As many of you will know Oxfordshire Community Land Trust (OCLT) has recently received planning permission for six maisonettes for affordable rent: 2 x 2 bedrooms, 2x 1 bedroom and 2 studios in Dean Court. We are now moving forward to complete the design process and appoint contractors.

The maisonettes will be built to a high environmental standard and will have low energy bills as a result. We hope to have the flats ready for occupation in summer 2015. As the flats will be operated as a tenant cooperative we want to find suitable tenants in the next few months so they can be as involved as possible in the preparation phase and so they can also learn about housing cooperatives.

We are now inviting anyone interested in applying for one of these flats to come an meet us. Preference will be given to prospective tenants who can show

• they are in housing need (ideally should be on Vale's Housing Register)

• they have a local connection (to Dean Court or Cumnor)

• that they are willing to join the Housing Cooperative that will manage the homes and the site

We are organising a meeting on Saturday September 27th from 2-5 (at a local venue) where prospective tenants will have the opportunity to

• meet the architect (Askew Architects from Bristol) who will describe the homes in detail and talk about how they will work

• hear Blase Lambert from the Confederation of Cooperative Homes talk about what it means to live in a housing coop

• ask questions

• register your interest and fill out an initial application form to live in one of the homes. 

Please email Fran Ryan (fran.ryan@oclt.org.uk) if you are interested in applying to live in one of the homes and would like to attend this meeting.