Hope Cohousing—a community interest company—is working to establish a small cohousing project for older people in St Margaret’s Hope, Orkney, as a lasting community benefit. Six new, eco-aware, affordable rental homes will be built for people wanting to live independently and build a supportive community. The project will have shared amenities, a garden….and chickens.
Since early in 2024, HCH has been under the umbrella of the Communities Housing Trust (CHT). Backed by the Scottish Government, the Trust is the leading charitable organisation for facilitating community-led housing in central and northern Scotland. When the homes are built, they will be owned by CHT. The responsibility for day-to-day management will lie with the HCH residents.
Find out more about the project; become a Friend of Hope Cohousing; or join our monthly meet-up.
Contact us if you have questions about HCH.
In the news
Our next monthly meet-up
Our next meet-up will be on December 6, 2025. Details of where we will meet will appear here later. Our monthly meet-ups (open to all) normally take place on the first Saturday of each month.
The value of community-based services
Community-based housing associations outperform other associations and councils in having the most responsive repair services, the fastest relet times and the lowest arrears. Click to read (Scottish Housing News). [October 30, 2025].
Achieving a shared understanding of housing affordability
With multiple definitions of ‘housing affordability’ and widespread disagreement on what affordability means, a new report has identified nine key recommendations required to develop a shared understanding of a single, commonly held definition that is fit for the future, and consistently adopted across Scotland. Click to read this Scottish Housing News article. [October 30, 2025]
Exploring South Ronaldsay – Listening Walks
Created by Sheena Graham-George, and based on conversations with local people, the Burwick, Kirkhouse and St Margaret’s Hope Listening Walks are now available on Exploring South Ronaldsay [which started life on these pages]. The result is a fascinating collage of life on the island. [October 25, 2025]
Hope Cohousing September Newsletter
The latest edition of our newsletter was published on September 12. Click to download.
HCH is ‘an excellent example of community-led solutions to the housing crisis’
Rhoda Grant, a Scottish Labour MSP representing the Highlands and Islands, visited us earlier in the year. She has recently argued that Holyrood needs to listen to what local community groups like Hope Cohousing are saying, ‘rather than imposing Central Belt ideas which will not work’. Read more in the Party Politics column in the Orcadian.
[October 2, 2025 p.33].
Tackling Scotland’s Housing Emergency
Màiri McAllan – the Cabinet Secretary for Housing – has announced a Plan for Scotland (September 3, 2025). She has also committed to invest up to £4.9bn to deliver around 36,000 affordable homes by 2029-30 (9,000 pa). [Click to view the plan]. While a step forward, it falls short of what recent research shows is actually needed – 15,000 social and affordable homes pa. [Click for a comprehensive Scottish Housing News article on the plan].
A few weeks earlier, Màiri McAllan had written to Hope Cohousing saying that the Scottish Government is supportive of community-led housing, including co-housing models. She continued, ‘I am in the process of engaging with relevant MSPs across the broad range of issues raised in relation to the Housing Bill, including the matter of co-housing’.
[September 4, 2025]
Click for more HCH news.
Resources
Featured article: Why cohousing is good for people and communities – the evidence. [Updated January 2024]
Creating a cohousing project: Materials and videos exploring different aspects of putting together a cohousing project.
Look out for: Burray and South Ronaldsay: Local services. [New and updated]. See also the new Exploring South Ronaldsay site, which began life on these pages.
For more about the development of cohousing in Scotland, click on the Cohousing Scotland logo below.
