‘Green light’ for Thame-led community housing scheme

THAME Town Council’s big idea to help tackle the shortage of affordable homes locally, has come a step closer.

Image courtsey of Wickham CLT

Following what Councillors have described as ‘a very positive’ meeting with SODC’s Head of Housing, and the recent Government announcement of £240m of funding to support community-led housing initiatives, Thame Town Council is moving towards taking the first steps towards forming a Community Land Trust (CLT).

South Oxfordshire District Council has money set aside to help community housing schemes and it is anticipated that SODC will help with a ‘Needs Analysis’ for affordable or social housing in Thame, as well as some initial revenue needs.

‘The pace is quickening’

Town Cllr Bob Austin, Chair of the Thame Neighbourhood Plan Continuity committee, told fellow members at their meeting on Tuesday (December 19) that after a presentation given by the Minister of Housing at the first National Conference for Community-Led Housing, on November 27, which he attended, the feeling was that ‘the pace is definitely quickening’ towards such local schemes being encouraged and supported.

“We won’t solve the problem (of affordable housing), concluded Cllr Austin, “but we can make a difference.”

The next step

The first aim of Thame Town Council, if the TNP Continuity Committee’s proposal is agreed by the full council, is to form a Community Land Trust, which will include membership from the community, and then to identify a suitable site.