Community land trust hails agreement signing for new, affordable homes for local residents
Arundel Community Land Trust (CLT) has hailed the achievement of ‘significant milestones’ in its quest to secure the delivery of affordable homes in the town.
In November, Fitzalan Estates, Arundel Town Council and Arundel Community Land Trust signed a Section 106 agreement, cementing the commitment to affordable homes and other community contributions arising from a proposed development off Ford Road.
Arun District Council and
West Sussex Council signed the following week, and the outline planning consent has now been confirmed on the Arun Council website.
Darrell Gale, chairman of Arundel CLT said: “The agreement is the result of months of hard work and negotiation to achieve the aims of Arundel’s 2019 Neighbourhood Plan to provide much-needed truly affordable homes for the people of Arundel, and in so doing keeping the community together when people with local connections would otherwise have to live elsewhere because of high house prices and rents.”
James Stewart, who chaired both the 2014 and 2019 Arundel Neighbourhood Plans and is currently a director and treasurer for the Arundel Community Land Trust was present at the signing of the agreement and was absolutely delighted.
He said: “I feel that this momentous occasion for our Town is a direct result of the process started ten years ago when we started work on the first neighbourhood plan for Arundel, and it is fantastic seeing this coming to fruition.”
Meanwhile, Arun District Council is getting ready to launch the e-form for people with Arundel connections, who meet the financial criteria, to register their interest in the new social rent and shared ownership homes that will be built on the land off Ford Road. There will be 20 socially rented and seven shared ownership homes in the development, with the rented homes at about 50 per cent of market rates, rather than the 80 per cent allowed to qualify as affordable housing.
Mr Gale said Aster would have the freehold of the shared ownership homes and sell off equity under the government’s Shared Ownership scheme to those who participated in the shared-equity scheme.
He added: “What is fantastic for the whole of Arundel is that over half the land allocated for development includes new public open spaces for the whole community to enjoy, linked to existing paths, and really making these homes part of the community.”
Summing up the achievement, mayor Tony Hunt said: “This is a milestone in so many ways, as these new homes will mean that we can respond to the shortage of affordable homes in Arundel in a sustainable and responsible way, that respects the wishes of the community in our neighbourhood plan. Not only that, but it will also deliver new facilities for the whole community to enjoy.”