With 75%[1] of Hampshire classified as rural, and the county commanding average house prices of £382,979[2] and average monthly rents of £1,388[3], award-winning housing association Aster Group is shining a spotlight on Community Land Trusts (CLTs), as an affordable solution to help level up rural communities.
CLTs are often run by ordinary people looking to own and develop affordable homes for their own communities. The CLT acts as the long-term steward of the homes ensuring they remain affordable, based on what people earn in their area.
Amanda Williams, Aster Group chief investment officer explains further: “CLTs are a powerful means for local communities to drive housing developments which address their own particular housing needs. As property prices and private rents push many local people away from their communities, CLTs are being embraced as a means to build affordable homes which remain in the stewardship of the community. We are partnering with more and more CLTs as we are highly experienced in funding, building and managing affordable homes.”
Growing in popularity, across rural and urban areas, the number of CLTs in England and Wales has grown exponentially over the past few years to 548. As the leading housing association provider of CLT partnerships Aster has delivered 13 schemes throughout the south, a number which is set to double by 2028.
Amanda Williams concludes: “We’re celebrating Rural Housing Week, 4-11 July, which is a great opportunity to put CLT’s centre stage. House prices and monthly rents can be beyond the reach of many so we are inviting interested community individuals and groups to get in contact to find out if a CLT could help deliver affordable housing in their areas.”
Rural Housing Week is an annual campaign to showcase the work housing associations do in rural communities. The theme for the 2022 campaign is levelling up rural communities. To find out more visit: https://www.aster.co.uk/
[1] Supporting Hampshire’s Rural Communities | Hampshire County Council (hants.gov.uk)
