How It Works
Community Benefit Society*
Adur Collective Community Land Trust is a non-charitable Community Benefit Society that has been set up for the benefit of the community. Being a Community Benefit Society means two very important things:
- There is a legal asset lock. Any assets that ACCLT creates can never be cashed in by or transferred to private individuals or other companies for their own advantage.
- It is a membership organisation. The members of Adur Collective Community Land Trust run and control it.
Becoming a member is important as it demonstrates to public authorities, landowners and funders that there is community backing for truly affordable homes.
*Community Benefit Society no.8361
Acquiring Land and Properties
Acquiring land to develop or re-develop properties will be Adur Community Land Trust’s biggest challenge.
Trusts in other parts of the UK have had land or properties gifted to them, utilised garden infill, taken over stalled sites from developers, bought empty homes and commercial buildings.
Our plan is to speak to councils, professionals, and landowners about underused or vacant land and properties. We will consider joint ventures with housing associations, developers, and landowners. We will consider new build as part of a large development or small sites. We will consider renovating existing properties.
Anything that will speed up the process and help deliver affordable housing.
Funding
For any project, Community Land Trusts have to raise capital funding through loans, grants and issuing Community Shares - a user friendly term for withdrawal, non-transferable share capital.
We are very pleased to have received grants from a number of organisations that have allowed us to set up Adur Collective Community Land Trust and cover our (very modest) running costs. Our thanks to:
- Arnold Clark Community Fund
- Cala Homes
- Community Led Homes on behalf of Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Housing
- Police Property Act Fund
- Sussex Community Foundation - Cullum Family Trust Fund