Community land trust to buy land in Westbourne for affordable housing

A site in Westbourne is set to be sold to a community land trust for affordable housing.
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The land to the rear of Mill Road comprises part of a larger site acquired in 1947 for housing, but was not included in the initial development and was excluded from the 2001 transfer of land with the housing stock.

The site was then leased to the parish council until 2033 for open space purposes.

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Now the Westbourne Community Trust (WCT) wants to acquire the Mill Road land from Chichester District Council and use part of this as an exception site for about ten affordable houses along with enhanced community facilities on the remainder of the site including play facilities, toilets and other facilities to support the adjoining allotments.

CDC cabinet members agreed on Tuesday (January 8) to declare the land surplus to requirements and to sell it to WCT at a market value which reflects the limited value of an exception site for affordable housing.

There are 19 households on CDC’s housing register who have a local connection to Westbourne, of which 47 per cent are in priority housing need.

Jane Kilby, cabinet member for housing services, described how the WCT had organised two drop-in events in February for people to find out more about the scheme and would also be delivering invitations to residents’ homes across the parish to comment and find out more about becoming a member of the community land trust.