Many people wonder whether they need to do all this alone. The UK has a number of long-running low-impact and off-grid communities you can learn from. They are not holiday parks or free housing, and each has its own way of working, so approach them respectfully and check what they offer.
A few well-documented examples
- Lammas Ecovillage (Tir y Gafel), Pembrokeshire, Wales: a low-impact, off-grid ecovillage of several smallholdings, which gained planning permission in 2009 under a Welsh low-impact development policy. It is widely cited as the model that shaped the later One Planet Development policy.
- Brithdir Mawr, Pembrokeshire, Wales: a community on about 34 hectares of pasture and woodland, granted planning consent in 2008, known for hosting volunteers.
- Tinkers Bubble, Somerset, England: an off-grid woodland community founded in 1994 on around 40 acres, working the land without fossil fuels.
- Findhorn Ecovillage, Moray, Scotland: a long-established ecovillage with low-impact housing, renewable energy and its own sewage treatment.
What can you learn from them?
- How planning permission was won: usually with strong evidence, a management plan and community support.
- What low-impact building looks like in practice.
- How income is earned from the land as well as from outside jobs.
- The realities of community life: meetings, shared decisions and conflict.
How to approach a community respectfully
- Read their website and follow their guidance on visits, volunteering and courses.
- Never turn up unannounced. They are people’s homes.
- Be honest about your skills, time and expectations.
- Volunteer or take a course first, before thinking about joining.
- Ask about legal structure: some are co-operatives, some tenancies, some individual holdings.
Is joining a community easier than doing it alone?
It can share costs and skills, but it comes with commitments and often long waiting lists, and there is no guarantee of a home. Our guide to leasing land covers other options.
Start where you are
You do not need a community to begin building resilience: our Start Here page and the free Priority Planner show first steps.
FAQ
Are there off-grid communities in the UK? Yes, several, mostly in rural Wales, England and Scotland.
Can I just move into one? Not usually. Most have formal processes and limited space.
Sources
- Lammas Ecovillage: planning
- Lammas Ecovillage (Wikipedia)
- Brithdir Mawr (Wikipedia)
- Tinker’s Bubble (Wikipedia)
- Designing Buildings: alternative and off-grid communities in the UK
General information based on publicly available sources; details change, so check each community’s own website. Not an endorsement or an invitation to visit. Last checked: September 2026.
