Over £200k to help deliver 42 new affordable homes across Cornwall
The money is part of a new government fund giving communities more power
Cornwall is getting over £200,000 pounds of funding to help provide 42 new affordable homes.
The properties will be built in five locations: Ennor Farm St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly, Treskerby near Redruth, Gwennap, St Ives and also Wheal Luna at St Agnes.
It is part of a new government fund that helps to cover costs and also puts community groups in charge of where and how houses are built.
Over 1,200 new affordable homes will be delivered across England in total.
The announcement has been made by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities today (25th March).
The £4m Community Housing Fund (CHF) programme will help community groups build homes in their local area by covering a range of costs incurred in the process - including renting the town hall for a public meeting, paying for searches, administration costs or legal advice, design work and planning applications.
Once planning permission is granted, community groups can fund the build through the Government’s Affordable Homes Programme, a Housing Association or developer or via a bank loan.
The government says the fund will help 'level up the country' by regenerating derelict areas and delivering homes that are affordable for local people, so more residents can live in the places they love.
The new houses will be part of locally-based organisations such as land trusts or housing co-operatives meaning they stay under the control of the community.
Housing Minister Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP said: “Part of our Levelling Up mission is to build the quality homes that communities want and need.
"Community led housing is a great way to ensure local housing needs are met by putting local people in the driving seat.
“It is about residents playing a leading and lasting role creating genuinely affordable homes which regenerate and restore pride in communities.”
The government says community led housing also helps improve the design and construction quality of homes using modern methods of construction and gives more opportunity for smaller house builders to work on projects, growing local economies.
Tom Chance from Community Led Homes added: “Community led housing groups are rooted in their communities and truly understand local housing needs. There are so many fantastic community led housing projects planned across the country. This programme will help many of these projects come to fruition.”
The fund will help deliver 52 housing projects in England, from Cornwall to Berwick-upon-Tweed. Bradford’s Greenwood Community Led Housing group, will build 62 supported homes for people with autism, learning disabilities or dementia. In Leeds, 34 affordable homes are being built to regenerate a deprived part of the city following extensive involvement of residents in the design of the buildings.
The announcement follows the publication of the Bacon Review which recommended that reigniting the Community Housing Fund will create more opportunities for communities to build.
Allocations for Cornwall
Cornwall, Cornwall CLT Limited, Ennor Farm St Mary's Isles of Scilly, £59,091, TR21 0LP, 12 affordable homes.
Cornwall, Cornwall CLT Limited, Treskerby, £49,937, TR16 5AG, 10 affordable homes
Cornwall, Cornwall CLT Limited, Gwennap, £38,499, TR16 6BD, 10 affordable homes
Cornwall, St Ives CLT, St Ives CLT: Project 1 Old Vicarage Flats, £30,000, TR26 2DS, 6 affordable homes
Cornwall, Wheal Luna, Wheal Luna TR5 ONH, £29,925, 4 affordable homes