Community led housing
Community-led housing is where people and communities play a leading and lasting role in their own housing solutions by developing and managing homes.
By working together people can provide good quality and affordable housing for those who are priced out of the housing market.
Community-led housing schemes deliver new homes that will be owned or managed by the community. Developments can be for the benefit of the local community, a specific group of people, or both. It can be a new build or refurbishment, in a rural area or a town.
There are many different types of community-led housing including:
- on land owned by a Community Land Trust
- a housing co-operative or a co-housing scheme
- in partnership with a Housing Association, private landowner or developer
There are established national organisations that can provide guidance and information to get you started:
Community Land Trust (CLT)
Community Land Trusts are another form of not-for-profit community-led housing, in which local organisations, set up and run by ordinary people, develop and manage homes and other community assets.
The Community Land Trust will aim to make sure that homes are genuinely affordable, not just for now but for every future occupier. You can learn more about CLTs at the National Community Land Trust Network.
There is currently one Community Land Trust (CLT) located in the Forest of Dean in Longhope. You can find out more about the Longhope Community Land Trust and their project to provide affordable housing on their website.
There are established national organisations that can provide guidance information to get you started:
Community self-build and custom house building
Group or community self-build is also considered a form of community-led housing. You can register as a group or association on our self-build and custom house building register.
Funding for Community-led Housing
On the 25 March 2025 a £20 million package for community groups, such as community land trusts and housing co-operatives, was confirmed by the Housing Minister that will directly support the construction of more than 2,500 new homes over the next decade.
These house building projects will be led by communities to specifically address local needs in their area. further information will be available shortly on how community groups can access the funding.
We have a small amount of funding to support groups in the Forest of Dean with their community-led housing projects. There are two grants available:
the start-up grant of up to £1000, for groups to become established in their community and incorporate into a formal organisation
pre-development grant (up to £10,000) for established groups who are progressing their housing project to planning application stage
Rural Housing Enabler
The role of the Rural Housing Enabler includes raising the profile of community-led housing throughout rural Gloucestershire. The Enabler supports rural communities with the delivery of their own developments. This could involve helping to identify an area’s housing need and unlocking potential sites. For more information please email the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council at info@grcc.org.uk