University of Glasgow law students have entered into a pioneering partnership with social enterprise ‘homefolk’ – alongside students and faculty at other Russell Group universities – promising a new approach to tackle the UK housing crisis. This autumn, over 30 students from the University of Glasgow, the University of Sheffield, and Queen Mary University of London have begun work on an innovative housing concept aimed at creating affordable and sustainable tinyhome villages in urban areas.
Homefolk, founded by London School of Medicine graduate Dr Adam Mitchell, proposes transforming underutilised urban ‘greyfield’ sites into eco-friendly tinyhome communities. This could deliver tens of thousands of affordable homes in prime city locations as a much-needed alternative to the traditional housing market.
As the 2018 government paper “Fixing Our Broken Housing Market” suggests, UK housing affordability is hitting record lows, and millions of young adults are struggling to secure homes. “One in three people aged 20-35 in the UK may never own a home,” Dr. Mitchell noted. This issue is particularly acute for students, whose struggles with skyrocketing rents have driven many to continue living with their parents well into their 20s and 30s. Glasgow’s situation certainly exemplifies this as skyrocketing rent in student areas has lead to students commuting to the city from as far away as Edinburgh, and students from further afield having to make cuts elsewhere to be able to afford the rent.
The tinyhome village model reimagines living in an eco-conscious, affordable way. Each resident owns their own home while sharing communal facilities, creating a sense of community. Importantly, the homes are designed to exceed London’s space standards while keeping costs low — targeting a price per resident of around £50,000 – that’s about the same as renting a one-bedroom apartment in London for four years.
Architecture and medicine students will work under the guidance of Sheffield’s award-winning architect Sam Brown and QMUL’s Respiratory Doctor & clean air campaigner Dr Anna Moore, with the team of University of Glasgow-based law students providing compliance and finance support. Brown has emphasised that the collaboration gives students an important opportunity to innovate with others and work on a real-world solution which has the potential to reshape housing policy nationwide. The project is a unique interdisciplinary vision to address the housing crisis from multiple angles – legal, architectural & medical.
Amy McGlip, part of the team of UofG law students involved with the project, says that it takes inspiration from a housing cooperative approach to living. She says that they are creating a bespoke legal ownership model and describes it as “part housing co-op, part community land trust, and part community interest company”. More information about the multi-layered legal approach of the initiative is available via the links at the bottom of this article.
Hoping to launch a pilot project in London (notoriously the worst city in the UK for renters) in 2026/7, the universities and homefolk are seeking engagement with local authorities and policymakers. The aim is to make this world-first concept a reality and offer affordable housing to students, young professionals, and single adults looking for an eco-friendly and reasonably priced alternative to expensive city living. Following a successful pilot project in London, the initiative would aim to take the same approach in other cities across the UK and potentially beyond.
For more information on how to get involved as a future resident or supporter, please visit http://www.homefolk.org.uk.
Photography credits: Joseph Newton Parker [@josephnewtonparker on Instagram]
Author: Stevie McCabe [he/him]
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