NW3 CLT Lobbies for More Support for Community Led Housing

Inflation and rising costs is making the delivery of community led housing difficult, especially for voluntary organisations like ours. In response, CLTs are calling for three measures that will help our sector through the current economic situation and help us deliver new housing. These measures are:

(1) Amending the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to give greater weight to community-led development in protected landscapes, for example, introducing community-led exception sites.

(2) Let CLTs receive a share of the new Infrastructure Levy, particularly in unparished areas.

(3) Reinstate the Community Housing Fund so CLTs can develop projects and access the Affordable Homes Programme.

We recently wrote to our local MP, Tulip Siddiq, requesting that she raise these concerns with the Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Rachel Maclean. The Minister has responded to our concerns, saying that she acknowledges the importance of community-led housing, particularly community land trusts, in addressing housing needs in England. She mentions that the government recognizes the potential of community-led housing to increase housing delivery rates and bring various benefits, such as diversifying the housebuilding sector, improving design and construction quality, and sustaining local communities and economies.

She also mentioned that the government is considering measures to support the growth of the community-led housing sector, and discusses a recent consultation on revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework, which sought input on how to facilitate community-led housing and improve planning policies.

Furthermore, the Minister’s response discusses the introduction of a new Infrastructure Levy through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, which aims to reform developer contributions. This Levy includes a neighborhood share component that will benefit communities, building on the existing Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) approach. The government is in the process of analysing responses from a recent technical consultation on this topic.

You can read the Minister’s letter in full here.