George leads MP pledges for affordable homes manifesto

Cllr Sue James handing Andrew George, MP a copy of the Manifesto with supporters, including Melville Durrant (between Sue James and Andrew George), CLT Board Member

 

Mr George pledged his support for the affordable homes manifesto when visiting an open viewing event organised by the Lands End Community Trust in Pendeen. He is the first MP to give his support to the manifesto for affordable homes for locals – the National Community Land Trust Network Manifesto, ‘Our Homes, Our Communities.’

The Manifesto sets out what the next Government needs to do to enable communities, through Community Land Trusts, to meet their own local housing needs.

The Lands End CLT offers 6 new 2 bed homes, all with gardens and sea views being sold at 75% of their market rate value at £116,500.

Among other points, the manifesto calls upon an increased capital investment into affordable, community-based housing; an improved legislation regarding the legal status of CLTs and betterment in mortgage lending and the planning process.

Andrew George visited the homes last Saturday with Cllr Sue James, who presented the Manifesto on behalf of Catherine Harrington, Director of the National CLT Network.

Andrew George said:

“I’m very pleased to support the work of Community Land Trusts. I’m grateful to the National CLT Network for its help and support with my Affordable Homes Bill last autumn. This provides the basis for great collaboration in future, said Andrew George M.P.

“I have been a strong supporter of community efforts to meet local housing need, and in a professional capacity, since before I was first elected. This included involvement in the setting up of the Cornwall Rural Housing Association in the late 1980s.

“Giving communities a role to better manage housing opportunities with the scarce development sites which come forward in rural areas is vital. The planning system is too often driven by greed rather than need, with land speculators the big winners and local communities the losers. CLTs help to reverse this trend.”

Catherine Harrington, the Director of the National CLT Network commented on Mr George’s decision to support the manifesto:

“Lands End Peninsula CLT aren’t alone in taking this approach. There are over 170 other CLTs across the country, being led by volunteers who are taking the future of their village, town or city into their own hands.”

“Last Saturday, Lands End Peninsula CLT backed fellow CLTs across the country asking that the next parliament would make Community Land Trusts a key part of the solution to the national housing crisis. We are delighted that their local MP, Andrew George, is taking such interest.”