Analysis

The work to establish Chilbolton Community Land Trust (CCLT) is underway. Community Land Trusts are an international phenomenon, that started in the United States. Here in the UK there are various ways of incorporating one, but the SWG have indicated that “CLT will be a charity (but regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, rather than the Charities Commission)”. This suggests that CCLT will be what is known as a Charitable Community Benefit Society (CCBS).

Social factors and economic policy have driven higher demand for home ownership and higher house prices. Affordable housing provides homes at lower cost for people whose income won’t stretch to local market rates. How that is done in the UK, though, is complex.

A Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA) ¹ is a government-defined process undertaken by local planning authorities. Its purpose is to identify land which has the potential for the development of residential property.

A pre-application is a less formal way of discussing a proposed development with a local council. Although central government encourage local council to use pre-apps, unlike the formal planning application process, each council can use their own system for a pre-app.

Chilbolton Parish Council (CPC) has published its responses to questions at the meeting on 5 Dec 2024 in the Village Hall. One request was for publication of Strategic Working Group agendas and minutes.