After years of planning and partnership working, YorSpace’s first community-led housing project at Lowfield Green, York, is almost ready to welcome its first residents. The project will deliver York’s first housing co-operative; Lowfield Green Housing Co-op. Soon, 14 affordable and sustainable homes will become a reality for local families, marking a huge milestone in tackling the city’s affordability crisis.

To celebrate this moment, we’ve captured the story on film – featuring future resident Co-op member Laura, YorSpace’s James Neward, partners from City of York Council, social investors including Resonance, Better Society Capital, and the Access Foundation – all sharing what it has taken to bring this ambitious project to life.

Watch our film to hear directly from a future resident, YorSpace’s Founder, and the partners who helped make this project a reality:

For Laura, her husband, and their two daughters, the move marks the beginning of a new chapter. Speaking in the film, Laura shares her excitement about settling into their new four-bedroom home, where her children will finally have their own rooms.

“At the moment the kids share a bedroom and they’re getting a little bit old for that, so they’re super excited to have their own rooms. We’ll also have a little garden down the side of our house, and I’m really looking forward to the big, shared community space, where we’ll be able to do stuff together.”.

The homes at Lowfield Green are designed to One Planet Living principles: highly energy efficient, well-insulated, and built with renewable energy in mind. For Laura, that means not only a cosy, warm home but also a chance to reduce her family’s impact on the planet.

“They’re all going to be so eco, really, really well insulated and completely airtight. I’m really looking forward to having a cosy, warm home and reducing our impact on the planet.”

Her reflections highlight the dual purpose of YorSpace: to deliver affordable homes, but also to create a sustainable, connected community.

A city-wide challenge

The scale of York’s housing challenge makes this project even more significant. The city is ranked as one of the 15 least affordable places in the UK [1], with the average mortgage-bought property costing 11.2% more than the national average [2]. At the same time, poverty levels remain stark: in May 2024 there were 2,992 households in relative poverty in York [3].

Councillor Michael Pavlovic, who joined our visit to Lowfield Green, acknowledged the importance of projects like this in tackling the crisis:

“Far too many people are left out of the housing market, which impacts their lives and their ability to work in the city they love. Opportunities like YorSpace are vital, and we all need to work together to develop and enhance them.”

Lowfield Green shows that when communities take the lead, with the right support, they can create solutions that both meet urgent housing need and build long-term resilience. Through co-operative ownership these homes will stay permanently affordable.

Unlocking the project with social investment

For several years, YorSpace’s plans at Lowfield Green were stuck, with the team struggling to access the finance needed to move forward. That changed when Resonance Community Developers (RCD) stepped in with a £2.5m investment, unlocking further funding and giving the project the green light.

James Neward, COO & Co-founder of YorSpace, explained just how crucial that backing was:

“We were stuck in a bit of a rut for several years. And so, to find a social investor like Resonance, who could see the benefit of what we’re doing and back YorSpace as a community benefit society, to make a project like this realised in a city that really needs it, is incredibly valuable.”

It wasn’t just the capital that mattered, but also the ongoing support and connections that came with it:

“We’re incredibly grateful for Resonance to back us with the money, but also the support they’ve given in engaging with other investors and groups has been really powerful.”

This investment has helped transform YorSpace’s vision into reality - demonstrating the critical role social investment can play in making ambitious, community-led housing possible.

A model for the future

At its core, YorSpace is about community ownership, ensuring that homes remain affordable not just for today’s residents, but for generations to come. This model demonstrates the power of Community Land Trusts and social investment to reshape local housing markets in a fairer, more sustainable way.

As the finishing touches are made and residents like Laura prepare to pick up their keys, Lowfield Green Housing Co-op stands as proof that community-led housing can succeed - delivering affordable homes, tackling climate impact, and creating stronger neighbourhoods.

About Resonance Community Developers 

Resonance Community Developers (RCD) is a Resonance Ltd social investment fund. It was designed to support communities to create and own assets that meet local needs and help to build community cohesion, by investing in community-led affordable homes and facilities that benefit the whole community. 

The fund invests in: 

• Affordable homes 
• Sports and leisure facilities 
• Low-carbon and renewable energy generation 
• Other community assets 

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[1] https://www.york.gov.uk/council-plan-1/one-city-2023-2027/9

[2] https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/housingpriceslocal/E06000014/#rent_price

[3] https://democracy.york.gov.uk/documents/s184064/Annex%20A%20York%20poverty%20gap%20statistics.docx.pdf