Advocacy for Community-Based Housing Integration in Every Locality
In a groundbreaking move, a new policy and delivery framework for community-led housing in new developments has been proposed by the Community Land Trust Network and UK Cohousing. The framework, which emphasises community ownership, stewardship, and long-term affordability, aims to revolutionise the housing industry.
The proposal comes at a time when housing targets are impacting areas with inadequate public transport infrastructure, and there is a growing concern about the 'soulless' and 'disempowering' nature of large housing developments, as stated by Tom Chance, CEO of the Community Land Trust Network.
The framework recommends several key strategies. First, it advocates for supporting community ownership of land and housing, primarily through Community Land Trusts (CLTs), which secure land in perpetuity, ensuring homes remain genuinely affordable over the long term, unaffected by market fluctuations.
Second, it suggests integrating community-led place stewardship as a transformative alternative to private management companies on large housing developments. This approach improves accountability, value for residents, and reduces opposition to large-scale development projects.
Third, the framework encourages local authorities to collaborate with community groups, providing funding, technical support, and engagement opportunities that allow community-led housing groups to develop viable, affordable housing schemes rooted in local needs.
Fourth, the framework provides practical guidance and evidence from case studies illustrating successful community-led projects, such as Hastings Commons and Calder Valley CLT, highlighting benefits like secure tenancies, affordable rents, and meeting local housing needs.
Lastly, the framework promotes diversity of community-led housing models, including self-build, custom-build, cohousing, and cooperative housing, each supported by appropriate legal and financial frameworks to ensure sustainability and replicability.
The New Towns Taskforce, established shortly after the 2024 snap election, is due to meet with the government next month to deliver their recommendations, which are expected to align with this framework. The full report, outlining these approaches, can be found online.
Owen Jarvis, CEO of UK Cohousing, added that community-led housing and stewardship offer long-term management solutions, unlock community buy-in, and de-risk the early stages of large sites. There is an expressed interest from various sectors in the housing industry to expand community-led approaches, a vision that may require government support and ambition to achieve.
- The Community Land Trust Network and UK Cohousing's proposed policy for community-led housing aims to transform the real-estate industry, offering a solution to address concerns about the 'soulless' and 'disempowering' nature of large housing developments.
- To achieve long-term affordability, the framework encourages the use of Community Land Trusts (CLTs) to secure land perpetuity, ensuring homes remain affordable despite market fluctuations.
- The framework also proposes integrating community-led place stewardship as an alternative to private management companies, improving accountability and value for residents, and reducing opposition to large-scale development projects.
- Local authorities are advised to collaborate with community groups, providing funding, technical support, and engagement opportunities, enabling community-led housing groups to develop schemes that meet local needs in the home-and-garden sector.
