District Dispatch - 18 February 2025

The homes, which are available to let for people who live, have been brought up, or who work in the area, and cannot afford to buy or rent locally, have been purchased by Midhurst Community Land Trust, with the support of Chichester District Council.

We provided grant funding towards the scheme from the council's Community Led Housing Fund and Section 106 affordable housing funding. The trust also received grant funding from the South Downs National Park Authority, The Boltini Trust and Friends of Midhurst Community Hospital. The remaining costs are being covered by a commercial loan.

The homes, which the Community Land Trust have bought on a new housing development, will be kept for local people; offer a rent which will be around 70% of the local open market rent; and as long as all goes well, the tenants will have use of the homes for life. The Community Land Trust has also fitted carpets and supplied all white goods in the homes, so that they are completely ready for the new tenants to move into.

It is so difficult for local people who have grown up in the area or for local keyworkers to afford to stay here, due to high house prices. Schemes such as this one, mean that people can stay in the area where they grew up, or work, rather than move away to another area, where it may be more affordable to live.

Midhurst Community Land Trust already manages two affordable homes in Midhurst, and another Community Land Trust in the district is in the process of building 12 new affordable homes in Westbourne.

The Midhurst and Westbourne Community Land Trusts have demonstrated what can be achieved when the local community works with the council and other partners to deliver affordable housing. This is why we are so keen for other communities to come forward to work with us in other rural areas.

Housing is a huge issue for the district. Around 2,000 households with a connection to the district — such as people who have been brought up here or who are a key worker in the district — are waiting for a home in our area. We want those who grow up here to have the option to stay here and important key workers to be able to afford to work here. These are important people who we rely on and want to keep close by.

This is why schemes such as this are so important in our rural villages. As a council, we don't own housing stock and instead work with local registered housing providers who manage and supply local affordable homes. In rural locations, local housing registered housing providers often find it difficult to take on homes in these locations due to the small number of homes involved. This is why Community Land Trusts are so important, because not only are the affordable homes managed by local people, but they are also protected for the use of local people.

If your area is interested in setting up its own affordable housing project, please do get in touch with us. There are many different ways for communities to set up their own housing project.  Examples of projects include: community-owned rented housing; low-cost housing for sale; housing co-operatives; self-build schemes; co-ownership; and housing for older people.  Our Housing Delivery Team are here to help and support you, so please do get in touch if you want to find out more, or you can visit our Community Led Housing page.

While on the subject of housing, please don't forget to participate in our  'Let's Talk: Housing' consultation (opens new window) by 3 March, your views are really important to us.

Best Wishes

Cllr Oona Hickson

Cabinet Member for Housing, Revenues and Benefits at Chichester District Council