A NEW inexpensive housing development in Kent, built on land sold by the Church Commissioners, was opened formally by the Princess Royal on Wednesday.
Ten of the 13 recent homes at Carpenter’s Yard in Shepherdswell, a village near Dover, are defined as inexpensive, i.e. rented at lower than market rates.
The scheme was developed by English Rural, a specialist rural housing association, and Shepherdswell and Coldred Community Land Trust, the primary CLT in Kent. Formal planning approval was secured in 2022, however the project began greater than a decade ago when a housing survey in 2013 identified “a transparent requirement for inexpensive housing in Shepherdswell for singles, couples, and families alike”, a press release said.
An account of the event, published by Kent Housing Group, records that the project stalled initially because an acceptable site couldn’t be found. This led to the formation of the Community Land Trust in 2017, which, in partnership with Rural England, identified sites including one owned by the Church Commissioners, situated next to the village hall.
Having previously not desired to sell, the Commissioners were “occupied with the stronger community aspect through the CLT, and ultimately agreed”, the Kent Housing Group says. “Had it not been for this land, the project would have likely failed, as there was no other suitable and available land within the parish, as evidenced by the extensive site search.”
The land at Shepherdswell is a “rural exception site”, an area of land where development wouldn’t normally be permitted except when there’s a proven need for inexpensive housing for local people. Because it can’t be used for open market housing its value is lower, making it possible to deliver inexpensive homes, including through Community Land Trusts. The project was supported by Kent’s Rural and Community Housing Enabling service.
KENT HOUSING GROUPNew residents outside their home in Carpenter’s Yard
The Church Commissioners reported last 12 months that there have been greater than 40 local families on the waiting list for the ten inexpensive homes. Residents moved into the event in March this 12 months. The site’s freehold is owned by the CLT, which maintains a long-term stewardship of the homes. English Rural are answerable for developing and managing them. The leasehold properties are only available for individuals who can show a robust connection to the village. There is not any right to purchase them.
Maria, a resident of Carpenter’s Yard, said: “After years of battling rising private rents, this home has given us security and peace of mind. The financial stability from our long-term tenancy agreement is an infinite relief. It’s not nearly having a roof over our heads; it’s about having the ability to stay locally we love and contribute to village life.”
A church statement described the scheme as “ground-breaking” and “an exemplar of the vision set out within the Archbishop’s Commission’s Coming Home report, emphasising the importance of truly inexpensive housing to foster stronger communities” (News, 26 February 2021). It is hoped that, by enabling younger generations to stay in the realm, the event will help to guard local services, including the village primary school.
In 2022, the then Second Church Estates Commissioner, Andrew Selous, cited the Shepherdswell development as evidence of the Church Commissioners’ commitment to inexpensive housing.
In total, the Church Commissioners own 92,000 acres of land, of which 6000 acres is described as having “development potential”. Coming Home, published in 2021, asked whether or not they might be “sacrificial as they develop out this land, and accept, if essential, a cheaper price for his or her land so as to deliver more cost-effective housing”. This would necessitate a change to their current legal remit.
The Commissioners have pledged to make use of their land portfolio to develop 29,000 homes by 2037, of which 9000 are to be inexpensive. In 2022, they’ve spoken of plans to “speed up the delivery of small-scale rural inexpensive housing sites across England, in partnership with housing associations and native housebuilders”.
The Homes for All vision, launched in Parliament earlier this 12 months in partnership with the Church of England, highlighted that 1.2 million households remain on local-authority social-housing waiting lists (News, 3 May).
