A co-housing community in Powys allows residents to live in a 15-acre Georgian mansion for a price comparable to a two-bedroom house. Dol-llys Hall, a Grade II listed building on the outskirts of Llanidloes, is home to individuals who share responsibility for maintaining the property and grounds.
The hall contains seven flats, along with communal living areas and shared facilities. Residents are equal shareholders on a loan stock basis and pay a monthly service charge for group expenses and projects. Decisions, such as installing solar panels, are made by consensus.
A share in the community currently costs £230,000, which includes the right to live in a two or three-bedroom flat. Local two to three-bedroom properties in Llanidloes are advertised from approximately £110,000 to over £250,000. Residents commit to a minimum of one work day a month, including gardening and processing wood for the communal boiler.
The community, which began in 1991, has residents ranging in age from seven to 70. Two older residents are moving out this summer, with two families with three children aged six to 12 set to move in, shifting the demographic towards a younger balance.