Are you interested in community-led housing?
22nd Jun 2017
CAN, has begun a project to build on Northumberland’s success in delivering community-led housing, in association with Social Regeneration Consultants, Glendale Gateway Trust and Northumberland County Council. We will identify the support required by individual communities and identify specific opportunities. Part of the work involves establishing the level of interest there may be across the area and a survey will be distributed shortly to Parish and Town Councils to seek some initial views.
Community-led housing is designed and managed by local people and built to meet the needs of the community – not for private profit.
Community-led housing schemes have six main features:
- They put local communities in the driving seat. Community organisations decide where homes are built, what they look like and who occupies them; community assets are created which can generate income which can be used to support other local priorities
- They are usually small scale – most developments are less than 10 homes and some are much smaller. No two developments are the same.
- Although most schemes are usually set up and run by local people in their own communities, many are also supported by housing associations, local authorities or regional and national organisations
- They provide genuinely affordable homes for rent, shared ownership, sale or self-build on sites that are often difficult or even impossible for mainstream housing providers to develop
- Schemes meet long-term local housing needs, by the community exercising full control over how and where the homes are provided and retaining a legal and/or financial interest in them, ensuring they will always be available to local people who need them and at a price they can afford
- Community-led housing is not for profit, involving considerable voluntary effort from those who decide to become involved. It’s an effort that several hundred communities across the country have already made, with many successful developments initiated by Parish Councils.
Community-led housing schemes are now becoming very popular across the UK and Northumberland has much to build on. If you are interested in finding out more contact info@ca-north.org.uk