Appledore is a coastal village in North Devon, nestled on the side of the double estuary of the Taw and the Torridge and typical of the South West in having a high level of second homes and few opportunities for the younger generation to find somewhere to stay locally. In the latest edition of our podcast series, Colin hears about the CLT scheme that provided nine homes in Appledore from two different perspectives. He is in conversation with both Peter Reveley, Secretary of the Appledore Community Land Trust and Karl Hine, Head of Community Housing at the Aster Group who built the homes in partnership with the CLT. These conversations were originally prompted by research being undertaken for the Community Land Trust Network and both Peter and Karl are directly quoted in the State of The Community Land Trust Sector 2023 report (link: State-of-the-Sector-2023-PRESS-1.pdf (communitylandtrusts.org.uk)) which was launched by the Secretary of State, Michael Gove, in Parliament this March. The report features Appledore as a case study (page 15), so you can read about it there or listen to a much fuller version in our podcast.
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Podcasts
Middlemarch Podcast – Episode 12
In episode twelve of our Podcast series Colin is in conversation with Jeremy Holton from the Parracombe Community Trust in north Devon. The Trust has opened a new village shop and cafe and has also taken over running the village hall, previously a lodge house for the RAOB. There are also plans to build six sustainable affordable homes within the boundary of Exmoor National Park. Jeremy also adds his thoughts to the growing list of things that our contributors would tackle if made Housing Minister for a day.
The Middlemarch Podcast Episode 11
In an extended episode published during Rural Housing Week (4-8 July 2022), we explore all things rural housing! Normally in each podcast Colin is in conversation with somebody who has been part of a particular community led housing scheme, but this time you can hear from a number of people including a few words from two different Community Land Trusts and two different Housing Associations. Jonathan Layzell, now Executive Director of Development at Stonewater, and Karl Hine, Head of Community Housing at Aster, both talk about the ways in which Housing Associations can engage with Parish Councils and Community Land Trusts, having both once worked as a Rural Housing Enabler in Somerset.
We also hear from Sue Southwell who now works at Somerset West & Taunton District Council but previously spent fourteen years as a Rural Housing Enabler in Devon. Colin also includes a look back at some of the things Elizabeth Maunder (Norton sub Hamdon Community Land Trust) said in the very first episode of the podcast series and a look forward to some of the things Jeremy Holtham (Parracombe Community Trust) will be saying in next month’s episode. If you want to know how your village can do something about housing local people, this podcast is a good place to start.
The Middlemarch podcast – Episode 10
The latest episode of the Middlemarch podcast is now available. This time Colin is in conversation with Jacqui Wilding who is Chair of the Bronllys Well Being Park Community Land Trust, based in Powys, Wales. The CLT has very ambitious plans for the site, currently owned by the NHS, of a community hospital. Building on work undertaken by the Prince’s Foundation, they’ve developed feasibility studies for a range of community facilities, not just housing, and gained support from the wider community. “… it’s wonderful to see this initiative beginning to emerge at Bronllys….” said actor Michael Sheen in an endorsement he recorded for the launch of their plan “The Next Ten Years”. Read More …
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The Middlemarch Podcast – Episode 9
In the ninth episode of the series, just released, Colin is in conversation with Claude Hendrickson who works as a Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Adviser at Leeds Community Homes. Download the podcast to hear Claude talk about his experiences as project manager of the Frontline Community Self Build project where, during the 1990’s, a dozen young black men from Chapeltown in north east Leeds built their own homes on a former quarry site offered to them by the City Council. Claude was praised by the MP Richard Bacon in his review of Self and Custom Build and he also talks to Colin about diversity within the community led housing sector. If you’ve missed any previous episodes you can also find these on the podcast page of our website.
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The Middlemarch Podcast – Episode 8
Stafford Close, Christow, a development of 18 homes by Teign Housing in partnership with Christow Community Land Trust.
After a short break the latest episode of the Middlemarch Podcast is now available. You can now find us on Apple Podcasts as well as Spotify or Spreaker, so there’s no need to miss a new episode when it’s released. Alternatively, just look on the podcast page on our website.
In this latest episode Colin is in conversation with Pamela Woods who is the Chair of the Dartmoor National Park Authority. Pamela tells us a little bit about planning in a National Park and some of her personal views on housing, but for most of the podcast she tells Colin about the Community Land Trust scheme she was previously involved with at Christow which includes fourteen accredited Passivhaus dwellings.
You can find the latest episode here.
For a different take on the Stafford Close development in Christow, have a look at the short video clip from the BBC Countryfile programme on the projects page of our website.
The Middlemarch Podcast – Episode 7
This month Colin is in conversation with Laura Moss who is a partner at Wrigleys solicitors where she provides professional advice to community led housing groups.
However it’s mostly about her own experiences as part of a newly formed CoHousing group in Cumbria.
The project aims to repurpose an old farm complex and create something more than just a roof over their heads for members of the group.
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The Middlemarch Podcast – Episode 6
This month Colin is in conversation with Andrew Bibby, the secretary of Yorkshire based Calder Valley Community Land Trust.
CVCLT have raised community shares, but also gained ‘Registered Provider’ status (to be able to directly access grant from Homes England).
They’ve collaborated with several other local community groups including an Almshouse Trust, building bungalows together on a shared site.
Although their main priority is housing, they’ve taken ownership of a community centre and now have their sights on saving an historic signal box.
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Middlemarch Podcast episode 5
In this month’s episode of the Middlemarch Podcast, Colin is in conversation with Scott Jennings, the Secretary of Student Co-op Homes, a national body supporting the growth of local housing co-operatives for students. Scott talks about his experience of housing has a student in Nottingham and how he helped to create Student Co-op Homes, raising money through community shares to start buying property to lease to local co-ops.
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The Middlemarch Podcast Episode 4
Colin is in conversation with Nick Reynolds from the Roman Way CIC, a Tenant Management Organisation in Birmingham, discussing his experience of tenants and leaseholders taking control of services on behalf of the City Council.