Help us complete the planning application

Bowden Pillars Future has already moved far beyond the dreaming stage.

Together with our community, funders, supporters, consultants and partner organisations, we have secured the land, begun farming, supported large-scale nature restoration, completed major site surveys, entered an active design and planning phase for the future village and started conversations with local planning officers

We are now raising

£150,000

in loans to complete

the remaining work

needed to submit

our planning application.

We are now raising £150,000 in loans

to complete the remaining work

needed to submit our planning application.

This is a significant moment for the project. Planning submission is the next major threshold: the point where years of vision, design, community input, technical work and land-based practice come together into one formal proposal.

We are inviting loans from people who feel aligned with Bowden Pillars Future and want to help carry the project through this next stage.

What has already been achieved

Bowden Pillars Future has already made significant progress.

So far, the project has:

secured the Bowden Pillars land
begun farming on the agricultural land
supported nature restoration and tree planting across the wider site
completed major site surveys, including topographical, tree, ecological and contamination surveys
held co-design and community engagement sessions
progressed co-design process with architects and specialist consultants
developed the village site plan, and early landscape, transport and access, energy and drainage strategies,
entered early conversations with planners (through PPE process), councillors and other stakeholders
built a growing network of supporters, contributors and potential future residents

The loan round is about building on this work and getting the project to the next formal milestone: planning submission.

Already believed in the vision and supporting us:

Why this loan round matters

The project has already been supported by many people and organisations who believe in its purpose.

That support has helped us secure the land, begin work on the farm, develop partnerships, carry out essential surveys, and bring together the design and planning team needed for a project of this scale.

We are now part way through preparing the planning application. Much of the groundwork has already been done, but there is still a substantial amount of specialist work needed before the application can be submitted.

The additional £150,000 will allow us to complete this stage properly, with the level of design, evidence and technical detail needed for a strong planning application.

This is not about starting from scratch. It is about finishing the next crucial piece of work.

What the £150,000 will fund

The planning application for Bowden Pillars Village is unusually complex because the project is not an ordinary housing development.

It brings together homes, community resilience, food production, nature restoration, shared infrastructure, low-carbon living, landscape design, transport, water and energy systems and long-term stewardship of the land.

The loan funding will help cover the remaining costs of preparing the application, including:

architectural drawings and village design work
landscape and land-use design
transport and access strategy and design
drainage, water strategy and design
Renewable energy systems design,
planning strategy and supporting documents
visuals, diagrams and materials needed to explain the proposal clearly
coordination between the specialist consultants working on the application

The loan offer

We are inviting loans from aligned supporters who want to help Bowden Pillars Future complete the planning application.

Loan amount:
Minimum loan of £5,000, up to £100,000

Interest:
3% interest on loans up to £25,000
4% interest on loans above £25,000

Repayment:
Principal and interest are payable at the end of the term.

Repayment is expected once we begin receiving deposits for homes, currently anticipated from December 2027 at the earliest.

Recognition:
Lenders will be recognised as contributors to the project, including having their name added to the list of contributors on one of the founding stones.

Interested in living at Bowden Pillars?

Some people lending to the project may also be interested in living in the future village.

We are currently developing our residents’ criteria and housing policy to support a thriving, resilient and land-connected community.

Lenders will be recognised as contributors to the project and will have the opportunity to be considered as prospective residents in the first round of assessments.

If selected, a loan may be converted into a future housing payment, such as a deposit.

Selection for the village will not be based only on financial contribution. We expect a range of contributions to be taken into account, including time, skills, practical involvement, community contribution, local connection, and support for the wider aims of the project.

Financial lending is one form of contribution, but it is not the only one.

How to express interest

If you would like to offer a loan, please complete the expression of interest form below.

We will then be in touch to arrange a conversation and share the next steps.

Complete the loan interest form

You can also contact us directly:

Email: hello@bowdenpillarsfuture.land
Ian Hague: 07932 810 846
Sally Shell: 07900 433 779

Please let us know by Friday 29 May if you intend to go ahead.

Frequently asked questions

The £150,000 will cover remaining planning application and associated costs. Our application is relatively large, complex and unique. There is a requirement for information from ecology, transport to drainage and energy, The full set of drawings of the Village include a masterplan, buildings and landscaping. We also need to cover the environmental credentials of the project, explaining and quantifying the performance of the buildings, renewable energy systems and plans for shared vehicles.
Any housing development would have to do most of this as well but we’re going further to lock in the unique characteristics and benefits of the project, such as how the land is intricately linked to the village and how we’ll be able to radically reduce emissions from residents. For more on the contracting team take a look at the website.
Once planning is approved, we will raise funds from future residents and external finance to begin construction. Repayment of development loans is included within this model.
If the village does not proceed, we would look to sell the farm and surrounding land to repay outstanding loans.
No. All loans, including those used to purchase the farm, are unsecured. All lenders are therefore on equal footing.
We are deep in the design phase – including buildings, energy systems, shared spaces, ecology, and transport. Alongside this, we are shaping the social fabric of the future village: how people, land, and livelihoods will interconnect and thrive.
Financial support is just one way to contribute. We are actively looking for people to get involved across many areas of the project, both locals and those further away. Please visit the website or get in touch to learn more.
No.
We welcome loans from anyone who feels aligned with the project and wants to support it through the next stage.
However, the loan offer may be especially relevant for people who are interested in potentially living in the future village, because lenders will be recognised as contributors and may be considered in the first round of prospective resident assessments.
If the village does not proceed, the project would look to repay outstanding loans through other means, including the possible sale of the farm and surrounding land.
All lenders should understand that loans are unsecured and involve risk.
No.
Lending does not guarantee a home or a place in the future village.
We are developing a residents’ criteria and housing policy to support a thriving community. Selection will be based on a range of factors, including contribution to the project, local connection, alignment with the aims of the village, housing need, skills, and the ability to participate constructively in community life.
Financial support may be one recognised contribution, but it will not be the only one.
Potentially, yes.
If you will become a future resident, your loan may be converted into a housing payment, such as a deposit. This would be discussed and agreed as part of the later resident and housing process.
Please email:
hello@bowdenpillarsfuture.land
Or contact:
Ian Hague: 07932 810 846
Sally Shell: 07900 433 779
We will arrange a conversation and share more information.

Important note

This is an unsecured loan to support the next stage of Bowden Pillars Future. As with any loan to a project at this stage, there are risks, including delay, changes to the planning process, or the possibility that the village does not proceed as currently intended. Please only lend money you can afford to have tied up for the full term, and seek independent advice if needed.