A NEW organisation has been set up which aims to deliver community-led and affordable housing within the city and across Herefordshire.

A government grant is being used to set up the Herefordshire Centre for Community-Led Housing (HCCLH).

Organisers are hoping to have a dedicated centre address from April.

The purpose of the centre is to provide an easily accessible source of information and support about everything relevant to community-led housing.

It will work with a variety of partners to help develop housing which meets communities’ identified needs, providing for example: homes for rent at low cost, homes for purchase at below full market price, including shared-ownership, self-build or self-completed homes, co-housing and co-operative housing (communities that combine different elements of self-contained units and shared facilities) and smaller homes for people who wish to downsize.

HCCLH will encourage and work with the growing network of Community Land Trusts. CLTs are local organisations which promote innovative building in a particular community.

Hereford CLT has already been formed and recently received government funding for a start-up project. Others are being considered in Little Dewchurch, Fownhope and Credenhill.

Residents of Risbury, Yarpole and elsewhere are starting to look at options; and groups of people wishing to develop co-housing or to self-build or at least self-finish their homes have been or are being formed.

Readers who are interested in finding out more about low-cost and sustainable housing in their area can contact herefordclt@gmail.com and/or hcclh.sg@gmail.com.