Thundercliffe Grange

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Thundercliffe, an eighteenth century mansion house with service wings and stable block, set in 22 acres of mixed park land and woodland on the Sheffield/Rotherham border in South Yorkshire celebrated its 20th. anniversary as a co-housing institution in May 2000. The initial participants, the majority of whom still live at the Grange, were, mainly, local government officers who, together with friends and family formed the company "Thundercliffe Grange Ltd." to purchase the Grange, a former residential home for physically and mentally handicapped children, from Sheffield Health Authority and to convert it into self-contained flats together with areas for communal use.

Thundercliffe Grange

There are twelve flats - some occupied by single people the others by families, in total some two dozen occupants ranging in age from 2 to 65. There is no specific ideology which defines the group and every effort is made to preserve the privacy and autonomy of individuals while sharing the benefits[and the work and expense]of the house and its grounds. The land, apart from the kitchen garden and ornamental gardens adjacent to the house, comprises woodland and park land and is managed in such a way as to enhance the habitat for birds, animals etc.The ground floor of the main building provides communal areas such as workshop, dining room and laundry.

Social

There is an annual cycle of about six major social events, some[e.g.the Christmas Dinner] are for residents only, others can involve over 200 guests.

Structure

Thundercliffe Grange Ltd. is a company limited by guarantee. The company owns the freehold of the land and buildings. All leaseholders are directors of the company. Officers are elected at an annual general meeting and monthly meetings are held to determine priority for work projects, review finance, agree social events etc. Leaseholders commit themselves to work[most] Sundays on the house and grounds. All but the most specialist work is carried out by the residents themselves.

Finance

Initially members purchased their properties leasehold from the company. Those wishing to leave put their home on the market in the normal way and, upon completion, the lease is assigned by the company to the new purchaser. Potential purchasers are invited to an informal meeting with other residents. In the event of a purchaser being unacceptable to residents the company is obliged to purchase the property from the vendor at market valuation (It has not been necessary, to date, to invoke this procedure). Monthly charges are made to cover repair, maintenance, development and social programmes.

www.rasociety.org.uk/thundercliffe_grange.html

www.cohousing.org.uk/thundercliffe-grange

www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Rotherham/Thunderclif...