Oude Molen Ecovillage

The Oude Molen Eco Village was initially conceptualised as a micro enterprise village by a social entrepreneur & established by a group of tenants in 1997 and grew within the 1st two years to 70 tenants.
The property consists of a previously abandoned and vandalised psychiatric hospital with the Provincial Government as the lead custodian. The project has evolved with a variety of committees achieving many developmental milestones, having overcome many internal and external challenges and obstacles over the years.
In response to Provincial Governments interest in a future development proposal submitted in 2010 the Oude Molen Eco Village Tenants Association was established in 2011.
The future development proposal promotes win-win solutions to multi-stakeholder interests in order to create an economically viable and financially sustainable eco village managed as a Social Enterprise and capable of benefiting as many neighboring communities as possible.
Key Objectives
• Preserving the publicly accessible urban open space character
• Provide a “Live and Work” space in order to minimise traffic thereby reducing the projects carbon footprint
• Creating a mix of micro enterprises, affordable housing units, social & recreational facilities, non profit & educational activities that contributes towards the premises becoming a sort after local & international tourist destination
• Optimise the use of renewable energy technology & urban agriculture / communal food gardens throughout the eco village development
• Generating justifiable revenue / income stream for Provincial Government
• For the Eco Village to be managed as a social enterprise & profits used for socio-economic and environmental development in the region
The property curre