So...What is it, exactly?
Community Land Trusts are a form of community led housing, where local organisations set up and run by ordinary people to develop and manage homes as well as other assets important to that community, like community enterprises, food growing or workspaces. The CLT’s main task is to make sure these homes are genuinely affordable, based on what people actually earn in their area, not just for now but for every future occupier. Homes specifically for people from Credenhill, homes our children can have in the future.
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But there's lots of houses, surely?
Sadly not, just this area of Herefordshire is short of 5000 homes. And the pressure for homes is building. The Army garrison of Credenhill is expanding and those new military families will need homes. This need is fuelling a rise in house prices and rents - but - not a rise in wages. Credenhill is deemed to be short of over 100 homes for the civilians alone and yet...Your local Councillor thinks over half of them should be given to the Army and not the people of Credenhill. We all respect and admire our Armed Forces, but they have the deep pockets of the Ministry of Defence to look after them....WE have to look after our own.
So...Who owns the Trust?
You do, membership is open to anyone from Credenhill village and Parish. No MP, Councillor, Business, Housing Association controls it. Just you, you decide where it's going and what it does.
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Yeah...OK..But building houses will cost gazillions of ££££!
That's true...and the money is there. £3.2 billion to promote building, £60 million went into the pot for CLTs last December - Herefordshire County Council applied for and got over £4,000,000 from the Government to support projects like this. The money is there...We just have to do it.
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So...If we build houses - who gets them?
We do, the people of Credenhill.
You are eligible if.....
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You live in Credenhill.
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You used to live in Credenhill.
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You have relations who live in Credenhill.
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You work in Credenhill.
These homes are for us and our children's future. To rent or part buy (allowing a cheap way to get onto the 'property market'). And all we have to do is make it happen. It's about the community building houses for the community - not for profit.
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It can't be that easy?
Well yes it is. Parliament passed the 'Localism Act, 2011'. They gave us the power to do just that. We could just do nothing of course or we could help change the world, one village at a time.
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Hang on! If you build houses and rent or sell them....Who gets the money?
We do, the community. A CLT can make a profit but not anyone else - all money has to be spent on the community, no person can make a profit.
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How can I get involved?
Just send an email to us CredenhillCLT@gmail.com. We'll hold a meeting very soon. Remember it's our village and now we get to shape its future.
Oh....keep checking this site for news.
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