This week the Older Women’s Cohousing group moves into New Ground Cohousing, its new home in High Barnet. Designed by architects Pollard Thomas Edwards, in collaboration with the OWCH group and Hanover Housing.

Cohousing is a Scandinavian idea gaining traction in the UK, where residents collaborate to design and manage their own communities. Each household has its own private home, but communities share common facilities. The idea is particularly appealing to older people, combining neighbourly support with modern comforts and privacy.

The members of OWCH have been working together for many years, pioneering the idea of a supportive community for women in later life. PTE collaborated with OWCH to design their ideal community on a site in Barnet, acquired for the group by not-for-profit retirement housing provider Hanover.

Shirley Meredeen, 84, who co-founded OWCH, said: “It’s never been done before, and we will be completely running it ourselves. We are making history, and we are extremely proud. We are not going to be a little ghetto of older people, we want to be good neighbours.”