Help us build community-led homes
We are looking for individuals and organisations from our local community to shape how we make it happen!
Read MoreKings Tamerton community led housing
Our first project in our exciting new venture into community-led housing. By creating genuinely affordable, healthy homes in the heart of Plymouth, our community can be part of the solution to tackle fuel poverty and climate change. We hope to support many community-led housing projects, both new build and retrofit to meet this challenge.
Our first project
Our first opportunity is a site at Kings Tamerton (west Plymouth), on land just off Coombe's Way. Development of this site has been proposed before but fizzled out. Now there is a main developer proposing to build a number of market properties at Passivhaus energy efficiency standard. A proportion of the site must be affordable and custom or self-build. That's where we come in!
We have been developing proposals, with local architects and consulting our community, for approximately 38 affordable units on the site, anticipated to be a mix of 2/3 bedroom houses and 1/2 bedroom flats. Some will be likely to be available to purchase at a discounted market rate (with a convenant on the value to ensure that they are genuinely affordable forever) but the majority would be affordable homes for rent. The main developer will construct the access roads, servicing for the plots and site wide surface and foul water drainage.
Community involvement
We have now held a number of gatherings to establish what is important to the local community and how to shape this particular project. We held a drop in consultation event for residents and businesses local to Kings Tamerton, where the proposal received support from those attending.
What next?
We have a number of people keen to be involved with design, governance, as potential tenants, as potential investors or simply as supporters. Soon we will be establishing a new organisation to enable community-led housing in Plymouth. This new entity (likely to be a Community Benefit Society) will be the overarching vehicle for a number of innovative new build of retrofit housing schemes. We will set up a wholly-owned subsidiary to oversee and develop this project at Kings Tamerton.
The developers anticipate development starting later in Spring 2020.
We are currently hosting site visits for supporters of the project, please get in touch if you would like to attend.
How will we fund it?
We have successfully secured £180,000 from Homes England to progress this project. As well as securing a building loan, we hope to launch a community share offer to ensure community ownership.
Get involved
