On March 9th 2022, Clarion Futures hosted the awards ceremony for the William Sutton Prize. We were pleased to be in attendance as we were shortlisted for the William Sutton Prize for Sustainability and Placemaking.
Whilst we were not able to take home the prize on the night, it was great to be in attendance. To be considered amongst all the other brilliant projects for a prize of such high prestige was a real encouragement that what we are doing is important and valuable.
We submitted the initial application in October 2021. The potential prize was up to £20,000 to fund research and development for the Morrell House project. This would include: training for the resident group in managing a Fully-Mutual Housing Co-op; building performance modelling; and research and analysis of the social and environmental impact of the project to ensure replicability for future projects. After presenting to a panel of sustainability and placemaking experts, we were announced in the shortlist of only 12 finalists.
The shortlist included winners Mole Architects who were presenting a proposal for ‘Home Made’, a zero-carbon homebuilding system designed to support ‘group-build’ community-led housing. ‘Home Made’ is a custom-build modular system, which gives the future residents the choice of a range of standard sized units, with customisable layouts and fixtures. Mole Architects will be working with Clarion Group to develop the system further. We wish them the best of luck and look forward to seeing how it progresses!
Our project at Morrell House
Whilst we were not awarded the prize, we are still excited to be progressing our new housing model at Morrell House. Working with OpHouse, we will be developing a new housing model, exploring the use of Fully-Mutual Housing Co-operatives (FMHC) to provide rental opportunities. Morrell House is a former care home in Clifton that will be converted into residential units with shared communal spaces.
We are looking to the future to ensure that the development is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable in the long-term. We are ensuring that the housing remains low-impact, healthy and affordable, by sticking to One Planet Development principles. OpHouse have been leading on community engagement, including running a series of on-street and online workshops, and hosting an exhibition at York Design Week. This engagement at both local level and the broader context of York will continue throughout the project to ensure that the project is genuinely led by the community and those impacted by the development.
Get involved and help make a positive impact on the housing market in York
As always, we are still interested in meeting and collaborating with more people who want to make a difference to the current state of housing in York. If you want to volunteer some time, learn a bit more about YorSpace, or simply want to have your opinion heard, please get in touch with us at hello@yorspace.org.