Eco-village makes for social success
Sunday, 4 May 2014
In the heart of West Auckland, 32 terraced houses and eco-apartments line the grounds of an old orchard.
Established fruit trees, composting and communal vegetable gardens dot the areas between private gardens and balconies. A small pond sits at the edge of the property.
This is Ranui's Earthsong eco-neighbourhood, where residents believe shared living is the way of the future. Founder Robin Allison is working hard to expand the model throughout New Zealand.
'There have been thousands of people on tours here over the years, but the hop from ‘that's great' to ‘how do I live like this' is a big one. People are becoming interested, more and more in the last year. We have had a real resurgence. It's to do with feeling really dissatisfied with a lack of relationships in the suburbs and wanting to collaborate with neighbours.'
Allison said children who lived in the village, 'had a ball' and grew up to know each other like family.
When housing comes up for sale, it is always in hot demand and interest in the way of life has spread - even sparking a visit from foreign media. One two-bedroom townhouse is for sale for $450,000. A few properties are rented, but most are owner-occupied.
Starting a like-minded neighbourhood isn't easy, but Earthsong has gone through its growing pains and now runs on a complex system of focus groups and resident input.
Momentum for the project began in the mid-1990s and the project was finished in 2008. Each house is individually bought on a unit title and includes shares in the communal house, grounds and orchard. Prices start from mid $400,000 - not cheap by Ranui standards, but houses are built to be sustainable, warm and solid.
When there are disagreements, neighbours come together to discuss solutions. Meetings are held in the communal hall to decide on the best course of action for the greater good - deciding to allow cats on the property took about six months of debate. Now a maximum of eight cats are permitted on the grounds at any one time.
There are strategies to deal with conflicts and some people have moved out after finding shared living didn't suit them. Residents must agree to a charter when buying property and agree to contribute to life in any way they can. Some participate more than others and different skill-sets are put to use - accountants, teachers, lawyers and builders live there.
People come and go from the communal hall where neighbours meet for cups of tea and banter. Two social dinners are held each week and movie nights and parties are commonplace - all residents are welcome at all events.
Former Titirangi resident Raewyn Holloway and her husband Tony moved to the village last year in a bid to downsize and live more socially. The thought of living in isolated retirement villages did not appeal and the social element at Earthsong meant they never felt lonely, Holloway said.
'We wanted to live somewhere smaller and more interesting. It's cheaper living here because the cost of bills are very reasonable and our life is much more socially healthy.'
She said her friends had mixed reactions to the style of living but she thought it had many benefits over isolated suburban. 'We have to learn patience and be prepared to consider other people's point of view. Before we could have just thought of what we want. Inconsiderate people shouldn't live here.'
Megan Williams moved from Christchurch a few months ago to be closer to her mother and said the model would be perfect for her hometown and its rebuild. 'I love it, the social side, often you don't know your neighbours in Christchurch. And so many older people live in isolation in suburbs on their own. They must be very lonely.'
Clinical psychologist Rebecca Daly-Peoples said humans were designed to live in social groups and that had been lost a bit through industrialisation and urban sprawl.
She saw the idea of communal living gaining momentum but doubted it would become the norm in New Zealand. ‘People are starting to consider becoming self-sufficient and living sustainably. There is a move towards local markets and sharing resources.'
Other similar projects are starting up. Delhi Village is a 12.8-hectare development in Whanganui in the early phases while Co-housing Otepoti in Dunedin is based on the Earthsong model and is now at consultation and development phase.