Portland Community Land Trust
The Portland Community Land Trust website is kindly hosted by the Portland Community Partnership
Community Land Trusts are a form of community-led housing, set up and run by members of a community to develop and manage homes as well as other assets important to their area, like community enterprises, food growing or workspaces. The Land Trusts act as long-term stewards of housing, ensuring that it remains genuinely affordable, based on what people actually earn in their area, not just for now but for every future occupier.
Portland Community Land Trust
Annual General Meeting
Held on 7th December 2023
Portland Community Land Trust held its AGM for members on the 7th December 2023 at the Osprey Leisure Centre. The minutes of that meeting are shown here as well as some updating information recently sent to members.
The minutes of the meeting can be found here.
A further update to members since the AGM is outlined below.
As advised at the AGM the new National Planning Policy Framework includes phrasing which supports the work of CLTs. The most relevant sections are shown below (in italics).
In addition, in relation to the properties at High Street, we have now had confirmation of an offer from Dorset Council of a grant for £50k and which EBHT have offered to top up by £5k (if needed) in line with the indicated budget. We have confirmed details and will be accepting this.
Within this context of establishing need, the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community should be assessed and reflected in planning policies. These groups should include (but are not limited to) those who require affordable housing; families with children; older people (including those who require retirement housing, housing-with-care and care homes); students; people with disabilities; service families; travellers; people who rent their homes and people wishing to commission or build their own homes.
Community-led developments: A development instigated and taken forward by a not for-profit organisation set up and run primarily for the purpose of meeting the housing needs of its members and the wider local community, rather than being a primarily commercial enterprise. The organisation is created, managed and democratically controlled by its members. It may take any one of various legal forms including a community land trust, housing co-operative and community benefit society. Membership of the organisation is open to all beneficiaries and prospective beneficiaries of that organisation. The organisation should own, manage or steward the homes in a manner consistent with its purpose, for example through a mutually supported arrangement with a Registered Provider of Social Housing. The benefits of the development to the specified community should be clearly defined and consideration given to how these benefits can be protected over time, including in the event of the organisation being wound up.
Kindest regards
Karon McFarlane
Secretary
The current work of the Trust is summarised here
About Community Land Trusts
The Trust
The first thing to do if you are a Portland resident, is to become a member of the Land Trust. This involves buying a share (or multiple shares) which cost £1 each. This gives you a vote and you can help make decisions about both the running of the organisation and projects the Trust takes on.
How do you find sites ?
By working with the community, partners, developers, public bodies, landowners and anyone willing to make land available. Before any site is progressed it must have the communities support for the development proposed.
For more general background information, visit the national Community Land Trust website.
