Just sent the following letter below to Ministers Hazel Blears MP and Yvette Cooper MP - see my blog on 15th November for background. I also raised this project with Randwick Parish Council last week - they are the neighbouring Parish to this project and have a strong interest in seeing the site is put to good use - they are now looking to also write a supportive letter of the GLP plan.I would strongly urge others to write letters of support.
The latest news is that this hinges on the Value For Money case - GLP hope to engage a consultant to put together the arguments - apparently the Treasury has been caught short in the past with money from old hospital sites - but surely even a brief look at GLP shows this exciting pilot scheme is a win win situation....
Re: Cashes Green Community Land Trust pilot project
I write on behalf of Stroud District Green party who have 11 out of 18 seats on Stroud Town Council and 5 Stroud District Council seats including my ward that neighbours the Cashes Green Hospital site.
We are deeply concerned to hear that English Partnerships has reversed their decision that the former Cashes Green Hospital site be transferred to Gloucestershire Land for People for urgently needed permanently affordable homes, allotments, social rental homes and community facilities.
GLP's innovative proposal for the 11-acre former hospital site was developed thorough considerable open consultation and engagement with the local community. This resulted in the particularly exciting proposal, which included carbon neutral houses, good social design, significantly lower entry prices for home ownership and permanent affordability through Mutual Home Ownership and retaining the land value in the community land trust (CLT).
It was our understanding that the English Partnerships' Hospitals Disposal Board welcomed GLP's proposal in June 2007 and that there is cross-party support for the principles of CLTs. We also understand that the government hopes to increase the number of affordable homes, encourage moves towards carbon neutral housing and have specifically identified CLT's as part of the flagship community engagement policy.
Why then has there been this change of direction? We would urge you to give GLP your full backing and send a strong message that the government is supporting local communities. To significantly change this scheme now, after so much consultation and work with the community, would be unforgivable.
I hope very much you will be able to clarify the situation and give this project a clear message of support.
Cllr. Philip Booth, Stroud District Green Party
3 comments:
This project sounds great - wish we had it where I live - hope you can all make it happen
I have just emailed Mr Booth to say that I plan to send a letter to the Ministers: this is just the sort of project that should be supported to tackle our chronic housing situation.
Shelter found that less than 40% of 18 to 34-year olds expect to buy within ten years. The new survey also found that 80% are 'worried' by house prices. It is time the Government woke up...we need more social and affordable housing.
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