The democratic role of co-operative housing: challenging the notion of generation rent in the UK housing market Emma Griffin University of the West of England PhD Student

Background and overview Research gap Methodological approach Scoping and project development

Background: Population trajectory for the UK projected to reach 71 million by 2030 (Office for National Statistics; 2011) Median house price rise of 200% in the UK between 1997 and 2012, far exceeding the 55% rise in average earnings (UNGA; 2013) Homeownership 65%- lowest level since 1987 (DCLG; 2014) ‘Generation rent’ 36% years olds (NatCen; 2014) security of tenure affordability living conditions

Background : Barriers to homeownership deposit property prices low income Co-operative owned housing stock 2009: UK- 0.6% Sweden- 18 % Norway- 15% Austria- 8% Germany- 6% (CCMH; 2009) 71% of sites brownfield sites in England are less than 1 hectare whilst only 1% of are over 20 hectares (Sinett et al; 2014) Potential for alternative smaller scale models to contribute to future housing stock

Community led development Active citizenship Localism Decentralisation Devolution Government approach: formulaic built on an overly simplistic, homogenised understanding of communities overlooks the internal processes, tangible and intangible practices and the social context in which they are situated presumes shared aims/goals/interest/values exist inherently Background:

Research gap: Internal practices and processes involved in bringing a co-operative housing development to fruition Insights from the multiplicity of factors embedded in these that can encourage and enable success Everyday practices: social community dynamics - informal networks and collaborations - power relations - democratic structures - methods of identifying and articulating needs Structural relationships: interplay between internal practices and formal policies and methods of facilitation from the inside out- members interactions with national policy, institutions, 3 rd parties

Methodology: Action Research 3 co-operative housing case studies Participatory research methods creative work-shopping community asset mapping video diaries participatory video practice

Scoping and project development: Autonomy and disconnect from policy The co-operative model as a ‘political beast’ ‘Activism that unites’ Mainstream/alternative housing co-operatives Equity shares Equity growth Individual  collective Micro practices  institutional context