Transition Homes CLT
Introduction
Transition Homes Community Land Trust is developing a scheme of 27 eco-homes on a site, Clay Park, in Dartington parish. The majority of the homes (70%) are affordable rental & shared ownership for local people with a proportion of market housing required for cross-subsidy.
This page provides information on the planning application, registering your interest as a potential resident of the site, and our contact details. This page will be updated with relevant news and information about the CLT and the proposed development, including CLT membership, and volunteer opportunities when we get to the construction stage.
Would you become a supporter of Transition Homes?
We're a small charity run by volunteers and yet we have bought land and obtained planning permission for a £6million, 70% affordable housing scheme - we do a lot with a little! We're pretty good at getting grants for the Clay Park scheme, but it's less easy to find grant funders who are willing to cover the core costs of a charity.
We need just over £2000 a year to cover our core costs (i.e. our overheads, separate to the project costs of delivering Clay Park), which are very minimal.
These include:
- £400 annually for use of office space (including use of IT equipment)
- £530 annual membership of the National CLT Network (this includes directors insurance which is a legal requirement, and their support!)
- £600 accountancy fees
- £70 website hosting
- £13 Companies House fee
- Around £200 for public consultation, printing & postage costs
- £250 public liability & employers liability insurance
We've got 400 people on our mailing list - if just 10% could give a regular donation of £5 a month this would cover all of our annual costs. If you are able to give a regular donation, please complete our supporter form. Thank you!
Notice of our AGM
Join us for our AGM on Tuesday November 7th at 7pm at Dartington Village Hall, where we’ll be voting to elect two new Trustees to the Board. AGMs can be a bit dry, but we'll have some local mulled cider, tea and nibbles, and there will be time for asking questions and talking about our plans.
Please come and meet the team, and if you’re a member, vote! If you're unable to come, you can send us a proxy vote form (click here to download). If you'd like to become a member, you can join on the night or find out more here.
Meet our co-opted Trustees who we're voting to elect:
Tom Winfield: I am a carpenter and engineer interested in the integration of modern timber fabrication and traditional handcrafts in the design & build of rural housing. As someone currently renting in Dartington parish, I have a real and immediate interest in anyone trying to get access to land and housing, especially those trying to do so in a ‘sustainable’ way. Because of this I want to support Transition Homes CLT in delivering the Clay Park project and hopefully other innovative local housing initiatives in the future. I am particularly interested in development of rural, community-led, self-build and custom build, especially co-housing, affordable housing, and tiny homes and more widely, ruralism and the good stewardship of woodlands.
Ruth Sutcliffe: I grew up in social rented housing so understand what a difference quality affordable housing can make first hand. Most recently I have been living almost 8 years in intentional community (Bowden House). During my time there I have been very involved with membership processes and policy making, project managing small builds on site and most recently setting up and developing a housing co-operative to take ownership of the manor house at the centre of Bowden Community. I was involved in all aspects of this project including managing planning and refurbishment of the grade 1 listed building, financial project management, raising funds and overview of ongoing project co-ordination. As well as being a director of Bowden Housing Co-operative I am also a director of the freehold company at Bowden (Bowden House Ltd).
Update: we were thrilled to welcome both Ruth and Tom to the board, and you can download the minutes from the AGM and our accounts 2016-2017 here.
Hedge-laying at Clay Park
Upcoming events!
Work session at Clay Park, Sunday 10th September. 2-5pm, volunteers welcome!
Visit Clay Park during this year's Open Eco Homes weekend for a tour, Sunday 11am-2pm (tour at 1pm).
We'll be at the Eco & Community Homes Fair, Saturday October 21st, Totnes Civic Hall, 10am-3pm.
FREE hedgelaying and foraging training, Friday October 29th, 10am-4pm at Clay Park. Booking essential!
Open meetings June 28th & July 8th 2017
The CLT is holding open events in June and July, which are an opportunity to find out about Clay Park and ask questions, to contribute your ideas, and discuss how you can get involved.
- Weds June 28th, 7.30-9pm at Totnes Methodist Church, or:
- Sat July 8th, 11.00am-12.30pm at Dartington Village Hall
We're inviting people from Dartington, Totnes and the surrounding parishes to get involved in the CLT by becoming a member, a Trustee or a volunteer. This is an opportunity to be part of an inspiring project creating a low impact, resilient community of sustainable and affordable homes in Dartington - and to develop further schemes.
If you are interested in getting involved, please come along to one of the open meetings or if you can't make it, email us on communication@transitionhomes.org.uk.
Join the CLT
Anyone living or working in the community can join the CLT as a member (it only costs £1). Members play an active part in the CLT’s work, supporting and guiding the work, making sure it is community-led and electing the board of Trustees. Find our more here.
Become a Trustee
We’re looking particularly for people with experience of financial management, and of running voluntary organisations, but would welcome anyone who has skills/experience and time to contribute. Find out more here.
Volunteer
There is plenty of work to do! If you’ve practical skills to help manage the site before construction, can help with events/workshops, or have experience in communication, marketing or sales (particularly around housing), fundraising, building community, or graphic design, or can generally spare some time to help progress the Clay Park scheme, we’d love to hear from you.
Clay Park Community day - April 1st 2017
Join us for a spring celebration of nature and community at Clay Park, the Transition Homes site.
FREE family friendly activities, talks, demonstrations, and refreshments - including foraging, hula hooping, crafts, traditional skills demonstrations, tree identification, nature connection, teas & cakes, and games. Bring a picnic and games (and wellies if it's wet!).
Also find out more about Transition Homes and our plans, including upcoming free community workshops & conservation activities.
Here's our Facebook event - please invite family & friends!
Directions: Please note there is no parking at the site. The ground can be uneven and wet. Please wear suitable footwear - wellies if it's wet! We regret the site's not yet suitable for wheelchair users or pushchairs.
Location: Clay Park is off the A385/Ashburton Rd, between Puddavine Court and Clay Lane, and opposite the Jehovah's Witness hall/Puddavine Terrace. Postcode: TQ9 6EU. There is a public footpath sign at the entrance to the site.
Bus: The Stagecoach Gold and 88 services stop outside Puddavine Court.
By car: If coming by car, the nearest carpark is at Totnes station. Clay Park is 10 minutes walk from Totnes station, with pavements on each side of the road. If you are dropping people off there is a layby on the opposite side of the road. Please take care when crossing the road - there is a pedestrian island just up the road.
On foot: From Dartington, take the NC2 foot/cyclepath towards Totnes to lower Dartington drive, then turn right out of the drive on to the A385. From Totnes: follow the footpath along the A385.
February 2016 - view and comment on our planning application
Our planning application was submitted in December and has now been validated by South Hams District Council, who began their formal consultation on 2nd February. The application is available for viewing and comment on their website*, which contains the site and house plans.
There are many documents on their website which were submitted with the planning application. The planning statement is the key document for an overview of all aspects of the project. You can read it on the SHDC or read it here.
* If you are using a smart phone, the link will not work. Please search South Hams planning via Google, and in their search facility enter '2927/15' under application number.
We encourage anyone living locally to comment on the application during the consultation period, which ends March 2nd.
The main aim of the project is to provide affordable, sustainable housing for local people in housing need. The application includes plans for 19 affordable houses, with 8 market houses which are required to generate income to help pay for the affordable homes.
The plans
Transition Homes site plan, Clay Park
The key features of the development include:
- 27 terraced homes: 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom
- a community building, and plant room for a wood-fuelled boiler
- highly sustainable development using low-carbon materials and technologies to minimise environmental impact
- highly energy efficient homes resulting in low energy costs for residents
- 19 affordable homes for local people in housing need, with 8 market homes
- high quality construction – not ‘cheap’ housing – using local, natural building materials, and local tradespeople and suppliers
- not 'just' a housing development: the site includes food growing areas; renewable energy; community orchard and coppice; shared facilities including a village green, community hub, and laundry; training & education opportunities for locals, building a new community
- improved biodiversity of the site: hedgerow management and new hedges, native tree planting, orchard, wetland areas, wildflower meadow, nesting for birds and bats
- community led, not-for-profit. Transition Homes CLT is a registered charity, and the project is run by local volunteers.
Artists impression of the view looking west between two terraces
What next?
After South Hams' consultation period ends on March 2nd, they will then make a decision by May 3rd. Once planning has been granted, we will start the allocations process - you are able to register your interest in living at Clay Park. Please visit Becoming a resident to find our more.
Any questions
If you have any questions regarding the application, please contact:
By post: Transition Homes CLT, The Mansion, Fore St, Totnes, TQ9 5RP
By email: info@transitionhomes.org.uk
By phone: 01803 867358 (Nicola Lang, project coordinator, or Mary Popham)
Find out more
Click here for more news and information on Transition Homes.
Transition Homes Community Land Trust
Company number: 07849843
Registered charity: 1161033
Transition Town Totnes 