A bold housing experiment is underway in Orkney that could redefine how communities live and thrive. In the far north of Scotland, a group of residents, many in their 70s, are leading a Scandinavian-style co-housing project aimed at tackling social isolation and the rural housing crisis. Their vision is simple yet profound: create a neighbourhood of private homes alongside shared spaces, fostering close-knit living.

The project, Hope Cohousing, would be Scotland’s first fully rental co-housing development, and it’s already shovel-ready after six years of determined effort. As this innovative venture gains momentum, it challenges traditional thinking on planning, property values, and community cohesion.

Co-housing is an intentional housing model where residents design and manage their neighbourhood collectively. Originating in Denmark in the 1960s, it combines self-contained private homes with shared facilities like a common house, gardens, and recreation spaces. Daily life is semi-independent, promoting both privacy and regular social connection.

Denmark has made co-housing mainstream, with around 50,000 Danes living in such communities, and similar models have spread across the US and England. Until now, Scotland has lagged behind, with funding and planning hurdles. Hope Cohousing is poised to change that.

Hope Cohousing illustrates how this model addresses both loneliness and housing affordability. The founding members, older residents of Orkney, sought alternatives to isolated, hard-to-heat homes. By clustering six eco-friendly houses together in St. Margaret’s Hope, the project ensures independence alongside community support.

Importantly, these homes are all affordable rentals – not for sale. This opens cohousing to long-term tenants who might not have the means to buy, offering a secure home in a supportive environment. It also addresses broader pressures like fuel poverty and the ageing population, providing modern, energy-efficient homes at affordable rents.

Hope Cohousing demonstrates grassroots community development in a rural area often overlooked by mainstream builders. Initiated by a Community Interest Company formed by local residents, the project secured land from Orkney Islands Council and garnered planning permission after years of advocacy.

Support from Robert Gordon University architects and Scottish Government funding further enabled the project. Echoing Denmark’s success, Orkney’s model shows how rural councils and communities can collaborate to deliver alternative housing solutions.

The Hope Cohousing journey exposed systemic barriers for community-led developments, requiring creative navigation through grants and permissions. Its success could inspire councils elsewhere to adopt more flexible planning approaches for community-driven housing.

Hope Cohousing homes won’t affect open-market prices directly, but their presence could unlock under-occupied homes as residents relocate, freeing up existing housing stock for families. Cohousing also reframes housing not as a mere commodity, but as infrastructure for well-being – offering long-term community benefits without undermining property markets.

At its heart, Hope Cohousing is about combating loneliness by designing community into everyday life. Residents will share communal meals, gardens, and decision-making, creating a daily fabric of neighbourly support. In a rural area like Orkney, this closeness is vital for quality of life, especially for older residents.

The initiative also empowers local people to tackle social challenges directly, setting an example for other communities. Its success could inspire wider uptake of community-led models across Scotland.

This is more than a housing project – it’s a proof of concept for a different way of living in Scotland. If successful, it could influence planners, policymakers, and other rural communities to embrace co-housing as part of the solution to Scotland’s ongoing ‘housing crisis’.

While funding challenges remain, there is growing governmental and public support. The Orkney model suggests a more Scandinavian-inspired approach to housing – one rooted in community and well-being – could become part of Scotland’s future.