Our Projects

East Cambs Community Land Trust

Completed

East Cambs Community Land Trust was established in November 2017 as an umbrella CLT for the whole of East Cambridgeshire. They work with communities who are interested in community-led housing but do not have the desire to establish their own CLT. This way communities can influence and have a say over their development and provide much needed affordable housing for local people without the hard work!

Their first project completed in 2018, in Ely, at King’s Row, Barton Road by our sister organisation and local property developer Palace Green Homes. It consists of six family townhouses and five flats, two of which are affordable. The beautifully constructed, high-quality, affordable flats are now occupied and rented by local residents and are managed by East Cambs Community Housing.

Visit Palace Green Homes to find out more about the King's Row development.

SAVE Community Land Trust

Early stages

SAVE Community Land Trust is the latest CLT to be incorporated in East Cambridgeshire! Working in conjunction with VIVA  Arts & Community Group, the CLT has been set up in response to the demand for established arts, culture and educational facilities in the village of Soham. As the current theatre centre is being sold, the vision of the CLT is to provide a community-owned theatre space and permanent hub for cultural activities in the village, to be enjoyed by both the local community and surrounding district. We look forward to supporting SAVE on its exciting journey!​

Thrift Soham Community Land Trust

Completed

In 2018, Thrift CLT completed their first community-led housing project at Covell Corner, next to the Shade Primary School. Led by developers Palace Green Homes the project delivered 13 modern, high-quality new homes and has provided the community with eight affordable properties (six affordable rented apartments and two shared ownership houses) The CLT has appointed EC Community Housing to manage the properties on their behalf and are now actively looking at further housing projects in the town.

Thrift Soham are also involved in a long term project at the Eastern Gateway, and received a £10,000 grant from the Urban CLT Fund for this work.

Visit Thrift Soham for regular updates on their community-led projects.

Stretham & Wilburton Community Land Trust - Manor Farm

Completed

2017 was a very exciting year for Stretham & Wilburton CLT, with the first tenants moving into CLT-owned, genuinely affordable houses on the Manor Farm scheme in Stretham. Since its formation in 2011, the CLT has been working incredibly hard to address the lack of affordable homes in the local area, which was forcing local people to move away from their families and communities.

The award winning 75 home Manor Farm development by Laragh Homes, includes 23 properties at genuinely affordable levels for local people, a new GP surgery for the village, a woodland walkway with edible planting for the community to enjoy and flexible work units for small local businesses. This highly desirable development has been designed around extensive open, green space and a new village green. We are so pleased their hard work has paid off, and the CLT is now looking forward to a second project in Wilburton!

Find out more about Manor Farm at Stretham & Wilburton CLT’s website

Download full case study (PDF)

Swaffham Prior Community Land Trust

Completed

Three local landowners with a site in this small Cambridgeshire village were keen to ensure that local people received long-term benefit from any development that took place on their land. Swaffham Prior CLT has delivered 8 affordable homes for the village, all of which are now let, as part of a larger housing scheme of 20 houses. The set-up costs were met by a grant from East Cambridgeshire District Council and the houses are now managed by housing association Hundred Houses Society. However, the CLT still retains responsibility for selecting new tenants using their Housing Allocations Policy.

The CLT have now received a funding grant for an ambitious second project and are now ready to apply for planning permission. The £3m proposal is for a community heating system to run off ground source heat pumps and it is hoped the scheme will take the village off its’ reliance on oil heating and provide a sustainable, environmentally sound, economical source of energy for the whole village.

Download full case study (PDF)

Haddenham Community Land Trust

Early stages

Haddenham CLT are planning to commence construction this year on their first project, West End Gardens in partnership with Palace Green Homes. The scheme, which has been designed by local architects Saunders Boston, includes 54 new homes – 19 of which will be transferred to the CLT upon completion – as well as new areas of open space. Community involvement is a crucial component of scheme development and the CLT is delighted with the positive comments they have received.

Check out Haddenham CLT’s website for more information!

Kennett Community Land Trust

Early stages

Kennett CLT have elected a Board of Trustees and have over 130 members recruited to the CLT, which was legally registered in November 2016. Outline planning permission is expected in spring 2019 for a sustainable, lower-density ‘garden village’ style mixed-use development on land off Station Road in Kennett, to the north of the train station.

This exciting new development – Kennett Garden Village will provide 500 high-quality new homes, including much needed affordable homes for people living and/ or working in the parish. As well as new homes, a new enterprise park will create local employment and new car park facility for the developing station.

In the heart of the village there will be a new school for the Staploe Education Trust, and neighbourhood scale retail facilities such as a shop, café, surgery and community office all located around a new village square and a 3 acre village green. In addition to the market and affordable homes, part of the development will be designed with older residents in mind, with a range of homes that will appeal to the active retired, and those that need extra care.

Keep up to date with the Kennett Garden Village by visiting the Kennett CLT’s website or by visiting Palace Green Homes.

Swaffham Bulbeck Community Land Trust

Early stages

Following a number of public consultations and the desire for a CLT, Swaffham Bulbeck CLT became legally incorporated and elected their board in 2017.

The parish council submitted a neighbourhood area application, and in January 2019, East Cambridgeshire District Council designated Swaffham Bulbeck Parish as a neighbourhood area for the purposes of neighbourhood planning. Swaffham Bulbeck CLT will begin to work closely with the parish council on a neighbourhood plan. This will allow the residents of Swaffham Bulbeck the power to develop a shared a vision for their neighbourhood and shape the development for their local area.

The CLT are also busy looking into potential sites in the village which would be suitable for the development of affordable homes.

Witchford Community Land Trust

Early stages

A public meeting held in October 2014 identified a need for affordable housing in Witchford and as such Witchford CLT was created. They are currently amending their neighbourhood area with East Cambs District Council, and once approved will work on their neighbourhood plan with the parish council. They are also looking at potential sites for the development of affordable homes in the village.

Fordham Community Land Trust

Early stages

Fordham residents have felt it increasingly important to ensure their village retains its rural feel. As such, a group of trustees came together in 2016 to form a Community Land Trust in order to engage with potential developments and ensure that the community has a voice in how their village will develop. Fordham CLT held a very well attended public meeting in January 2017 and are currently pursuing various possibilities within the village with the aid of EC Community Housing's sister organisation Palace Green Homes.