Lavenham Community Land Trust will create affordable homes in the village with Hastoe Housing

A scheme to build up to 18 affordable homes for local people in Lavenham is underway thanks to a joint venture between Lavenham Parish Council, Babergh District Council and Hastoe Housing Association.

The parish council has created a community land trust which is acquiring the former county highways site behind Harwood Place in Melford Road.

Hastoe Housing will develop the site into one bedroom, two and three bedroom affordable properties which would be rented by those with strong local connections.

The most recent houysing needs survey has shown that there are 55 households currently wanting affordable housing in the village.

Carroll Reeve, chairman of the trust and chairman of Lavenham Parish Council, said it was important that people registered with the district council under the Gateway to Homechoice scheme to qualify.

Homes would be available to people born, living or working in the village. Discussions have already taken place with the district and county councils on planning and related matters.

John Lefever, regional head of development, at Hastoe, said this was the first scheme working with a community land trust in Suffolk although it had partnered five in the West Country. The association was talking to other parish councils about Community Land Trust schemes in Suffolk.

The Lavenham scheme will probably include some shared ownership which would be identified through housing need but the provision would again be offered only to local people, he added.