Lead Partner: Wessex Re-investment Trust
Description
There is a large body of evidence about the lack of affordable housing in rural areas. The shortage distorts local economies and undermines social well-being, particularly among younger people. This situation has been caused by a combination of issues including dramatic increases in house prices, due partly to in-migrants, second homeowners and holiday lets, and a shortage of social and affordable intermediate market housing. The ‘Right to Buy’ scheme has also exacerbated the problem.
Government is committed to finding solutions through the provision of Social Housing Grant administered by the Housing Corporation. It also wishes to see residents identifying their own priorities for local action and then working together to produce solutions. These two approaches supplement and complement each other; while there is insufficient public money to solve the problem, the involvement of local residents can create solutions, both in terms of additional physical assets and in developing greater social capacity. Schemes also capitalise on the energy and added value that can flow from voluntary effort. Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are one emerging solution. They offer a vehicle for residents to create and control community assets, with the aim of providing social, cultural, environmental and economic benefits. They connect up principles of civil renewal, sustainability and local investment to produce lasting solutions to local needs. They also help sustain community activity in the long term by creating regular and growing income streams that can finance further projects in future years.
This action research programme led by Wessex Re-Investment Trust in association with Community Finance Solutions seeks to develop the technical support and instruments needed to secure in perpetuity community owned land. This will include the drafting of section 106 agreements and Supplementary Planning Notes, Statements of Community involvement to support CLT developments and advice on affordable housing policies. A particular emphasis, given community priorities is to use Community land trusts for Intermediate market housing, although there can be multiple uses for the land. This housing meets the need of key workers who have an income and who therefore are not eligible for social housing but who do not earn enough to qualify for the large mortgages needed to purchase property.The work plan incorporates two model studies – High Bickington and Holsworthy Property trusts. Their experience as pioneers will inform the substantive work needed to embed practice with policy development.