Councillors back proposed Lyme Regis Community Land Trust (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Councillors back proposed Lyme Regis Community Land Trust

9:31am Friday 8th March 2013 in News By Adrianne Maslen

LYME Regis Town Council has given its backing to the proposed Community Land Trust (CLT).

The authority has agreed in principle to become the ‘constitutional custodian’ of any future land trust as plans move ahead to tackle the shortage of affordable housing in the town.

Denis Yell, Keith Jenkin, Ray Smith and Keith Shaw are exploring the idea of a CLT, a community led group that would take freehold ownership of sites in perpetuity and either build homes itself or lease the land to a housing association.

Mr Yell told a meeting of the Strategy and Policy Committee this week that it is planned to make the CLT a company limited by guarantee.

He said the council is an appropriate body to become constitutional custodian and would have immediate power to stop something happening.

Coun Lucy Campbell said: “I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t, it’s quite appropriate for the council to take that role.”

Councillors are keen that any houses built under the CLT should be for affordable rent and not sold.

Coun Rikey Austin said: “The issue with property that is sold is the difficulty of managing who they are sold to. Affordable rented housing is what we desperately need.”