Eco-village workshop planned

A workshop about the possibility of eco-villages providing an affordable housing option on the Central Coast will be held at Woy Woy next Saturday, May 8.

Speakers will include social historian and sociologist Dr Bill Metcalf who will talk about eco-villages and intentional communities and architect Dr Graham Meltzer who will talk about "cohousing" design.

The workshop is being organised by the Australian Conservation Foundation's Central Coast branch and Equilibrium Community Ecology Inc.

"Eco-villages and co-housing projects commonly comprise groups of people who have come together specifically to create an environmentally-sustainable lifestyle," said workshop organiser Mr Mark Snell.

"They strive to integrate a supportive social environment with a low-impact way of life, through shared property ownership.

"Their way of life is characterised by practices which commonly include ecological design and building, permaculture, renewable energy technology, and the conscious use of community-building practices."

The workshop will look at the principles, objectives and practicalities of establishing and living in an eco-village, he said.

The day will be structured with information sessions and discussion drawing on existing examples in the morning, while the afternoon sessions will provide the opportunity for participants to collectively design an urban co-housing project or a rural eco-village.

The workshop will be held from 9am to 4pm and will be held at the Technology Futures centre at Brisbane Water Secondary College in Edward St, Woy Woy.

The workshop is the second day of a two-day Year of the Built Environment event.

The first day will be a seminar, held on Friday at Mingara, looking at land use, environmental and social planning issues associated with eco-villages providing affordable housing.

The seminar will be opened by Minister for the Central Coast, Mr John Della Bosca.

Keynote speaker will be former director of environmental planning services at Byron Shire, Mr David Kanaley, who will speak about "Planning for eco-villages".

Byron Shire has implemented a rural development strategy based around eco-village principles.

Bookings for both the workshop and the seminar are essential.

For further information, phone 4342 5333 or email mark.snell@openwindows.com.

Media release, April 28