Bringing people together to build better quality homes was the starting point of what became the modern building society. And making sure everyone has a place fit to call home is still Nationwide Building Society’s mission today. And that’s why, with their members' backing, they had the idea to design and fund a not-for-profit development of quality homes with a focus on community.
We’re not just building houses. We’re creating a community. Which is why, every step of the way, we’ve involved local residents and experienced and dedicated partners to make sure we’re building a neighbourhood that works for both people and the planet.
We hired a community organiser, Keith Brown, who spent 18 months getting to know many of you who live, work and go to school close to Oakfield. He listened to your opinions, which helped us make sure we created a neighbourhood that we know people want and need.
We know there are problems across the country with poor quality housing. At Oakfield, all of our homes have been designed by architects with quality in mind.
We also want to demonstrate how homes can be built with a focus on making them energy efficient and reducing their carbon footprint. We’re really proud that Oakfield will be off-gas, so your heat will come from an air source heat pump instead of a gas-powered boiler and you’ll get additional energy from solar panels.
Our interest in creating a place people feel part of and that’s valued by the community won’t stop there. We’re looking at how we can support neighbours to get to know and support each other, how we can help younger and older people live side by side and create a better experience for each other.
If you’re an organisation that’s interested in finding out more about our learnings, you can read our blueprint chapters here.
