Interested?

in owning your private home in the town centre? living as part of an Intentional & vibrant community? having more disposable income?

About

Savoy Village is a vision for an improved development within Sligo's Courthouse Block. Based on modern housing methods in developed cities, the CLH, (Community Led Housing) model is emerging not out of necessity but by popular demand.

This website is intended to provide information on this growing housing model and collect local interest.

Town centres are changing, we must adapt, be more proactive than reactive. residents will increase, we must ensure faster more orderly, more sustainable ways to accommodate and try lessen gentrification.

While CLH or any housing is easier from a greenfield site, sustainability wise, we're obliged to consider more brownfield. In particular town centre under utilised sites, like Sligo's Courthouse block.

URDF urban renewal development funding is designed for transforming places like this. By demonstrating demand for an urban modern housing model, Savoy Village can become a reality.

By adopting practices of CLH, including 'community land trusts', gentrification can be reduced with multigenerational, mixed tenure residents, 'owning' their own homes, the perfect compliment for todays urban placemaking.

#CoHousingNotCoLiving

CLH is an umbrella term for various housing formats:

Cohousing
Community Land Trusts (CLTs)
self-help housing
cooperatives

This diagram by soa.ie clarifies the notorious 'CoLiving' model.

Michael D Higgins

A CoHousing perspective

Quick clip of Community-Led Housing groups already working together around the country.

Urban ideas

For architect Grace Kim, loneliness is a function of how socially connected we feel to the people around us -- and it's often the result of the homes we live in. She shares an age-old antidote to isolation, a way of living where people choose to share space with their neighbours.

Planning

The existing Courthouse Block development Framework Plan stipulates 'some' conditions. The main element is 'mixed use' meaning a commercial activity, or open street at ground level.

In 2025 what shops or other commercial activity can you imagine in Savoy Village?

Sligo is seeing an increase in tourism, but what about other types like housing, architecture or culture tourism?

In her shoes...

So your settled in the dream home & community, what's next?....... eventually you get older.

CLH's particularly CoHousing's have a happy maximum of 40 homes but this courthouse block can accommodate another 60 or so. This begs the question, what type of housing should this be? what would most complement or best integrate your CoHousing community? What does our town need? What should our town provide?

A nursing home or retirement village will likely be the first though, but put yourself into the shoes of the aging member in your multigenerational community (extended family in effect). Your mind is perfect, you're young at heart but an essential body part is failing, assistance request's of your neighbours is now in burden territory. Is this it? end of the line? "nursing home time?".

If only there was a way to remain in the community, this place, home. Share your thoughts (contact below).

Blue Sky Thinking

Many projects remain unfunded in Ireland often due to viability, appeal, function or value. This site is sandwiched between a c1795 Heritage stone building and an 1878 Victorian / French Gothic Courthouse. Home to the much loved, former Savoy Cinema and features therapeutic panoramic rooftop views of Sligo's landscape.

An Innovative development here doesn't stop at the ground level features, history, housing style, architecture aesthetics or views, but the potential of co-locating two new housing models, their synergies and an inclusive community, a rooftop design that would spawn new culture, a fresh attraction for Sligo. Imagine a sunrise or set over Benbulben, Knocknarea as you tuck into breakfast or dinner.

"HOUSING"

Sligo has been identified as a growth centre, yet employers struggle to home / attract new staff. Young families want that house, Ms. Murphy's house. While she loves her home, she's isolated, blesses every day she able to drive her car. She'd consider selling but where would she go? certainly not into a lonely shitty town-flat. Unless, It was near her needs, a decent and private space she can make a home, with a bonus of like minded friends living next door.

To spell it out - In addressing our housing crisis, there's opportunity to address the NEXT CRISES simultaneously. Building a housing TYPE that make Mrs. Murphy or Mr. Smith happier, makes them healthier! Her (currently oversized) home becomes closer to making another family happier who want to live, invest, in Sligo. Our AGING population, and innovative employers looking for workers, need conversations about innovative housing options. Being that exemplarily project to follow, is the dream of Savoy Village.

Got an Idea? say hello below....

Further information..

One group is leading the way in Ireland, 'Self Organised Architecture' who've recently published a 'how to' in CLH. They have a vast resource of information collected from other communities, expert presentations, talks, site visits and years of research.

Alternatives exist..

Non-Capitalist is a term being used in Canada, There are many different housing models and other solutions. Ireland has to start looking further afield.