Lavenham Community Land Trust

A new affordable housing scheme in Lavenham - described as the first community land trust development in Suffolk - has been held up as an example to other communities for the future, following its official opening.

Representatives of the Lavenham Community Land Trust (CLT) and Hastoe Housing Association gathered on Friday for the ribbon cutting on Peek Close, a new development of 18 affordable homes on the former site of a disused maintenance depot.

Built as part of the Lavenham Neighbourhood Plan, the scheme is intended to help address the local affordable housing shortage, which has seen many local people priced out of the market.

House prices in the village have increased by 43 per cent in the last 10 years, according to property comparison website Zoopla.

The Lavenham CLT, which was formed in 2014 to support the provision of affordable housing, explained the partnership was Hastoe was formed with the sole purpose of prioritising people with a connection to  Lavenham, to help them stay in the area.

Carroll Reeve, CLT chairman, said: "As the first CLT development in Suffolk, these homes have created great deal of interest.

"However, it's important to remember that these affordable houses are only possible thanks to the dedication of so many people who worked to bring this development to life.

"Building these houses has shown us how possible it is to create much needed affordable homes with community involvement.

"It's taught us that in the future, we all need to be ambitious in working to build houses local people need, want and most importantly can afford."

South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge, who attended the opening, added: "By delivering these homes through their neighbourhood plan, the development has buy-in from the local community, and provides homes for families with a connection to the village.

"This is an inspiring project and an exemplar of what can be achieved by ambitious communities and through collaboration between all the key local stakeholders.

"I would like to pass on my congratulations to all of the organisations and individuals involved."

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Lavenham Community Land Trust (LCLT) was formed in 2014 as a Community Benefit Society for the benefit of residents in the beautiful mediaeval village of Lavenham, Suffolk.

The LCLT aims are to:

Provide & manage well designed, high quality and energy efficient affordable homes.

Provide other community assets to help employment, skills and to help our community remain sustainable.

The first project Peek Close has now been completed and the houses are occupied

Lavenham CLT and Hastoe Housing win Best Partnership award at the Inside Housing Development Awards

Lavenham Community Land Trust and rural housing specialist, Hastoe Housing Association has won the 'Best Partnership' category at the Inside Housing Development Awards, which celebrates the very best of residential development all ober the UK and relates to the Peek Close development.

At the last awards, Hastoe's collaboration with Southwold Hospital won 'Best Community Rural Partnership'. This time it picked up the trophy for its collaboration with Lavenham Community Trust (CLT), an organisation set up by community leaders in Lavenham, Suffolk, fuelled by a desire to provide more affordable housing in the village.

According to Zoopla, house prices in lavenham have risen by 43% in the past ten years, pricing many out of the market. The CLT were determined to take the future of their neigbourhood into their own hands and reached out to Hastoe to help bring their vision of affordable homes for local people to life.

The photograph shows CLT trustees Bryan Panton and Crroll Reeve with Isobel Wright of Hastoe Housing and the development team.