Chairman’s Report July 2025
This is an extract from the Chairman’s report to the Annual General Meeting
Challenges Facing Community Land Trusts (CLTs) – A National Perspective
Community Land Trusts (CLTs), though built on a powerful vision of community-led housing, face a range of significant challenges that can hinder their development. Chief among these is access to affordable land, which is often priced beyond the reach of community groups, particularly in areas with the greatest housing need.
Securing long-term finance also remains a considerable hurdle. While some grant funding is available through Homes England and other bodies, it is highly competitive. Moreover, mainstream lenders remain cautious due to the perceived risks associated with community-led development.
A further barrier is capacity. Many CLTs are led by dedicated volunteers who may lack the professional skills, time, or resources to navigate the legal, technical, and bureaucratic complexities involved in delivering homes.
Limited National Success and Emerging Patterns
Despite increasing grassroots interest and political support for community-led housing, the national impact of CLTs remains modest. Although over 300 CLTs have been formed, only a fraction have delivered homes, and typically on a small scale. Most successful projects are found in rural or semi-rural areas, where land acquisition and community mobilisation are more achievable.
Urban schemes are emerging, but slowly. The absence of strategic coordination at national and regional levels, along with limited institutional support, has resulted in a patchwork of isolated efforts rather than a cohesive movement. That said, successful examples do exist. The key challenge ahead is scaling up CLT activity so that it can contribute meaningfully to solving England’s housing crisis.
East Bergholt Community Land Trust – A Local Perspective
Here in East Bergholt, we are well organised and fortunate to have a range of professional skills among our Trustees. With support from Government Agencies and Babergh District Council, and working with East Bergholt Parish Council, we are confident in our ability to deliver a community housing scheme that would serve our parish well. The one thing we currently lack is land. In a nearby successful CLT example within our District, land was acquired, in effect, at a gifted value, without which the scheme may never have been viable. We hope for a similar opportunity through the goodwill of a willing benefactor.
In the meantime, we remain marshalled, focused, and actively searching for a viable project site that will allow us to turn our aspirations into reality.
Regards
Nigel
Nigel Downton
Chairman of the Board of Trustees