Lilac Co-op
Lilac Co-op is a co-housing community, based in West Leeds, established in 2006 by a small group of friends who wanted to live sustainably with a safe space for their children.
It started with members putting their savings into the Co-op plus a grant from the government and a mortgage from an ethical lender. There are now 50 people living in homes, which are both energy efficient and with a “common house” where residents eat together and socialise, do their laundry, and grow fruit and vegetables. Food is bought in bulk to save money and residents meet twice a week in the common house to socialise and relax. There is also a play area and guest rooms. The houses were built on an old school grounds and are all energy efficient. Lilac Co-op owns the housing and members own shares – the number of shares you own depends on the size of the home and income. So, the larger the home, the more shares you own. This helps to create affordable housing for those on a low income. LILAC is now part of a flourishing neighbourhood and is part of the wider community where events such as local meetings, film nights and gatherings take place.
The site is based around the Danish co-housing model: mixing people’s needs for their own space but with shared facilities that encourage social interaction.
For more information visit www.lilac.coop
