Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are continuing to be set up across the country to help keep communities such as ours sustainable. They more often start to do this through the provision of affordable homes often in partnership with a Housing Association, which is what we are doing in Ilfracombe.
The main features about this way of doing things are:
- Land ownership: A CLT can secure the land in perpetuity for the community.
- Affordable Homes and Projects for Local People: Those with a defined need and a defined local connection – through living or working in the parish, or having family there – have priority for the housing. This is enshrined in a legally binding agreement between the relevant District Council, the Housing Association and the CLT.
- Access to grant funding: The creation of a CLT opens doors to grants from funders who support projects for community benefit.
- Financial viability: In respect of housing, a CLT will obtain income from ground rents sufficient to cover the CLT’s running costs and provide a small income for other projects. The CLT is, therefore, financially sustainable.
- Potential for other projects: The Aims of a CLT provide a vehicle for the local community to own, develop and protect other land and property for community benefit, in perpetuity.
- Democratic. A CLT is a democratic organisation - with membership open to anyone aged 18 and over, minimum of one share, with each share valued at £1. The minimum share investment is set out in the share offer document.
This video was made on behalf of Community Led Homes, the national body representing CLTs in England and Wales.
Find out more about Community Land Trusts at: https://www.communityledhomes.org.uk/what-community-land-trust