Community Led Housing for Eastbourne

OUR MISSION IS:

Creating community-led affordable home ownership for people in housing need. 

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

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?

There is a housing crisis. People on local wages struggle to pay high rents and must rely on high rents or join a long waiting list for limited social housing. 

Key worker families on modest 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 no 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.

CLTs are making a difference...

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

Eastbourne CLT is owned and led by its Members. Currently we have 188 members.  Anyone is welcome to join us. Read how HERE.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Eastbourne Borough Council have gifted land to build five affordable houses at Biddenden Close in Langney. We have planning permission and have secured funds for some pre-development works, and we are now applying for larger government house building grants. We are also working on additional 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), our house owners will need to be in paid employment and have modest savings (around £4k) which will enable them to take out a small mortgage to buy 30% of their home. This type of home ownership is government backed and has been helping many people afford a home of their own. But unlike private developers Eastbourne CLT home owners will be members of the Society and have a say in how we run things.

OUR BENEFICIARIES

We can't help everyone, and our focus at Eastbourne CLT is to help hardworking people on local wages into affordable home ownership. We want our first five houses to be made available to key workers on modest incomes wanting to put down roots in Langney.

If you know of, or are yourself a 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 6 years as a voluntary group we have been building our membership and learning all about community-led housing. We are more than ready to start building our first five houses. 

Since achieving planning permission in August 2023 we have been working with our Principal Contractor (OSM Construction) and Architects to refine our design and create eco friendly homes that will meet current modern build regulations. 

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 local people. The first project is always the hardest.

Will 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 help 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 improve 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 registered Community Benefit Society and is 100% voluntary run. Our board of directors are ordinary CLT Members elected at the annual AGM. 

We always need new members to join the board and share the load.

OUR BOARD

Sandy Medway (Executive Chair) Retired with 30 years board level experience

Crispin Freeman (Finance Director) Chartered Accountant

Derek Cordrey (Treasurer) Accounting Technician & Book keeper

Jonathan Coombe (Secretary) Chef Manager.

Jonathan Chiswell-Jones (Co-opted Member) small business owner

Susan Chiswell-Jones (Co-opted Member) trained therapist

OUR SPECIALISTS ADVISORS

Graham Maunders (Community Led Housing Specialist) Sussex CLH Hub

Verity Stevens (Our Employer's Agent) Lawson Queay Chartered Surveyors

John Caladine (Accountant) Caladine Chartered Accountants

Zara Coton (Property Solicitor) with Stephen Rimmer Solicitors

OUR PARTNERS

Eastbourne Borough Council (Land Donor)

OSM Construction (Principal Contractor)

MH Architects

Homes England Community Led Housing Fund

OUR AFFILIATIONS

We are full Members of The CLT Network (national)

We are supported by the Sussex Community Led Housing Hub (regional)