Lodge Farm

Do you have a community project that needs land? Do you have ideas for community use of farm land near Rudgeway? Would you like to join in deciding the future of a community site?
Sustainable Thornbury is looking for partners for an exciting new project to establish community sustainability uses for a plot of land at Lodge Farm, Rudgeway. 

Lodge Farm is in Alveston Parish off Church Road, Rudgeway, adjoining the M5. It is owned by South Gloucestershire Council. The land is in 2 plots divided by the M5 with access from Church Road. The larger plot (to the north-west of the motorway) includes the farmhouse and outbuildings, and South Gloucestershire is keen to sell this to raise money. The whole farm is about 110.76 acres (46 ha) and the smaller plot to the south-east of the motorway is about 30 acres.

One of our inspirations is the Clanfield Sustainability Centre in Hampshire. 

Lodge Farm location

Click here for Lodge Farm location details.

Proposals

Sustainable Thornbury has put forward an outline proposal, suggesting that a multi-interest group or Trust be set up to define how best the land could benefit the community, and to manage the implementation and long-term running of the project.

South Gloucestershire Council has agreed to consider a community project for some of the Lodge Farm land. We need to produce a viable proposal by spring 2013, with a credible set of partners and viable finances. 

Click here for our response and the report of the results of the original South Gloucestershire consultation.

Ideas so far

The land is large enough to include recreational, educational and fund-raising projects in a woodland and wildlife setting. Our idea is that there should be a range of community projects on the site, with a broad theme of sustainability. This page shows some of the ideas that have been put forward and shows what could be possible. The final scheme will surely be different, incorporating your ideas.

How you can join in

Sustainable Thornbury (ST) does not intend to manage this project alone. ST wants to build a partnership with the individuals and organisations who will help make decisions and take an active part in running the site. Together we have the chance to make this a real community project: choosing what we want; implementing what we believe in; benefiting from the results.

This is a community project.  Your support, as an organisation or as an individual, is vital.

• We need ideas.
• We need organisers to bring together ideas and guide the project.
• We need help preparing promotional material.

If you are interested please email lodgefarm@sustainablethornbury.org

Timescales

The timescales are not yet fixed, but this is roughly how ST sees the project developing:-

• 2011  Recruit interested parties
• 2012  Develop concept, find funding sources, secure permissions, establish management Trust
• 2013  Get Council approval, develop site access
• 2014/6 Progressively realise parts of the project: Sculpture, plant, build
• 2015 onwards  Progressively use for education, leisure and recreation.