Society Registration Details
Jordans Village Limited ("JVL", or "The Society") is a Community Benefit Society which was incorporated on 15th January 1920. JVL is listed on the Financial Conduct Authority's Register of Mutual Societies, registration number 7533R. You can find details about us on the FCA's Mutuals website. Our registered office is: Estate Office, The Green, Seer Green Lane, Jordans, Buckinghamshire HP9 2ST
Objects of the Society
The Objects of the Society set out in its Rules are "...to acquire, develop, maintain and govern an estate at Jordans, near Beaconsfield, in the County of Buckingham, by following ethical principles, in particular honesty integrity transparency fairness and equality; by means of a village community originally founded in accordance with Christian principles and in a manner serviceable to the national well-being; and in furtherance thereof to erect or permit the erection therein of residences and any other kind of buildings, and to promote the establishment therein of suitable industries on sound and just lines so as to give to those engaged therein scope for the growth of character, self-expression, and high standards of individual workmanship; and to establish and carry on religious, social, recreative, and educational work and institutions.  The Society shall have power to do all things it deems necessary or expedient for the accomplishment of its objects."
Picture
Original Prospectus
You can download a copy of the original prospectus for "A social & industrial experiment" by clicking this link or the image to the right. It dates from early 1920 and explains the objectives and various features of the estate as well as aspects of tenancies and industries which the founders envisaged. 

You may find it interesting to read a letter written on 9th August 1920 by Henry Harris, Secretary of the Society, in which he explains to potential subscribers the progress made with construction since the initial meeting on 9th March 1916 when the idea for the Estate was formed. Click here to read this letter. 
​Useful Documents
Management Committee & Sub-Committee Structure
Jordans Village Limited is run by a Management Committee which can consist of between 7 and 12 Members, and who are elected by the Membership. The local meeting of the Society of Friends appoints one representative and the Tenant Members' Committee may also appoint one representative on the Management Committee each year.
​​
Meetings of the Management Committee must consist of at least 4 Committee members to be quorate. Committee Members are appointed to Sub-Committees to deal with Finance, Planning, Maintenance and Tenancy matters. These Sub-Committees have been delegated limited powers to make decisions, and must have a quorum of at least three Members in order to take decisions during their meetings. Otherwise they must make recommendations to be decided on by the Management Committee. 
Picture
​
Picture
Tenant Members' Committee (TMC)
The Tenant Members' Committee was set up in the 1920s to represent the interests of those living in and working on the Village at a time when the Management Committee was formed of people living elsewhere in the country. ​Nowadays, it continues to perform that function and also organises the regular Village events such as the Founders Supper, the Summer Fair, Music on the Green, Sports Day, and Children's Christmas parties. 

Like JVL, the TMC can consist of between 7 and 12 Members. Only those JVL Members living on JVL's Estate may stand in the annual election to the TMC, and vote for the candidates. The TMC may appoint a representative on the JVL Management Committee each year. 

When the village was founded, almost every plot was held under a short term lease of either 7, 14 or 21 years (there were one or two exceptions), hence the name of this Committee. Over time, legislation has changed enabling some leaseholders to extend or purchase their leases. The TMC continues to represent those living on JVL's Estate including freeholders, leaseholders, and those renting one of JVL's properties, but retains its original name. 
Membership of Society
As of July 2021, there were approximately 620 Members of the Society. Membership is open to anyone living on the estate or land formerly forming part of the estate. More details about Membership can be found by clicking here.  
Picture
Aerial view of the Jordans Village Estate 2nd May 1968 (Copyright Aerofilms)
The Jordans Village Management Scheme 
Properties on the Jordans Village estate are subject to controls aimed at preserving the beautiful semi-rural environment and the "openness" of the Green Belt in which the Village is located. 

How does JVL achieve this? Before the 1967 Leasehold Reform Act, almost all residents were - technically speaking - tenants, as they held leases over their properties (there are a few exceptions). Their leases typically contain covenants which oblige them to obtain consent from The Society for new buildings or structures, extensions and any changes to the exterior of their properties, to excavate the land, to fell large trees, and so on, and also oblige them to make payment of a ground rent and other contributions which are used to cover the cost of managing the estate and its amenities. 

When the Government introduced the Leasehold Reform Act in 1967, it gave people the right to buy their freehold; it also gave landlords the right to apply to the High Court for a Management Scheme to enable them to continue to manage their land and properties as they had done before the Act was introduced.

As a direct result of this landmark legislation, JVL applied to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government for a Management Scheme. In its application, it provided the Ministry with an example of a typical lease and also provided detailed accounts which illustrated how the expense of the upkeep of the village, hall, roads, verges, woods, footpaths etc which are common to all residents were met. The Ministry acknowledged that "in order to maintain adequate standards of appearance and amenity and regulate development" that JVL "should retain powers of management in respect of houses and premises, and have rights against houses and premises in respect of the benefits arising from the exercise elsewhere of their powers of management" and the Minister certified this statement accordingly. As such an application was submitted and eventually granted by the High Court on 6th March 1980. 

Hence the freehold properties located on the JVL estate - including those accessed via other roads owned by Bucks County Council - are obliged to observe and perform the terms of the Management Scheme – because the government had removed the right for JVL to collect ground rent from them as leaseholders. The remaining long-leasehold properties must in any event observe the covenants contained therein which largely mirror the terms defined in the Management Scheme.

There are a few exceptions, where a plot is only obliged to observe specific obligations but not all of those contained in the Management Scheme, or is fully outside of its scope. For example, one plot on the Estate that is fully outside the Management Scheme was originally the site of the Telephone Exchange. Its lease was drawn up for that purpose and so did not contain the same sort of terms that a residential property usually would. Decades later, when the Exchange was no longer necessary, it was taken down and a residential property built in its place. It's unencumbered lease was converted to a freehold and the exception remained. 

Consent to changes to Property
Freeholders (with obligations to observe the Management Scheme), long-leaseholders (as specified in the covenants in their leases) and tenants of JVL-owned properties must apply to JVL for prior consent to make changes to the exterior of their property; to install any structure or new building; to remove or excavate the ground; to change the nature of any border of their property; or to cut down any large trees. Tenants of JVL-owned properties must also apply for consent to make internal changes to their home. A copy of JVL's Guidelines for Residents, which contains full details of what requires JVL's prior consent and how to apply for consent, can be found by clicking here. 
​
Road & Amenity Charge
The Road & Amenity charge is paid by all residents on the Estate, whether a tenant of a JVL owned property, freeholder, or long-leaseholder. There are a handful of exceptions being those with a specific exemption or fixed payment specified in the deeds of their property.  The fee is calculated so as to reasonably apportion the costs of management and upkeep of the estate, hall, roads, footpaths, woods, and amenities. Residents are provided with a breakdown of the expenses incurred and how the costs are apportioned together with their invoice each year. Between 2001 and 2024, the average fee has been £343 per household per year; in 2024 the fee was £382. 
Picture
Aerial View of Jordans, 1968 - Copyright Aerofilms
Picture
Rowntree Group A Terrace on Green West Road was the first terrace built in 1919 and is the largest being made up of 6 cottages. It's Grade II listed, and features distinctive corner dormer windows. (Copyright JVL)
Picture
Rowntree Group B terrace on Green West Road contains 5 cottages. With its distinctive gables and low eaves it's Grade II listed and also located within the Jordans Conservation Area (Copyright JVL)

JVL Property

JVL owns 61 properties on its 95-acre estate, a mixture of cottages and flats. There are 40 cottages; 20 of which are Grade II listed terraces located around the Village Green Conservation Area. There are 21 flats, including 4 designated for over-60 year olds. Most of the cottages were designed by architect Fred Rowntree (one of the founding Committee Members) and built around 100 years ago; the flats at Puers Field were built in 1952 and the flats at Cherry Tree Corner in 1969. The newest cottages are 4 semi-detached homes designed for the over 65s which were built in 2008.

JVL also owns the Village Hall; the building from which the Village Store operates; all the roads on the estate; Manor Farm Fields; Crutches Wood; Garages; Allotments; the verges along roads within the estate; a small workshop; an Orchard and other woodland; and various footpaths. 

Tenancy Agreements
Tenancies of JVL properties are on an Assured Shorthold basis.  Our Tenancy Agreements are based on the most up to date template provided by the National Residential Landlords Association, of which JVL is a Member. Deposits are held by an independent party, the Deposit Protection Service. 
Waiting List
When the village was founded, residents came together to build the terraces and other houses owned by JVL today; others bought a plot and built their own houses. The houses on the estate at that time were only available for short term leases of either 7, 14, or 21 years. To provide an equivalent to inheritance, a waiting list was created that gives those who live here for a certain period of time and their children and parents the right to join the waiting list for a house or flat.  The Waiting List Policy explains how it operates, and more details about it can be found here. 
Village Hall
Jordans Village Hall was built in 3 months by a team of workers and opened in September 1920. The Jordans Nursery School operates there during school terms from Monday to Friday during the day. The Hall is available to rent in the evenings and weekends; to make a booking please contact us. 
Village Green & Conservation Area
Jordans Village Green is at the centre of the Village, and is part of the village designated as Conservation Area on 28th April 1987. The Estate Office is located at the south end of the Green, next to the children's play area. The Green hosts a number of events each year, such as the Summer Fair, Music on the Green, and an annual Cricket Match. The Conservation Area also includes Old Jordans, the historic Meeting House, and Chalky Fields. 
Crutches Wood
Crutches Wood was bequeathed to Jordans in 1934 by Henry Cadbury and Baron Trent of Nottingham (aka Jesse Boot, founder of Boots the Chemist), to be held as an open space in perpetuity. A stone commemorating this generous act can be found at the south west corner of the woods.  As an open space, Crutches Wood may be used by members of the public at their own risk.  
Manor Farm Fields
Manor Farm Fields are two fields owned by JVL located on the west side of the Village next to Wilton Lane. They were purchased by JVL in 1971 in order to preserve a green buffer of land around the village and protect it against development. The larger south field is licensed to a local farmer as grazing pasture land for his herd of cattle. As of June 2023, the smaller north field is licensed to a resident as arable pasture land for grazing cattle and to produce hay as a feed crop - with a view to increasing the biodiversity of the grasses and organisms growing and living in the soil.     
Tennis Court, Allotments, and Garages
JVL owns a row of 5 garages located just off Green East Road. There is a waiting list which is open to all residents but priority is given to tenants of JVL properties and to those without off-street parking of their own.  
JVL leases the tennis court adjacent to the garage block to Jordans Tennis Club. Next to the tennis court are 8 allotments, which JVL lets to residents. A waiting list is kept for those who wish to have an allotment. To join the waiting list for a garage or an allotment, contact the Estate Office; to join the Tennis Club, please click here & contact them directly.
Site powered by Weebly. Managed by iPage