Building on Success
3rd July 2020
In early spring the Community Led Housing Hub for Cumbria & Lancaster hosted a series of successful events and continued reaching out to groups, experts and communities to join up work across the area.
With our partners at Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS) we explored low-carbon housing options, specifically for community models. More than twenty people attended a focus event to hear about what is possible and what they could be planning into their own designs to reduce impact on the climate and the local environment.
This is central to our approach to Community Led Housing (CLH); we continue to take advice from CAfS while we develop our resources to encourage groups at every step of the journey to consider their environmental impact and reduce it where possible.
Learning from the experience of others is always hugely valuable and inspiring. The Ashley Vale project in Bristol was wonderful to hear about. An excellent example of developing and delivering a shared vision. We are very grateful for their generously shared stories.
We experimented with an expert ‘surgery’ session in Kendal in February, getting eight active groups face-to-face with five industry professionals to really boost their progress. Included in the mix:
- Tailored CLH advice from Andy Lloyd, accredited adviser and National Community Land Trust representative.
- Specialist CLH legal advice from Wrigley’s Solicitors.
- Guidance from Homes England, key supporter and funder for affordable homes across England.
- South Lakes Housing - a local Housing Association, a pivotal partner for many groups.
- South Lakeland District Council, a partner in the Hub, funder of community initiatives and the local planning authority for South Lakes projects.
Feedback and follow-up from this event was really positive:
“Everything worked really well to make the most of the time available”
“Absolutely fab”
“The speed dating format worked well”
We are hearing from communities that they have cemented important relationships and secured vital information since this event. We plan to run further, similar sessions in the autumn with a range of different professionals for groups to meet up with.
The CLH Hub has secured funding from the Enabler Hub Development Grant Fund to support delivery of further similar events. The funding will also help us invest time over the coming months to develop the relationships and resources needed to support groups and catalyse exciting new projects.
The work of the CLH Hub for Cumbria & Lancaster has been furloughed until September. In the meantime please do explore our website www.clhhub.org.uk for lots of information and useful contacts. There are lots of people who are still very keen to support you and talk through your ideas.
Good luck!