Frequently Asked Questions
This page will get you up to speed on the foundational aspects of the Holt project. If you have suggestions for something to go on this page, use the contact form on the "Get Involved" page.
Please remember that the Holt project is run by volunteers, and we would love your input!
Why is it called Coxley Holt?
Coxley Holt is envisaged as a "village hub" - hub is a generic term for the sort of building/enterprise that we envisage, but the owner of Wookey Hub was concerned that it might be mixed up with his shop/cafe, especially if people just refer to “the hub” rather than either Coxley or Wookey Hub.
We collectively gave it some thought and a Coxley resident suggested the Holt, as a pun on railway halt (which Coxley never had) and also referring to the otters that we have in the River Sheppey, which runs through Coxley, right by the Holt site (a holt is an otter's burrow). There is, allegedly, a holt under one of our riverside trees!
What’s all the space in there that isn’t the Holt?
The land to the left (if you’re standing at the gate, looking in) belongs to a developer who is planning to build houses there. We’re on good terms with him, and sometimes some of our decisions have to be made together (like “access to the field”, below).
Can I visit Coxley Holt today?
Yes, though we are working on making access easier. The land belongs to the village, and CCLT (which is the committee plus anyone in the village who joins us - like you!) is working to make something really useful with the space, for instance a cafe or community drop in centre in hopefully the near future. At the moment, it’s mostly a big space with fruit trees and a lot of potential, and you’re more than welcome to go in if access is sorted - we're waiting for the developer who owns the other half of the land to sort the gate, but if you'd like access for any kind of event or community reason or children's party like we had at Halloween, we can be there to open it up for you too.
How can I find out more about Coxley Holt?
Come along to our monthly meetings, post in our Facebook Group (“Coxley Holt - Coxley Community Land Trust”), and subscribe to our newsletter (it’s at the bottom of every page on this website).
I have skills I want to contribute, but I’m not sure how.
While we don’t yet have a building/cafe, so aren’t able to utilise your kind offer of catering experience/construction/similarly wonderful skills, we would still love to have your input at this stage. Your ideas and input would be really appreciated - please come along to our next monthly meeting (see "Upcoming Events").
I think you should do allotments with the space. Why can’t we do that?
Allotments can be a great use of space, and a handful of residents have brought it up in the past. However, when the village was polled in 2016 and then again following the pandemic, the majority of residents were overwhelmingly more in favour of having a shop and/or cafe/meeting space, rather than allotments. There will almost definitely be raised beds and the opportunity for community gardening.
Why are you planning to put the building in that particular place?
The original spot, it turns out, is much more liable to flood! So we’re planning to put the building somewhere it’ll be the most safe.
I have questions/comments/concerns/ideas.
We'd really love for you to be involved. This is a community project, run entirely by volunteers from the village, and we need your input. Please sign up for the newsletter (bottom of the page) and come along to the next meting (see "Upcoming Events" at the top).