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Welcome to the digital workbook for Barrow Hill in Stalbridge.
This is where we’re learning in public as we work to bring Barrow Hill into community ownership - so local residents can always see:
We will keep this digital workbook updated as things evolve, and we’ll share back what we hear in community sessions.
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Local people are working to bring Barrow Hill Farm into community ownership through a Community Land Trust (CLT). The final plan will come together between August and December 2026 through a series of community events and support from experts across the UK.
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If you have any questions, ideas, or would like to have a chat about the project please contact [email protected] or laurathislivingplace.co.uk - we are happy to meet you, have a call, plan a coffee. Alternatively, come along to one of the community events listed below.
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Who is ‘we’? A group of Stalbridge residents and residents in surrounding villages. This is a locally driven project which is already gaining regional and national attention for it’s ambition.
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Over the last 12-months, we’ve been out and about, having a lot of different conversations: in the Swan skittle alley, in the marquee in the Swan’s beer garden, at the Stalbridge Hub, through letters to neighbours, and in 1:1 chats, as well as meetings with the town and county council. This section is our best attempt to reflect back what we’re hearing as a group of residents exploring this idea.
This can only happen if the community is behind it. The concerns are not “awkward feedback”, they’re some of the most valuable information we have. Thank you to everyone who has shared them.
People are worried about speeding, narrow lanes, noise, congestion, and safety for pedestrians, children and animals, and what increased use of the site could mean day‑to‑day and during events.
What we’re doing / what we’re exploring
One thing we are treating as a clear steer
A Community Land Trust (CLT) is different because it is community‑owned and democratic.
Stalbridge has been massively impacted by extractive development that hasn’t kept its promises or supported the infrastructure the town needs. A CLT is a community‑led alternative: it can start with Barrow Hill, and over time it can also help Stalbridge take on other projects the community wants and needs.
CLTs and community share offers are happening across the UK - from communities protecting places like markets, to bringing farms and land into community ownership. We’ll add links to examples below.
One recent and active example: Mayday Saxonvale (Frome) has raised close to £1m through a community share offer to bring an abandoned brownfield site into community ownership, so the community can build what’s needed.
This is a multi‑million‑pound project and it will need a serious plan, partners and a phased approach. What we can say already is: we’re not taking this lightly. The board and the residents actively involved understand the magnitude of what’s being explored.
We’ve already started engaging advice and expertise from people who are experts in this field - and we’ve listed some of them below under People involved so you can see who’s in the mix. We’re also supported by organisations like Co‑ops UK, The Community Shares Company, and Design For All.
Right now we’re in an in‑between stage: doing the community engagement, seeking funds to secure the farmhouse, working with that support, and turning a big vision into a practical plan. If you want to understand what support is in place and what’s developing, please get in touch - we’d rather have a direct conversation than leave gaps.
Right now there isn’t a single “final plan” to share, because we’re still in an active phase of listening, testing options and building the resident working groups that will help shape what happens next.
When there isn’t a clear map or one place that says “here’s what’s happening”, people naturally fill in the gaps and rumours start to spread. This Workbook is an attempt to make it easier to find accurate information - it is far from perfect and we know we need more printed version of this shared which is what we’re working on.
What we can say clearly: nothing is finalised yet, and we’ll share more as soon as there are concrete options (maps, drawings, phased ideas) we can publish. If you want to be involved in that process, please get in touch.
If you’ve heard something specific and want to check it, please get in touch. And if you’d like to help us strengthen communications (updates, simple printed info, regular posts), we’d really welcome the support.
Below, you’ll find a big (and growing) list of the ideas people have shared so far about what Barrow Hill could include.
What would help you most right now: clearer traffic/access information, clearer “how decisions work”, or something else?
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The Stalbridge community have been sharing ideas through community events - the weird, the wonderful and the very practical and brilliant are shared below.
Who gets to decide what is at Barrow Hill? Share holders! Who will the share holders be, the community! If you invest £100, you get one vote, if you invest £100,000, you get one vote. As soon as the share offer is live, we’ll share it far and wide.
Spaces for work, making & enterprise
Housing & long-term stewardship
To make community ownership possible, the site will need to generate enough income to cover ongoing costs (maintenance, insurance, staffing and repairs). That means the final plans will include a small amount of housing as part of the overall plan — with the community deciding what it looks like, where it goes, how it’s built, and how it benefits and belongs to local people. Alongside this, the heart of Barrow Hill will be about culture, creativity and community space, as well as thoughtful land use that works for people and nature.
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The plans to bring Barrow Hill into community ownership are being driven by the local community and local and national experts who are helping us with their expertise and skills. Ultimately, the community are behind this, that’s the beauty of the democratic structure. We are so grateful to everyone who has given up their free time to help us so far. Would you like to join this list? We have plenty of roles to fill, please get in touch.
Next to the library, 6-8.30pm:
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