Community Land Trusts

A Community Land Trust (CLT) is set up and run by ordinary people to develop and manage homes.

They can also develop and manage other assets.

Trusts serve as long-term housing stewards.

This ensures that the housing remains genuinely affordable, based on what people actually earn in their area.

Trusts can set up other types of organisations that can also achieve this.

For example:

  • Co-housing groups
  • Housing co-operatives
  • Collective self-build groups


The Councils have grant funding available to groups wishing to set up any of the above.

Funding can help to support groups in deciding what is the best for organisation to set up.

The funding can also cover:

  • Costs for any surveys to identify local housing needs
  • Professional legal advice
  • Professional property advice
  • Professional planning advice

To receive funding, a group:

  • Must not make a profit
  • Have the support of the local Parish or Town Council
  • Involve the local community in ALL decision making
  • Play a long-term role in ownership, management, or stewardship of the homes
  • Make clear the benefits that will result to the local area and/or community

The popularity of these groups is increasing in both districts.

Many communities start to consider how to develop affordable housing for local people as part of the Neighbourhood Planning process.  They can include Community Led Housing (CLH) within their Neighbourhood Development Plan.

Further help and setting up a group


Contact us


Email Strategic Housing. Please ensure that your email has the subject CLTs/CLH Enquiry (whichever is relevant)
Telephone 01449 724786
Mobile: 07860 827011

Useful links

To find out more general information visit the National Community Lands Trust website
Co-Housing website
For more information about support for community led organisations visit Locality's website