The Barn Lane site forms an integral part of the Housing 21's Cohousing strategy delivery pipeline of sites, with the flagship scheme, Rupali Court in Birmingham which completed in March 2026.
The Cohousing core principles aim to create intentional communities, unlike our traditional Retirement Living or Extra Care schemes. Residents will have an opportunity to be part of a resident’s group before taking occupancy of their homes, allowing them to build relationships and shared values. Also, future residents will be involved in the design process before the submission of the planning application.
The target demographic priority will be given to sites located in areas of high ethnic diversity where older people face greater barriers to quality housing.
The strategy focuses on residents aged over 55 and will provide homes to local people primarily at social rent.
Barn Lane consultation
The site will be delivered in partnership with Bepoke Construction Services Limited to create a 29-unit apartment Cohousing Living scheme at Barn Lane with a unit mix of 23 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom apartments.
As the site is located in the heart of Handsworth’s Soho Road retail core, it is well served by bus stops that travel to the city centre with a range of local retail facilities, doctor surgeries, pharmacies and post offices all within walking distance.
Bespoke Construction Services Limited (Midlands) has developed a layout plan to deliver a 29-unit Cohousing scheme with associated car parking and external private & communal amenity space. The proposal also consists of a communal house and a housing managers office in line with the Housing 21 Design Brief.
The layout of the scheme will ensure an enhancement of the urban environment, minimise the impact on adjacent premises and respect the existing street pattern. The footprint of the building has been designed in keeping with the urban vernacular of the area.
The site is located in Handsworth, a metropolitan borough of the City of Birmingham in the West Midlands. Handsworth is an inner-city ward located to the north west of the city centre. It has a population of 11,814 making it the 47th most populous ward in the city.
Opportunity
Housing 21 is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from experienced organisations to act as our Facilitation Partner for a proposed cohousing development in Birmingham.
We are particularly interested in providers with:
- Demonstrable experience of community engagement and community-building activities.
- Expertise in capacity building and supporting resident-led groups.
- A strong track record of working with diverse and ethnically diverse communities.
- Knowledge of the Birmingham and wider Midlands area.
- Experience of supporting the development and ongoing formation of cohousing or community-led housing projects.
Further information about Housing 21's Cohousing Programme can be found in our Cohousing Strategy.
Scope of Services
The required scope of services is detailed within the specification document.
Interested organisations are invited to submit a completed Expression of Interest response, addressing the requirements set out in Section 2.3 of the document. Responses should clearly demonstrate:
- Relevant experience and expertise.
- Organisational capability and capacity.
- Examples of successful community engagement and facilitation projects.
- Evidence of outcomes achieved, including how activities have enhanced residents' lives and generated wider community benefits.
Evaluation Process
Details of the evaluation criteria and assessment methodology are included within the pack.
Housing 21 reserves the right to invite the highest-scoring organisations to participate in clarification meetings covering both quality and pricing elements before making a final appointment.
The successful organisation will be selected on the basis of overall suitability, quality of proposal, relevant experience and value for money.
Submission Deadline
To support project and planning timescales, completed submissions must be returned no later than:
12:00 noon on Monday 31 August 2026
View the Expression of Interest form here.
