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In a time where soulless housing estates contribute
to the breakdown of communities, Living Villages neighbourhoods
are designed to promote conviviality, neighbourliness and
a feeling of belonging.
‘We call
it ‘a sense of place’,’ explains Bob Tomlinson,
the director of Living Villages, ‘an identifiable neighbourhood
that people enjoy and feel at home in. Unlike most developers,
we design neighbourhoods for people, not cars. The Wintles
(our Living Village in Shropshire) is a pedestrian priority zone, so
the residents can enjoy a protected, shared space and children
can play safely.’ |
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The village green
Living Villages are neighbourhoods of between thirty-five
and eighty-five houses. We build them in clusters of twelve,
so that the residents can easily get to know each other and
meet around a kitchen table. The houses are centred around
a village green, and car ports are positioned behind the houses.
It’s very safe for children – there is no danger
from cars, and they are never out of sight when they’re
playing on the green. Older neighbours are often happy to
act as surrogate grandparents, while the community as a whole
pools its resources to everyone’s benefit. Residents’
management companies can organise facilities like car clubs, which are great for
the community and also reduce environmental pollution. |
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Getting it right
We make sure we get it right from the very beginning. Our
eco-houses start their life in the right place, facing south
towards the sun, and safe from the cold north wind. Then we
plant thousands of trees around the edges of the site to give
them even more protection. On The Wintles, they are now growing
into a beautiful forest and a labyrinth of fruit trees including
cob nuts, apples and plums, which are much appreciated by
the residents (and a few of the locals!). There are also allotments for people who enjoy
gardening and growing their own produce.
Each neighbourhood has a rich mixture of houses in different
architectural styles and sizes. They are very different from
anything that you can buy from ordinary house-builders. We
always use local materials where we can, and incorporate architectural
features that reflect the unique character of the area. The
result is that although the houses are built to the most modern
and advanced of designs and specifications, they have a traditional
feel that blends well with the local architecture and culture.
‘People want to live in Living Villages not just
because the houses are beautiful and built to an exceptionally
high standard,’ says Bob. ‘They also love the
friendly atmosphere. I believe that we’ve succeeded
in creating a unique combination of ultra-modern, energy-efficient
building techniques with the feel of an established traditional
village.’
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