Hazelmead, Bridport Cohousing

By Barefoot Architects

Client Bridport Cohousing CLT

Awards RIBA South West and Wessex Award 2025, RIBA South West and Wessex Client of the Year 2025 (sponsored by Equitone) and RIBA South West and Wessex Sustainability Award 2025 (sponsored by Autodesk)

The award winner tells us, "Hazelmead, located on the outskirts of Bridport within the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), is the largest completed cohousing development in the UK. The scheme, spearheaded by Bridport Cohousing Community Land Trust (CLT), comprises 53 climate-resilient homes, a common house, and shared green spaces.

Designed to the Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB) CarbonLite New Build Standard, the project reflects a commitment to affordable, sustainable, and community-focused living for a mixed-tenure, multi-generational neighbourhood."

Extract from the RIBA Awards Jury citation, " Sustainability is writ large throughout the development. Built with low-carbon materials, it balances affordability, beauty and practicality. Achieving net zero carbon in operation, with actual energy use approaching Passivhaus standards, it is even more energy-efficient than the design target value, with photovoltaic panels and a local micro grid alongside the low-energy housing.

It also integrates water reuse measures for the extensive areas of landscape. The way that simple things have been done well distinguishes Hazelmead from many other new housing developments."

Read the full citation from the RIBA Awards Jury on RIBA Journal

Contractor C G Fry

Common House architect Common Practice

Landscape architect LT Studio

Landscape architect Land Products

AECB consultant Delta Q

Civil engineer IMA

Structural engineer JDL Consultants

Principal designer Welling Partnership

Gross internal area 3,779m²