In a leafy suburb of north London, a pioneering housing project is rethinking later life. New Ground in Chipping Barnet is the UK’s first cohousing community designed exclusively for women over 50, offering an alternative to living alone. The purpose-built development, completed in 2016, houses 26 women aged 58 to 94 in 25 flats, eight of which are social rental units.
Residents share a common room, garden and weekly meals, while retaining their own private homes. “We have brothers, fathers, sons, lovers – but they can’t live here,” said Jude Tisdall, 71, a founder member. Men are welcome as visitors, but the community was created specifically for women seeking companionship and mutual support in later life.
Setting up New Ground was an 18-year battle, according to residents. The group worked closely with architects, designing curved pathways and open spaces that research suggests are more dementia-friendly. “Many of us still work, others volunteer,” Tisdall said. “You can’t define us as old.”
The project reflects a growing need. In 2021, 3.64 million over-65s lived alone in the UK, 70% of them women. By 2034, over-65s are expected to account for 22% of the population, yet cohousing communities remain rare, with only 10 new-build schemes in the country.
New Ground proves that cohousing can thrive. “It’s not a commune,” said Hilary Vernon-Smith, 72, a resident and former National Theatre artist. “We have our own flats, but we share space and lives. It’s the best of both worlds.”
