Turning land into houses, houses into homes, and homes
into communities
People make villages – and villages make people. Village life offers people of all ages and backgrounds a sense of belonging, support and kinship.
But the spirit of our villages is gradually being eroded by disappearing amenities, dwindling opportunities, and fewer houses local people can actually afford. We are on a mission to make sure that doesn’t happen in Ringmer, Glynde, Firle and Beddingham by working together to make thoughtful plans and meaningful investments so our villages can thrive for generations to come.
Who we are
We are a group of local volunteers from Ringmer, Glynde, Firle and Beddingham parishes, working together to keep our villages alive with affordable housing and all the amenities we need to live, work, play and grow in the rural communities we feel part of. We set up a Community Land Trust, or CLT, for the area in January 2019. We are currently working on acquiring land, inviting ideas from architects and designers, and growing our local membership. We are an independent Community Interest Organisation, not part of any of the Parish Councils.
What we do
We work with landowners and planners to transform available land into affordable houses, amenities and protected land. We work with villagers to transform houses into meaningful homes that meet their needs.
We work with the village as a whole to create amenities, events and opportunities to keep the spirit of the village alive, long into the future.
What is a Community Land Trust?
CLTs have been around for a long time and run all over the UK in response to the current crisis in affordable housing and to hold land for the benefit of the community. CLTs allow ordinary people like us to come together and plan the right kind of housing for their area. They can acquire land cheaper than developers would to build those houses. Some CLTs can also go on to provide other amenities such as libraries, playgrounds, children’s centres and even schools, in consultation with local needs.
CLTs act as long-term stewards for the land in their control. This means the assets remain genuinely owned by the community and prices can be based on what people actually earn in their area – not just for now, but for every future occupier. You can find out more about the work of CLTs and examples of successful projects around the UK on the CLT website.
We Need You!
CLTs are only as strong as their membership. We need you to join us, to get your voice heard, and have a say in what your village should be. Every local person can become a member and every member gets a vote when it comes to having a say on how decisions are made.