For those of you unfamiliar with our project Transition Homes Community Land Trust is a community housing project which grew out of Transition Town Totnes building and housing group. After many years of work, we have now bought land, received planning permission, and funding to build an environmentally friendly community of homes on 3 acres situated between Totnes and Dartington. The homes will share a community-building, green spaces, food growing, and an orchard. The houses are highly insulated and with a community PV array supplied and managed by local renewable energy company TRESOC.
As for many of us, 2020 was a year of COVID induced delays so it feels great to be finally at this stage where we have a contractor ready to get going on site.
So, all being well, by the time you are reading this we should just be starting infrastructure works on site. Locals may become aware of this due to our having to close one lane of the A385 for these works to take place – so big apologies for any delays caused. We needed to get on with this work in order to take up a government grant which is only available until the end of March, so fingers crossed that has all gone ahead smoothly!
As we discussed at our public meeting back in February last year we are seeking to amend our planning consent to add a few houses that will be sold to cross-subsidise the costs of providing the affordable housing. With these new homes, our affordable housing still constitutes 59% of the total units on-site compared to the 30% required of conventional developers. Due to so many delays, our costs have risen and hence adding a few houses is the simplest way to bring in more funds. The new housing will remain within the original built area hence preserving the communal green spaces and growing areas so important to the project.
There is lots of information on our website for those who are interested in learning more about the project. Some of the detail is a little out of date but the bulk of info is correct and there are drawings and links to our consultations and planning applications and you can download a form if you would like to become a CLT member and show your support for the group.
Transition Town Totnes 