Planning toolkit overview

Wayshaper has been designed to help groups at various levels of development, from those who have created their vision but are only just beginning to explore practical matters, through to groups who have already begun developing their model but still have important decisions to make, some of which may be interdependent with earlier decisions.

The process consists of 3 stages:

1. Priorities workshop

Every group should begin with this workshop which lays the foundation for the options workshops, and helps the group to prioritise 16 components of their model. A group with clear and agreed vision, values and aims will find this a swift process whereas a group early in its development will require several workshops to uncover members’ needs and preferences.

Detailed priorities workshop instructions

2. Options workshops

These workshops help the group to explore and choose from 70 options across the 16 components tackled in the priorities workshop. The group can prototype multiple group models over these workshops to explore different ways of delivering their vision. Any interdependencies and incompatibilities between options are identified early on, preventing problems from surfacing later.

Detailed options workshop instructions

3. Holistic group model

The development of a stable group model takes place over multiple workshops and research periods. Adjustments may be needed to respond to group members joining or departing, or changing conditions such as funding or site opportunities. The final model is comprised of fully compatible options.

The 16 components of a group model

  • Residents
  • Organising principle
  • Incorporation and governance
  • Ownership
  • Finance
  • Tenure
  • Type of group
  • Land ownership
  • Site search
  • Planning
  • Type of location
  • Delivery model
  • Type of construction
  • Design and build standards
  • Management of construction
  • Long term management

Preview the full list of options within each component

Approach

There are of course some stellar examples of community led homes projects in the UK which provide great inspiration to burgeoning new groups. However, developing a group model which is apt and effective for delivering a particular vision often means looking beyond other group models. Wayshaper helps to navigate the entire range of options available, helping a group to explore, prototype, research and agree the model which best suits their own vision, values and aims.