Frome Area Community Land trust has been awarded initial funding enabling them to start the process of looking for land with a view to building genuinely affordable housing in the town.

The grant from Homes England means that the group can make a serious start on identifying their first site and bring in the right professionals to turn their ideas into reality. The Community Land Trust’s aims are simply to provide much needed affordable housing for local people, this funding is a clear sign that the CLT are heading in the right direction and confirmation that their proposals are acceptable to funders.

Affordable housing is a major issue in Frome with many local people struggling to afford rents or get onto the housing ladder. The instability of the private rental sector means that alongside increasingly high rents tenants also face the possibility of landlords selling the property forcing people to move. The type of housing that the Community Land Trust might build depends on the sites acquired but the group are looking for a number of sites and hope to get the first one under way within 2020. 

Community Land Trust Director and Town Councillor Ali Barclay said ‘Being awarded initial funding is a serious boost for the CLT, we can now move quickly to identify suitable land and start planning our first development’ Alison added ‘There are many things that a town like Frome needs but affordable housing has to be one of the priorities, making these things a reality in the years to come would be a great achievement’

Getting involved in the Community Land Trust is easy, anyone can join for just £1.00 by going to www.fromeareaclt.org and updates and news are also available on the Frome Area Community Land Trust Facebook page.