AN organisation dedicated to providing low cost housing for people on low incomes in West Somerset is holding a meeting on Wednesday (March 14) when anyone interested can learn about its work and how they can take part in its activities.
West Somerset Community Land Trust was set up in 2016 to deal with a growing shortage of suitable housing for local people.
It aims to build or refurbish a supply of high standard sustainable homes, mainly available at social rents, in which the local community will maintain a permanent stake. The homes cannot be sold by the trust.
The trust is aiming to help people who cannot afford to be home owners or rent in the private sector.
The trust is looking for sites on land not available for developers in areas where there is an identified need for local affordable housing. These sites, called Rural Exception Sites, are used all over the country to provide low cost homes.
To help identify the scale of the need for housing, the trust is recommending that people looking for housing register with Homefinder, the website run by West Somerset Council. This will help it get funding allocated for its developments.
Help will be available for people wishing to register at Wednesday’s meeting, which is at the Friends Meeting House, Bancks Street, Minehead.
It starts at 7pm with the trust’s AGM, which will be followed by a talk from Alan Fox, the founder of Cornwall Community Land Trust and now technical advisor to the National Community Land Trust.
Anyone who needs low cost housing or is interested in the trust’s aims is welcome to attend the meeting.