.
You sound as if you are better placed than myself to actually achieve something, as there is some land available and already earmarked for house construction. In Oxford finding suitable building land is difficult and it is also very expensive when you find it.
My approach is to set up a Housing Co-Operative here in Oxford. The project has two purposes.
Firstly to provide eco Social Housing. I hope to move into a Co-Op owned house within two years and cut my domestic rent by half, while providing a dwelling which is superior in all aspects to this ex-council house.
Secondly, I expect to create space in which to work - through the housing Co-Op, somewhere I can develop a range of eco products and services that I have in mind. This will give me a low business rent, close to where I live - BUT NOT in my home, removing transport to work costs and travelling time. Giving me somewhere to go to get away from the business.
At this time everything is still in the research and planning stage, but it is looking favourable for a launch early this year 2010. Particularly, as I have been talking with people from Co-Operative Futures and Co-Operative & Community Finance, who assure me that 100% finance is available jointly through the Co-Operative Society and Triodos Bank. 110% for the right Business Plan.
The strategy is to build approx 12 mid priced, wooden, 'eco' dwellings, ranging from singles to 4 bedroom properties. Then sell 6 to reduce the loan dramatically or completely.
I plan to set up the Housing Co-Op, build the houses as a project managed via Oxford PC Solutions, a private company, limited by guarantee. There are other ways to do this, but each rely on the business having more than one member of staff and at the moment ......
If things change and others want to get involved with management, I'll review the situation as and when. A workers Co-Op would be ideal, but without actual workers, I am left to do everything. Obviously I need to protect myself, so a Limited Company has many advantages over being a Sole trader.
This is a particularly important issue as doing it this way I can retain money in the company, useful for growth. I am stuck in the private rented sector in Oxford and it is a real bind starting to earn money as the City Council take 64% of my Gross Income off my Housing Benefit Entitlement if I am a Sole Trader.
It's a slightly better option as an employee of a company as they will deduct 64% of my Net Income from my Housing Benefit Entitlement. As the property rents are so high in Oxford, you can see that one needs to earn a considerable amount in order to pay the whole rent, £1100 per cal month and still have any money to spare.
My biggest concern is that the Housing Benefit people will not understand that a Social Enterprise doesn't set out to make a profit for the share holders.
Second big concern is that unless I earn some money some other way, (through selling my IT and Business skills, etc), in the short term, there will be nothing in my wage packet until finance for admin wages has become a reality.
I could go into more details about products and services, but this is still pipe line stuff for the Business Plan. This will require space to store materials, fabricate stuff, as well as the staff to do the work. So getting the Housing Co-Op up and running is the first objective. If the project is a success, I hope Oxford PC Solutions will initiate a similar eco Build project, offering some of the properties for sale to the public and at discount to Social Landlords.
I hope that gives you a clear picture of my hopes.
How about your project ?
What do you have in mind ?
My own eMail address is david@oxfordpcsolutions.co.uk
if you'd like to contact me other than via this forum.
Regards David Urmston