Published: 30/01/2018
INDIVIDUALS and groups are being offered expert help to address housing needs in their own communities.
Copeland Council has joined forces with ACTion With Communities in Cumbria for the Community-Led Housing Initiative, which is assisting people to identify, create and manage housing in their local areas.
The project’s specialist team is currently working with a community organisation, a village hall committee and a number of individuals on projects across the borough, and the scheme continues to be open for interested parties to access the free support on offer.
Community-led housing projects, whether within the National Park boundary or outside it, provide local occupancy housing in perpetuity and can be homes to rent or buy.
The options for community-led housing schemes are wide-ranging and can include community-owned housing, cooperative and tenant controlled housing, individual self-build or projects managed by providers on behalf of community groups. Benefits for those who become involved in the process can include start-up grants and funding towards feasibility studies, housing needs surveys, planning permission, in addition to capital for schemes themselves or assistance applying for further funding.
Mike Starkie, Mayor or Copeland, said: “We are working with a number of individuals and groups who are considering projects that could provide housing solutions for their communities.
“We know the process can be time-consuming, and even daunting, so we’re on hand with free expert one-to-one support and guidance.
“We aren’t looking for developers or house-builders, and it needn’t necessarily be a fully-formed committee with an action plan who gets in touch; it could simply be an individual or a couple of individuals who have an idea in its early stages and want a chat with us to see if it’s feasible for their community.”
Copeland Council has attracted £193,768 funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government to co-deliver the project as an area where the high number of second-home ownership is affecting housing supply.
For more information, contact Amanda Starr on 01946 598427 or Amanda.starr@copeland.gov.uk.
