1. Community Land Trusts Horsted Keynes 10th April 2018
Graham Maunders – Community Led Housing Advisor

2. The Sussex Community Housing Hub
A new enabling service run by the charity - Action in Rural Sussex
Technical advice, support and project management
Enabling community-led housing across East and West Sussex
Funded and supported by nine local authorities – including Mid Sussex District Council
Maximising local community benefit - affordability and good design

3. Sussex community led housing examples
We are currently working with some 20 groups across Sussex including:
Community Land Trusts
Angmering – 12 homes
Icklesham – 15 homes
Chiddingly – 12 homes
Lewes – homes
Ford new homes
Hastings - 60 new homes
Slinfold
Slaugham
Pulborough
Co-Housing projects
Eastbourne & Hastings
Community Self Build Project
Burgess Hill

4. What is Community Led Housing?
1 – Community integrally involved throughout the process in key decisions
2 - Presumption in favour of a long-term role for the community in ownership, management or stewardship
3 – Benefits to the community are defined and protected in perpetuity
This ‘integral involvement’ doesn’t necessarily mean building the homes, as pictured, or even initiating the project.
It means the community group is involved in key decisions such as what is built, where it is built, and for whom.
2 – Presumption in favour of a long-term role for the community
This role will usually include owning the land and properties, e.g. in a community land trust or cooperative.
It might mean the members living there in a cooperative or cohousing group,
3 – Benefits to the community are defined and protected in perpetuity.
The community can be based on a local area, or a community of interest (such as a group of women who want to retire together, or a group of students).
Benefits like affordable housing MUST be defined by the group and held in perpetuity.
CLTs and cooperatives are not susceptible to the Right to Buy, for example. Both are defined in statute.

5. Community led housing is not …
Just a more intensive engagement and consultation
A housing association scheme with parish council or community backing
Completely different to a conventional housing development process
Dependent on free land or unusual subsidy

6. What is a Community Land Trust?
A non profit community based organisation that develops / owns housing or other assets such as pubs / shops at permanently affordable levels for long term community benefit
Legal definition in the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008
Government announced Community Housing Fund £300m / over 5 years
225 in the UK currently – half formed in the last two years

7. Options Different legal models – usually a Community Benefit Society
Rented and shared ownership / equity
Self build / self finish
Develop or acquire
Homes …and possibly a pub, shop or other
Local employment and training
Sites – Neighbourhood Plan / landowners

8. Community Land Trusts – Key defining features
Community owned and controlled
Open and democratic structure
Permanently affordable homes or other assets e.g. pubs, post offices, shops etc.
Not-for-private-profit – for community benefit only
Long term role in the ownership and stewardship

9. Community Land Trust - Added value
Local board / community membership
Being flexible to meet local priorities
Creating community support / enabling local residents to stay
Enable ordinary people to develop and manage homes as well as other assets
Providing locally affordable homes
Closer community & landowner involvement

10. Lyvennet Community Trust
10 rented homes 2 shared ownership
7 self build plots
Pub bought & renovated with
community share issue

11. Keswick Community Land Trust
11 home scheme opens in 2013
“Buying from the CLT was the only form of ownership we could afford. The size, quality and affordability has completely changed our lives for the better.”
Gary and Lucie Wilson, Keswick

12. Angmering Community Land Trust
Formed in 2015 as a Community Benefit Society CLT
Aim 1: to provide affordable housing for local people in perpetuity
Aim 2: To provide long term stewardship of host of community assets for long term community benefit
First Project: Mayflower Way
12 homes - rented accommodation
Re-generation of redundant part of the village adjacent to recreation ground

13. How do we set up? Form a steering group
Define the area of benefit – usually a parish
Consider local needs / set up options
Establish an organisation / formal constitution
Identify development / funding opportunities
Undertake a feasibility study / develop proposals
Community engagement and involvement

15. Can we help you?
Tom Warder Community Led Housing Manager Tel: (01273) / (07932)
Graham Maunders Community Led Housing Advisor Tel: (01273) / (07824)