Contemporary Vernacular Design

3.1Ashley Vale, Bristol

3.1.1 Ashley Vale Self-Build Community, Bristol

The Project

This community self-build project comprises 20 self-build plots, six self-finish bungalows, six self-renovated flats, community work space and leisure space. In order to fend off developers at Ashley Vale, who wanted to build 35 houses on the old scaffolding yard, local residents formed Ashley Vale Action Group (AVAG) in the late 1990s to be allowed to develop the land as self-builders. They sold off 20 plots to self-builders and a further six to Redland Housing Group, who were to provide homes for the elderly. Unfortunately, Redland got into financial difficulty ...