Our services

Many people across the Thames Valley do not have access to good quality, secure and affordable housing. At Collaborative Housing, we bring together residents, housing associations, councils and landlords to collaborate and learn from each other in order to build better homes, and stronger places.

From exploring the possibilities, to the practicalities of funding, design and planning, our team of advisors are experts in the Thames Valley housing sector, and they’ll help you to identify your local housing needs, design a project around them and translate that to different housing bodies.

If you’re interested in learning more about what Collaborative Housing can do for you, Book in a 15-minute chat with one of our advisors.

Whether you are a Community Group, Landowner, or Housing Association, we provide hands-on advice and technical support to take you from initial concept to homes on the ground. From co-housing and community land trusts, to cooperatives and self-help housing, we want to encourage and support communities to find solutions that work for them.

Here’s how we might work with you:

Residents/Community Groups:

• Starting from Scratch: We’ll help you to form a group and develop your vision, engaging with stakeholders, building decision-making processes, and setting up organisational and legal structures.
• Consultation, Sites, and Funding: We’ll guide you to carry out community consultations, acquire a site which meets your group’s housing needs, and offer support for financial planning and accessing funding.
• Project planning, Development, and Ongoing Management: Our experts will help with business planning, financial appraisals, advice on project management and liaising with development partners, contractors and local authorities, and signpost you to legal and financial services.
• Housing Needs Surveys: By helping your community or group understand the specific housing requirements of residents, an up-to-date Housing Needs Survey can help ensure that your new development best meets local needs. We are currently able to OFFER A DISCOUNT on our Housing Needs Survey service - email info@cohohub.org.uk for more information.

Landowners:

• Site appraisal: We’ll walk you through the planning and financial viability of your site, and help you undertake a housing needs survey to see what the housing needs are in your local community and demonstrate community support for the site.
• Finding a Partner Group: Linking you up with a local community group to purchase and develop the site using the services above.

Registered Providers (Housing Associations):

• Development opportunities: We’ll bring you a ready-formed group with a site opportunity to help you deliver affordable housing.
• Negotiate partnership arrangements: We’ll help you to structure partnership agreements specific to community-led housing groups to share out the risk and benefits of the development.
• Technical support: We’ll act as a professional intermediary between the group and the housing association, to facilitate the partnership.