Have you ever thought ‘our community ought to own that building/land’? Well the Histon and Impington Community Land Trust has been set up to do just that. Eddy Moore explains why it has a vital role – and how everyone can show their support.
Residents of Histon and Impington will shortly be receiving a brochure through their doors from Histon and Impington Community Land Trust (HICLT). The Trust was set up last year to help create affordable and sustainable housing that will meet the growing needs of the village.
As well as looking for opportunities to purchase land for building much needed homes, it can support a range of other needs in our community, such as helping to save a building or improve local amenities.
READ ALSO: Local community land trust needs your support
Meeting local needs
As a not-for-profit organisation, HICLT intends to be an organisation which will help meet housing needs and also ensure that the assets developed locally stay local and are invested to benefit our community.
The Trust is a truly local organisation, run by volunteers who are committed to creating affordable housing in the community, so that fewer young people and local workers have to move away to find a home of their own.
People have lost faith in developers and Housing Associations to provide the type of housing needed for the whole community. Housing costs in Histon and Impington are very high and when other organisations develop homes the financial gains made do not stay within our local community.
Because it is owned by the local community, HICLT is also well placed to ensure that developments meet the design aspirations of local people and preserve the nature of the local environment.
Community owned
We have all heard people say “The Community ought to acquire that”. Well, here is a local organisation that can make this happen. HICLT can obtain grants, take out loans and accept donations to purchase land, to hire contractors, and to build and manage properties of a type that are needed in our community.
But HICLT will not only be concerned with housing. As a registered charity, it will be able to provide associated facilities, amenities and services for the advancement of health, wellbeing and leisure, and provide workspace buildings.
A nearby CLT in Haddenham, set up in 2015, has recently completed a development on the edge of the village. This is providing nineteen new homes, a mix of one, two and three bedroom properties seventeen at affordable rents and two for shared ownership. The first residents moved in in January.
Naturally, the HICLT needs to be self-sufficient. In the early days, most of the income will come from the grants and loans available to Community Land Trusts. Later on though, rents paid on properties or shared ownership will generate profits, and these must be ploughed back into the community.
Looking at CLTs already running just in Cambridgeshire, it does not take many years before these new income streams can start supporting more community ventures.
Get involved
Importantly, the assets generated will be owned by the community and anyone who lives, works or has a close relative in the village can buy a £1 membership share and get involved. Follow the link and sign up here https://hiclt.org/membership/
Everyone potentially has a say. All members will be able to vote at the AGM and any other general meetings called to take major decisions. There are also lots of opportunities for volunteers with enthusiasm and skills to make a difference to our locality.
To register your interest, or to buy your £1 membership, email hello@hiclt.org
For more details, see the website at https://hiclt.org or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/hiclt