Chickenshack is a fully mutual housing co-operative based in the Dysynni valley in North Wales since August 1995. We have 6 full time members here and between us we manage 5 acres of land and four dwellings, working to an ever evolving permaculture inspired environmentally efficient design.

See it on Google Earth

See a panoramic view

Fully mutual (par value) housing co-operative simply means that it is owned and managed by a limited company, of which the tenants are the sole directors. It is only £1.00 to join and qualify for membership according the co-ops seconadary rules, in return for a fair rent and attendance of management meetings as required.

Co-ops are part of a grand tradition of democratic and social institutions that provide a useful and often more sustainable alternative to private ownership.

We have a growing interest in sustainable business, local food and energy and livlihoods, as well as running courses utilising the facilities here.

We are involved in the Machynllwth transition town project

A bit more about Co-ops
Co-operatives as an idea was invented by a bunch of people known as the Rochdale pioneers about 160 years ago, basically its a different way to own and or manage a business for a wider of mutual benefit, mroe than personal gain. As such co-oops tend to be a more socially responsible and more democratic type of organisation. Housing co-operatives are no different really, there are actually three different kinds at least, but essentially they are all ways of owning and managing a property by the people that live in them.

More recently they are seen as a very useful way to acquire a property if you dont have conventional funding (like a mortgage based on your income), savings or other property to sell. There are lots of advantages such as tenants of co-ops can claim housing benefit, so it is possible to underwrite a mortage with a steady income.

More importantly as the property is essentially owned by itself there is no greedy landlord to feed, so rents are low, at Chickenshack we aim to make to small surplus each year over our basic costs which can be reinvested back into maintaining and improving the buildings and land.

We were established with the help of a Radical Routes loan, a mortgage from Triodos bank and our own Chickenshack loanstock fund.

None of this could have been achieved without the advice and support from Catalyst collective and Radical Routes and its member co-ops. The later of wich CSHC were active members of between '93 - '99, and we still support and promote their objects. We actively network locally with other co-ops in Wales and the borders. See the Blog for updates