Community Led Housing for Eastbourne

OUR MISSION IS:

Creating community-led housing for people in housing need. 

The homes we create are owned forever by local members. You can make a big difference by supporting us.

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?

There is a housing crisis. People on low incomes struggle to pay high rents and must rely on limited social housing by joining a long waiting list. 

Key worker families on low incomes, who aspire to own their own home, struggle to save a deposit for a mortgage. This leaves people stuck in insecure or poor quality accommodation. Or living with relatives in crowded spaces with now place of their own to call home. We wanted to provide a solution.

OUR SOLUTION

The Community Land Trust movement is growing fast, right across the UK, including in Sussex.

In Eastbourne, like-minded volunteers came together to form a non-profit community enterprise. 

Eastbourne CLT is owned and led by its Members. Currently there are 70 members and anyone is welcome to join us. Read how HERE.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Eastbourne Borough Council has gifted us land to build five affordable houses at Biddenden Close in Langney. We need to fundraise, and the Eastbourne CLT team have applied for some small grants to help develop our organisation. We are now applying for larger government house building grants, and have already secured support from socially aware lenders and investors. Read more HERE.

WE WANT TO TRANSFORM THIS SITE

TO THIS

We will be able to achieve this with a huge amount of community goodwill

Offered under a shared ownership scheme (part rent/part buy), householders will be in paid employment and have some savings (around £4k) which will enable them to take out a small mortgage. This type of home ownership is government backed and is growing in popularity.

OUR BENEFICIARIES

We can't help everyone, and because Covid-19 has given focus to essential workers, we felt our first five houses should be made available to key workers on low incomes wanting to put down roots in Langney.

If you know of, or are yourself a low income key worker with links to Langney, and are interested in our share ownership homes, please get in touch via our website.

WHY WE ARE CROWDFUNDING

After 3 years as a voluntary group we have been learning all about community-led housing, and are now ready to start building our first five houses. 

The next step is to apply for our own planning permission (which the site had previously) and instruct specialists to do surveys and drawings. Will you help us get off the starting blocks to take this exciting new build forward. 

If we can build homes with community goodwill once, we will be able to do it again and again to meet the housing needs of more people.

Can you help us?

WHAT WILL BE YOUR REWARD FOR DONATING?

By supporting us through Crowdfunder today, you will:

• make a difference to the housing crisis
• join your voice with ours as a growing local movement for good
• support our very first house building project in Langney
• help five families needing somewhere to live, and house up to 22 people
• ensure investors know Eastbourne really cares about housing issues
• leave a legacy to benefit future generations

The houses we build will remain affordable and stay tied to Eastbourne CLT, in perpetuity, for future generations. They will always be owned by our local citizen members. 

Building houses with community goodwill is the only way to disrupt the present housing crisis. We long to see a new dynamic intermediate housing market run by local residents and not by profit. 

Please join us and make a difference to the housing crisis.

WHO ARE WE?

Eastbourne CLT is run by a Board of Trustees who are CLT Members elected at the annual AGM. Currently there are five trustees plus two specialists co-opted in an advisory capacity.

Writing this is Sandy Medway (Chair of Trustees & Chief Officer), who has 30 years board level experience leading local charities, businesses and public sector organisations. 

Chris Snook (Vice-Chair) is a horticulturalist and small business owner.

Howard Medway (Treasurer) is a former college manager and business studies lecturer, now retired.

Julia Galvin (Secretary) is a small business owner.

Iain Shore, (Co-opted Member) retired Group Tax Specialist with Taylor Wimpey.

John Caladine (Accountant) with Caladine Chartered Accountants

Zara Coton (Property Solicitor) with Stephen Rimmer legal firm

Sixty other members who come from a variety of backgrounds and walks of life.

OUR PARTNERS

Eastbourne Borough Council

Lawson Queay Chartered Surveyors

Boutique Modern Modular Construction

OUR AFFILIATIONS

We are full Members of The National CLT Network

We are supported by the Sussex Community Led Housing Hub