Cashes Green Hospital Site; history meeting, crowdfunding and more

See my film re site here

Philip writes: This last week the NHS reached its 65th birthday - a big happy birthday - certainly some challenges ahead but those are not for this post - I wanted to share that we have the pleasure of Local Historian Chas Townley talking about the history of Cashes Green Hospital on Tuesday 16 July at 7.30pm at  Cashes Green Community Centre (£3.50 including refreshments). See more about that fascinating history below...

I also wanted to note that  Kevin McCloud's company HAB, who are developing the site, have launched an ambitious strategy for growth with custom build at its centre - they are looking to fund £1.5m through crowd funding and use the money to design 1,000 eco-friendly, 'self-build' homes a year until 2018. Kevin's company says it will be the antidote to "bland homogeneous" suburbia. You can see the Guardian article on this here and the Crowdcube site with funding details at:
http://www.crowdcube.com/investment/hab-housing-limited-13069

Here's some stuff from Chas:

Cashes Green started life as Stroud's Council run infectious disease hospital. The talk will look at the History of the Hospital Board, with its faltering start in 1896, which led to the Bisley Small Pox Riot where "respectable" locals set fire to the temporary hospital to stop it being used for the benefit of the wider area.

The talk will also look at the poor state of public health in the late Victorian era with many water courses little more than open sewers and the resulting risk of disease and death. Chas will also look at the various sites that the Board considered for a hospital in the area before settling on Cashes Green more or less by accident.

The decision of the Board to extend its activity into facilities for Tuberculosis  at Cashes Green in 1914 resulted in the mass resignation of the whole of Cainscross Parish Council in disgust at being ignored by the Hospital Board and the Government. Plus la change some might say!  An interesting side story is how the council was run for 2 years without any Councillors.

In the 1930's the Board fought off a Gloucestershire County Council plot to rob them of their hospital by the establishment of a Countywide municipal hospital service.

The coming of the NHS was not welcomed by the Stroud Joint Hospital Board who picked a fight with  Nye Bevan to keep the hospital in council hands - They were beaten -  and the hospital was handed over to the NHS  unstaffed and empty with the patients being scattered to Standish and Over Hospitals. Some might suspect spite but a more likely reason is good old mismanagement.

The site remained under occupied for eight years with a small part of the site being used as an annexe of Standish Chest Hospital until it was pressed into service to replace the Eastington Workhouse Infirmary Wards as Stroud's Geriatric Hospital in 1956, a service it continued to provide until it was closed in 1993. 

For further information contact: Chas Townley  on 07969275231 

Cashes Green Hospital site update: Kevin McCloud, electric bicycles and the Community Land Trust

Here's the link to my film that covers this community event last Sunday at the Cashes Green hospital site – in this film you can meet some of the key players in this development including Kevin McCloud, the developers, the Community Land Trust and more. See also the tree planting, electric bicycle club and car club proposals and learn more about this project for new affordable homes. See film at: http://stroudcommunity.tv/applewood-update-on-exciting-development-at-cashes-green-hospital-site/

The wonderful photos in this film including the ones on this blog post are by Ruth Davey at Look Again.

Heritage hedge lost at Cashes Green

Gabion

I've had some correspondence with local residents about the loss of the hedge at Cashes Green Hospital site - see photos here. Sadly there appears to have been a revision to the planning application....the developer wanted to change the hedge to a replacement involving a 3 metre high evergreen ivy hedge which is significantly narrower at the base but rather dense - it is claimed this will be attract a variety of birds and insects and remain green in the winter. It will also be installed at its full height on day one.

It is claimed that at around 10 feet tall, the ivy will provide privacy between the properties, whilst increasing the usable part of the gardens. Some consultation was apparently carried out but in my view not sufficient - this is disappointing as I have been very impressed with the developers of this site - the way that they have gone way beyond what many developers do and have made many efforts to incorporate views of the local community - like saving some of the old buildings - indeed compared to many I have dealt with they have excelled - it therefore makes this all the more disappointing.

It should be noted that there is no legal protection for hedges - the Council cannot put a TPO on them, and they are also subject to high hedges legislation which could see them cut back to 2-3 m at anytime. However I have to note my disappointment in the loss of this significant hedge - it is frustrating to find there seems to be little we can do now as the hedge is gone.

Cashes Green Community Land Trust website launch

Hey have you seen the new website? http://www.cashesgreenclt.org.uk/

If you are interested in this exciting scheme then have a look at the site - there is also a meeting tonight at the Cashes Green Community Centre.

It is great to see progress on the site - as you know there have been many years of frustration over this site - it is great that a developer, that is prepared to properly listen, is now engaged and making good progress. No doubt there will still be challenges ahead. In the last weeks I've again had some conversations with locals and developers about how we can record the progress of the development. Hopefully more of that in the future....

Find out more about Cashes Green Community Land Trust

At last the next stage of this development. We have all been waiting so long - it will be great to see the latest plans.

Find out more about the Community Land Trust, see the latest plans and find out what type of homes will be available - on Sat 15th Oct 2.30pm - 4.30pm at Cashes Green Primary School.

Grand Designs Live in Birmingham

Last night as noted in the last blog it was Full Council and more of that in a while but wanted to plug Grand Designs Live which is returning to Birmingham for its 6th year. The show is running from the 7th-9th October and is set to be bigger and better than ever with over 500 exhibitors and workshops and talks. 

As a green blogger and organiser of the Eco-Renovation open Homes event I have been invited to the press opening - sadly work and family commitments mean I can't go - a great pity indeed as by all accounts it is a good place to get ideas - indeed buzzing with them - although there also looks set to be some very ungreen ideas and evermore consumerism...if you go I am sure it is possible to search out the greener options...

One feature of interest is ‘Kevin’s Green Heroes’ - Kevin McCloud, who was in Stroud last night at the Ecotricity event, celebrating refurbishment, reclamation and new projects in Stroud....anyhow Kevin is still moving ahead the exciting project at the Cashes Green Hospital site. He also helped launch the Eco-Renovation Open Homes event (see left) last year and opened the Hamwell Leaze Boardwalk - this is still underused and too little known about - go and see it and walk it!!! See my brief film of opening here. Anyhow for the second year at Grand Designs Kevin is celebrating green design hereos: "a showcase and launch pad for a host of new products, eco-products and technologies, that aim to improve housing and our way of living in future, ensuring government home efficiency targets are met. This year’s pick includes flat pack chairs held together by recycled elastic bands and home accessories made from recycled car tyres." 

One item that took my interest was 'Resilica' - a worktop and surface material which is hand made in the UK from 100% recycled glass waste - produced using solvent free resin. The water used in the manufacturing process is recycled where possible with the process itself a ‘cold’ one, with minimal imbued energy. Every piece of Resilica is cast to order to minimize manufacturing waste and is manufactured entirely and exclusively in its UK factory thus minimising the carbon footprint.

See more at: http://www.granddesignslive.com/

Plans submitted for ‘national first’ community-led housing scheme

The local press have covered this last week the latest step in the plans to deliver sustainable, community-owned housing on the derelict Cashes Green hospital site. As regular blog readers will know this site has a long history and some of us have been to many local meetings (click on label below for previous blogs)...well it finally looks like the site will be developed....planning permission is now being sought...and the allotments are still part of it...my how many years have folk waited for them....



Photos: from press release by Hab Oakus

Hab Oakus, which is a joint venture between Mr McCloud’s company Hab and housing group GreenSquare, has now applied for planning permission to develop new and affordable housing and community facilities on the site. The plans submitted to Stroud District Council include proposals to build 78 new homes; 20 affordable homes for rent, 19 affordable homes for shared ownership, and 39 for sale on the open market by Hab Oakus. This is more homes than we had originally hoped many years ago, but sadly the finances of the project have changed so that rather than it all being affordable/shared ownership only half are now possible - not Hab Oakus' doing as this was part of the outline planning permission.

What is particularly interesting is that it appears that some of the existing old hospital buildings will be retained - this is a considerable victory for the community who long wanted this but were told it was not possible - well done Hab Oakus for listening.

In their blurb that I've been sent it also says they hope to:

·       Deliver a new building linked to community allotment gardens provided as part of the scheme.
·       Introduce a green tree-lined ‘spine’ across the neighbourhood with edible landscaping in public areas.
·       Include ecological measures to protect local bat, slow worm and badger populations.
 
For me what is most exciting is the community-led housing aspect...if the proposals get the go-ahead, the freehold of the affordable housing would be owned and managed by a Cashes Green Community Land Trust which is being set up with the support of Gloucestershire Land for People (GLP), a local body which supports groups who wish to develop and own housing and other amenities. People who live in Cashes Green would be eligible to join the new trust and have a say in how it operates through an estate management board. It is the first time a Community Land Trust housing project would be delivered on HCA-owned land in England.  It is expected that a decision on the planning application will be made in the summer.

Click on read more to see more of the Hab Oakus press release.

Hospital site plans on show

As reported here Kevin McCloud's company, Hab Oakus, is putting forward designs for affordable housing at the derelict Cashes Green Hospital site.

Yesterday there was a drop-in that I ended up spending nearly 3 hours at - good cakes! It was also a good opportunity to talk to many residents and the various architects and designers.

Photos: yesterday at the consultation drop in at the Youth and Community centre in Cashes Green

It was possibly the eighth consultation drop-in I had been to about this site over the years - and have to say I was expecting consultation fatigue from residents but many were very positive about the plans. Indeed there were very significant numbers of people going through the consultation - and many were local residents. Although one said they would accept almost anything after so many years of this site with nothing happening.

Many were excited by the green credentials and the community areas - as part of the agreement, Hab Oakus will construct all 78 new homes to Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes - plus there will be an allotment site with a community building.

Some were unhappy that the allotments were only two-thirds of the original site - an issue I made with all the folk there including Kevin - as I've noted before I think there could be room for getting land released locally not on that site for allotments - or as we have done in Ruscombe leasing land from a private landowner to establish allotments. There is also at the moment no decision over how the sites allotments could be allocated - poss the Parish would but ownership might be retained? We'll see.

Other folk were concerned that parking was very minimal, others that the site had many routes through it linking it to the other communities and that that could increase crime - both these issues while I understand them I don't go along with - indeed I have advocated long and hard at all the consultations re the need for the site to be linked to the surrounding communities.

One big issue was the old buildings - many, like me do not want to see them destroyed - it was good to hear Kevin was also wanting to retain stuff - however the economics and state of buildings present many challenges - there is talk of keeping the bricks and more to use....we'll see...

Another issue was the lovely red brick wall along the road - Highways seem to want to widen the road or keep it that wide - I want to see it narrower so that traffic is slowed down. One solution if Highways get there way - and I hope they don't is to maybe reduce the wall height and put a path on the other side of the wall.

Anyhow Kevin's company Hab Oakus was selected a couple of months or so ago as the best of eight submissions made to the site's owners, the government's Homes and Communities Agency. They will work alongside a community land trust, the Stroud-based Gloucestershire Land for People, and housing group Green Square on putting up 78 homes at the old hospital, 39 of them for affordable rent or part-ownership. The plans at the event are at a very early stage - one comment from a resident was that they didn't look nice - hopefully at the next meeting - I think 19th Oct - there will be more news re designs as these were only to give an indication of what the site could look like.

Under the proposals, Gloucestershire Land for People will own and manage 39 of these homes, which will be available for affordable rent and part ownership. The remaining homes will be made available for sale on the open market by Hab Oakus.

It is the first time a housing-focused Community Land Trust proposal will be delivered on HCA-owned land - it has been described as a flagship for delivering affordable housing in England. It is great that this project looks set to happen here in Stroud - and this time the team behind it look set to deliver - if not I'll never watch Grand Designs again - oohps - don't tell them I don't have a telly...

It is expected that a full planning application will be submitted for the site later this year....excuse the haste of this blog entry but am dashing to work and wanted to get something down here....

Casework: Cashes Green Hospital, disabled bays, stile, Parish Plan and more

Well a quieter week regarding meetings - did have a training session in Gloucester (see pic) on how to ask questions at Scrutiny (!!), a couple of hours meeting scrutinising the quarterly return report for the planning department and a couple of meetings with officers about particular issues. Below is a taster of some of the other issues in the last week...I do this summary periodically - see here - this is only a flavour and no identities shared but some of the issues are of general interest to other residents.

Stile in Ruscombe Valley: A resident has pointed out that the stile going from Wheelers walk to the field near Archway has been sawn off a while back (see my photos). This stile is an on-going problem - several previous blogs on it - indeed the County have received lost of complaints re the new stile from local dog walkers who could not get their dogs over it. Apparently the issue of motorbikes was discussed with residents but they still wanted the stile removed. The contractor therefore removed the top rail to lower the height and I guess a local has removed the other. It has been suggested to everyone who complained that local people got together and contribute towards a kissing gate instead - £212.00. The County would pay for the installation of the gate. Well I've written to both Parish and Town Council but no reply. What do others think?

Road resurfacing: Westrip Lane was recently resurfaced - see here - a local resident was incensed when soon after it was dug up by the gas board. What a waste. She wrote various letters and it does seem a mistake was made in this case. I am told that this is an unusual situation with regard to the utility works following resurfacing works and - that this happens on a very irregular basis. On this occasion I am also told that it was down mostly to a breakdown in communication not helped by the extremely heavy workload due to the winter weather at the start of the year. As some folk will know there is a way of protecting roads for a period of two years from planned utility works called a Section 58 agreement but it is not full proof and restricts the methods of treatment courses available. A section 58 agreement would not have protected Westrip Lane on this occasion. It also does not include protection against emergency or new connection works. We have been assured that such a situation will as far as possible not occur on the Main Road, Randwick.

Disabled parking bays: New double yellow lines have led to difficulties for a disabled woman. No objection was received by residents to these lines but this woman was not consulted as she lived around the corner! We are now considering what might be possible....it maybe possible for a disabled bay but there are strict rules on the provision of disabled bays - only if all criteria is satisfied would GCC consider a request. In addition to this all disabled bays are checked for safety reasons and any permissions are at the discretion of GCC. A charge of £50 + vat is payable on confirmation of acceptance. The criteria that must be met in order to be considered for a disabled bay are:

• A letter of recommendation from Social Services Occupational Therapist
• A vehicle must be registered to the address on the application.
• The applicant must live permanently at the given address and using the vehicle on a daily basis.
• No available off road parking (eg driveway or garage)
• The applicant must be registered disabled and a blue badge holder

Cashes Green Hospital Site: This week I met the Director of Hab for lunch (I paid for my own). This is Kevin McCloud's company - see here - who were recently in the press as they are keen to work on the Cashes Green Hospital site - well it was a good chance to share previous concerns - not always has communication between Parish, SDC, developers and all been that great. It has also appeared at times like a project imposed on Cashes Green by outsiders - a huge loss of that very precious green space - and not forgetting that Cainscross ward has the highest concentration of housing and least green spaces in the District. We need to get this right - too many developments in this area have been pretty dire to say the least. Well so far I have been impressed with Hab and their keenness to consult and take on board concerns raised - it also looks set to be a very green project that will cut fuel bills of those living there and be really affordable housing - I again reiterated that I hoped Cashes Green residents will be given first choices on the homes. The allotments are a much smaller area than we had hoped (see some of my previous comments here) - this is not to do with Hab but the way the package has been put together - I raised issues like protecting them from builders rubble when the site finally goes forward (I am also seeing with the Parish if there are other sites for allotments). Ah well enough of this now - more in future.....and I suspect if Kevin McCloud is putting name to it and will be part of development he wont want to get it wrong!!!

Dog attack - last weekend a local resident and I tried to rescue a stray black greyhound with yellow harness type collar that was wandering in Ruscombe and then later in Randwick. Well the seemingly mild mannered dog suddenly turned on the guy and bit and scratched him when he tried to look at the tag - the shock led the guy to pass out and an ambulance was called by his family. Fortunately no serious damage - looked worse than it was - police were unable to then find the dog and there has been no further news? I hope the owners have found it?

Stratford Park Leisure Contract - I had a long conversation with a resident who has a number of concerns about the current and new contract. There will be more on this issue soon as it comes to Council - but already I have raised a number of issues re the draft contract.

Allotments Video: the regular working parties have now nearly completed all the paths with membranes and boards around plots. More wood chippings needed and then some improved fencing and a gate...we are getting there - and next month will come my monthly garden notes of tips on gardening that I complied for myself many years ago... see Youtube video here of the site.

Immigration issue. I wrote a letter a couple of months ago supporting a resident who was being threatened with deportation within 5 days despite being married to a local resident. I was delighted to hear that the letter was cited as part of the reason for allowing the person to stay - indeed it was outrageous it got that far but at least sense was seen in this case.

Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish Plan: Well residents will soon get a letter seeking help with the Parish Plan - this follows the meeting in May (see photo) - Parish Plans will be increasingly important - with the loss of Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) by the Coalition government we are going into unknown territory - what will replace it? It could be that housing targets will now be considerably more - under the RSS our allocation of houses went partly to Gloucester - it looks like under planning law we will now need to demonstrate we can house those people here in the District - what will that mean for the Parish? Well we need a robust Parish Plan that demonstrates clearly where any housing will go if it has to....anyhow here is the letter going out from the Parish - please do get involved!

It's been some time since the May coffee morning but we have not been standing still. As I mentioned to some of you the items that were non-controversial could be started before the community plan was finished. I thought you may like an update of progress so far on some of the topics raised. Village E-mail list - We have started to build up a village e-mail circulation list to improve communications throughout the community. If you have any community announcements that you would like to be circulated please e-mail them to Helen at clerk(at)wrpc.org.uk. Not everyone has e-mail or wants to receive e-mail news so we will keep on circulating the WaRbler and of course a lot is passed on by work of mouth. 20 mph - We have made good progress on the petition (over 300 signatures so far). We are planning to present the petition to the County Council in September. Film club - We have got the use of a digital projector so we could do some trial screenings of DVD based material. Please can the people who said they would be interested in this contact me at jgrwhiteshill(at)gmail.com so that we can get things organised. Village Event - It is also clear that people would like some form of whole village event. A Whiteshill and Ruscombe Olympics on the playing field has been suggested featuring events like pancake races, welly wanging, and pantomime horse steeple chase but we do need people to volunteer to organise it. There would also appear to be support for community renewable energy projects and biodiversity schemes but these need further work to develop into specific proposals. General Policies - The Community Plan is a mixture of specific proposals like those mentioned above and general policies concerning the development and maintenance of village facilities and services. To give weight to these the policies will need to be endorsed by the whole village through a questionnaire and public meeting. What goes into the questionnaire sets the agenda. You have seen some of the topics that I think should be in the plan at the coffee morning but to be a proper community plan the agenda must come from the community not the Parish Council. To do this we need a Community Plan Steering group. The Steering Group sets the agenda, carries out consultations and identifies who should produce various parts of the plan. Don't worry if you have not done this kind of thing before, we have access to professional advice and training, and also financial assistance for work carried out this financial year. The Steering Group is self governing and has a wide range of tasks so I am sure it could use help from a wide range of individuals who can spare differing amounts of time. If you would like to get involved in the Steering Group or any of the specific items discussed in this email please contact Helen (clerk(at)wrpc.org.uk).

Grand Designs in store for Cashes Green Hospital

Having been involved in many parts of the consultation on this site I was very interested to hear that TV star Kevin McCloud has announced he has grand designs for the old Cashes Green Hospital site (pictured).

Here is an abbreviated report from the SNJ's front page today:

The celebrity presenter of the hit Channel 4 series Grand Designs where he advises and oversees ambitious building projects, has teamed up with Gloucestershire Land for People (GLP). The partnership was described this week as a "massive step forward" towards redeveloping the derelict site.

Owned by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), the site has been earmarked for building 78 homes in a joint venture between Mr McCloud’s company Hab and housing group GreenSquare, forming Hab Okus. The agreement sees Hab Oakus work alongside the Community Land Trust, local residents and stakeholders to redevelop the site, which will include allotment space and a community building. Under the proposals, GLP will own and manage 39 of these homes, which will be available for affordable rent and part ownership.

Max Comfort, chairman of GLP, said: "This is a massive step forward in the development of the Cashes Green site. We are really pleased to be able to work with Hab Oakus and thank the HCA for its support in helping us get the project to this stage. We are looking forward to playing our part in what is – quite rightly – a flagship for delivering affordable housing in England."

The remaining homes will be made available for sale on the open market by Hab Oakus. It is the first time such a management model will be delivered for housing on HCA-owned land.

Mr McCloud said: "This will be an exemplar project, which has the involvement of the local community at its core. This is a scheme that could show how future housing developments, driven by local communities, could be unlocked. We are delighted to have the opportunity to work on such an important project."

As part of the agreement, Hab Oakus will build all 78 new dwellings to Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, which is a higher standard of environmental sustainability than a traditionally built-house....A full planning application will be submitted later this year.

Local news bits: Whitestock, toilets, recycling and Tricorn

Whitestock - The Friends of Whiteshill School hope to repeat the huge success of their first music festival - gates open at school at 6pm on Saturday 4th July with the Whiteshill Samba band then a mix of various other acts including the Johnson and Kempner Partnership teachers jazz band and the Reservoir Hogs - ring Angie Mason on 753461 for details.

Photo: Standish Woods

Our Wonderful World exhibition - Randwick School's exhibition 9am to 5pm in the church until the end of June - pride of place is the Tree of Life.

Randwick Hall Toilet block success - the Glos Environmental Trust have come up trumps with £8,000 for the toilet block - this means the £40,000 phase II of the hall development is now set to go-ahead this year - an incredible achievement to raise all that money since September - special thanks to Val Flack for masterminding it all.

Recycle Week - yes it's recycle week this week - see more here and here - it is good to have these reminders about what we can recycle but none of this goes far enough - we need Councils and the Government to wake up - we are still years behind countries like Germany. Oh and another website that is good is that Love Food Hate Waste site: www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

On street recycling bins launched - lots of hard work by Stroud District Youth Council (SDYC) means that innovative litter recycling bins will be unveiled this week at locations across the local area. Recognised as the active voice for 11 - 18 year olds for the district, the youth council formed a litter recycling pilot project team. They decided to introduce recycling bins around Stroud, concentrating on routes most commonly used by young people such as the paths to and from school. Following extensive design work and consultation with officers at Stroud District Council, bespoke multi compartment recycling bins were sourced, customized artwork produced and locations known to have a high density of litter were identified. Well done indeed to them all.

Tricorn House - Objections to the compulsory purchase of the eyesore Tricorn House will be heard at a public inquiry to start on 14th July. The building's owner Wellfair Holdings will argue against Stroud District Council's plan to buy the derelict office block and hand it straight on to the company Ecotricity - who want to redevelop the site on the Cainscross roundabout as its new HQ. It will be before a government inspector, whose final recommendation will probably go before the Secretary of State for approval. As many will know I have long argued along with most of the local population that this site urgently needs redevelopment - indeed I raised the issue when I was first elected 3 years ago - so I have given a warm welcome to this move at last of compulsory purshase - Tricorn was built in the 1970s and was originally Stroud's Department of Social Security building. In the last 10 years it has not been used and has looked worse each year. See a photoshop of someone elses' view of Tricorn House here.

Cashes Green Hospital - site has got the go-ahead for Outline Planning permission - see previous blog here.

Cashes Green Hospital site gets go-ahead

I have a number of disappointments about this exciting project - it is great that last Tuesday it has got to this point after so very long - indeed I must have attended 6 or 7 consultation events and submitted views many times on the design and layout and more.

Photo: Entrance to Cashes Green Hospital site

However you will see my two main comments re allotments and traffic below - sadly it seems they were overruled - this is despite a last-minute petition that failed to sway councillors who voted in favour of the development of 78 homes at the former Cashes Green Hospital site in Stroud. For me the allotment issue is crucial - however the project remains exciting as it has 50% affordable and will become the country's largest Land Trust.]

Another comment is that once again councillors are having to determine an outline planning permission on such a large site - the argument being that we were awaiting a developer to come on the scene. However I have seen too often where the illustrative plan bears no resemblance to the final development. Let us hope this really is the showcase plan it has been billed.

Stroud Life report Cllr John Marjoram (Green Trinity) saying at the meeting that to grant permission would be a tragedy. He said Cainscross, where the hospital has lain derelict for 15 years, had taken enough development. "I don't think it will enhance the Cainscross community."

Cainscross Parish Council had also objected that the dense social housing suggested at the old hospital was a lost chance to upgrade the area's facilities.

Two key comments re outline planning permission

1. Opposition to the proposed reduction of allotments at the Cashes Green Hospital site.

I would like to note my concerns about the reduction of size in the area of allotments compared to the original site. Cainscross Parish has the highest density of housing in Stroud District and according to research by the Stroud Valleys Project the least number of green spaces. While I welcome the move to 50% affordable housing I consider we should be seeking to protect the whole allotment site from development.

I understand the community and the Parish Council have sought to protect these allotments and indeed provided support for Policy RL9 in the Local Plan which ensures these allotments are again available to people.

2. Concerns about the increase of traffic relating to the development of the Cashes Green Hospital site.

As you will know the community have been involved in a very lengthy consultation process with various bodies. However one consistent concern relating to this development has been the additional traffic it will generate. There are several key concerns:
- the speed of traffic at certain times of day on Cashes Green road up through to Randwick which includes the school
- concerns that the additional traffic will exacerbate the divide between communities on one side of the road and the other
- concerns that the additional volumes of traffic will reduce the level of cycling and walking

I have in the past argued strongly for a Shared Spaces approach to this development and am disappointed this has not been developed more. I hope nevertheless that this significant development is an opportunity to develop a plan that will reduce dangers from vehicles and encourage a more pleasant neighbourhood that supports more walking and cycling. I note at present the Highways report is not available so hope that you will consider these points when making your recommendations.

One key factor in creating 'living streets' is a 20 mph - as you will know this is the speed at which drivers can have eye contact with other users of the street. It is the speed at which pedestrians feel more confident about crossing the road, children play outside their homes and it is quiet enough to hold a conversation. Research shows that 20mph limits are a critical success factor in promoting walking, cycling and public transport as alternatives to the private car. This means less CO2 emissions and healthier residents.

We should also note again the well reported fact that when a pedestrian is hit by a car at 40 mph they only have a 15% chance of surviving, at 30mph, 55%, but at 20mph the chance of survival increases to 95%. This is more than sufficient justification for a default 20 mph in urban areas. Amazingly even a 1 mph drop in average speed is estimated to reduce accidents by 6% in urban areas.

All good reasons to seek a mandatory 20 mph, however I note that just putting up signs does not go far enough. Further measures would be needed. I hope that Highways will be able to consider what those measures might be. They could include on-street parking areas, possible narrowing of the road, changes to road surfaces for safer crossing areas and more.

I do not consider that it is satisfactory to increase the level of traffic on this road without taking some significant measures. Any increase in traffic will impact negatively on residents living on that road and using it to walk and cycle. Too often it is neighbourhoods that are poorer that end up with measures that do not go far enough. It is a shocking fact that four times as many poor children as rich children are killed on Britain's roads.

Cashes Green Hospital site: make your comments known

Cashes Green Hospital site planning application is in - view papers here - comments etc need to be in v soon - the proposal includes the 'erection of up to 78 dwellings, parking, open space (allotments, local area for play and ancillary open space), ancillary uses and associated access works'.

Photo: the old allotment site

Two weeks or so ago I went the Cainscross Parish Council AGM and haven't had time to catch up here. Firstly it is excellent news indeed that it has now been agreed that 50% of the housing should be affordable. Originally the whole site was going to be but this has been seriously threatened to the point where I was starting to think we would get the minimum. It is also exciting that it is an innovative project putting together the affordable bit....it is clearly quite difficult getting the thing to stack up financially - especially when there will already need to be a substantial amount of grant funding to build the properties.

However despite all the probs - it would be wonderful to establish a housing project with higher levels of sustainability, land for food growing, community gardens, orchards and open space...however there are a number of issues I raised at that meeting...in v brief here are a couple of key issues below that spring to mind re the plans...I will be talking to Officers next week to find out more re other issues I will raise...

- Allotments - we can call for restoration of all the original site of allotments - already Cainscross is the highest concentration of houses and has the least green spaces in District. We need more areas to grow food.Indeed their is now a petition out to collect signatures to protect this site of allotments.

- I am not convinced that traffic measures on the Cashes Green road have been properly considered - we need a 20 mph on all surrounding roads esp Cashes Green Road

- I am also wondering if there cannot be a better way of integration with Hollybrook - I thought at one time there was talk of changing boundaries

Campaign to save Cashes Green Hospital building

The recent consultation event looking at the old Cashes Green Hospital site gave all the indications that the old hospital building would have to go - too expensive to keep.

Photos: Old paper looking at threat to loss of project on site and below the former allotments at the Cashes Green Hospital site

It is great that things are moving on this site - the community has waited far too long - see more here re original proposal plus here and here - however in my view it is disappointing the original proposals have been watered down but I've written elsewhere on that so wont repeat here - this blog is looking at the campaign by Stroud Civic Society to save the building.

Cashes Green Hospital was built in the Edwardian era as an isolation centre for infectious diseases, it became a geriatric unit before being closed and later falling into disrepair.

Stroud Civic Society Vice chair Jenny Bailey is quoted in the SNJ this last week saying: "It’s the only civic building left in Cashes Green. All we’re interested in is saving the building for the future – it’s up to the community to decide what they want to use it for."

Apparently when in the early 1900s, the Government decided to construct isolation hospitals around Britain to curb the spread of infectious diseases, there was lots of opposition to this hospital being built at all. Nevertheless it was completed in 1904 for £12,500 and comprised of two wards, a main building – then a nurses' home – and other supportive facilities.

The SNJ writes: "Nurses treated patients who were mostly from urban Stroud, dealing with 290 cases during an outbreak of scarlet fever and diphtheria in 1915. A 12-bed ward for tuberculosis was added in 1916 and was designed so sufferers could be wheeled out onto a veranda. But the need for isolation units started to decline and in 1948 Cashes Green becoming a geriatric hospital. A fourth ward was built in 1963, allowing the hospital to accommodate 50 patients, and a day area was constructed in 1974 to join wards one and two. This was followed in 1976 by a day unit for in-patient care, rehabilitation and occupational therapy...The day centre was considered one of Britain’s best geriatric units but health chiefs listed it for closure, claiming it provided poor access to certain facilities such as X-rays. Residents, councillors and the league of friends protested but it was eventually shut in 1993."

What do others think about saving this building?

Cashes Green Hospital site consultation

Today was also the Cashes Green Hospital site consultation and they had a good crowd of folks at Cashes Green School. I joined them to find out more about progress from consultants there - as regular readers of this blog will know movement on this project has been far too slow.

Photos; some of the very draft plans and photos from LDA Design to give a feel of what the site could be like

I wont go into the twists and turns of why the delays have occured - nor all the politics (lots of disappointments along the way - see for example here) - although I am disappointed that the Land Trust look set to only have 30 to 50% of the site for their project - see my blog entry here for more re the proposals re a land trust.

Gloucestershire Land for People is a community land trust CLT which had originally hoped to own the site in perpetuity on behalf of the community and lease it out for affordable housing, land for growing, and/or workspace. They were also hoping to pioneer Mutual Home Ownership - a new form of tenure that seeks to increase the supply of affordable intermediate market housing without requiring a major increase in capital investment from Government. Unlike other forms of low cost home ownership, it is designed to remain permanently affordable and not move out into the open market.

Anyhow it looks like there are to be 70 to 80 homes on the site with an area for 25 allotments - although it sounds like some of that might be community gardens - they are thinking seriously to design crime out of the picture - that means care re where footpaths etc are put - it is also to be a high specification re energy efficiency and have a Sustainable Urban Drainage System on the site.

They are suggesting a square at one point and opening up the brook - it all looked very exciting - and outline planning will go in this January!! I would write more but that DVD is calling - and a glass of wine!

More must read local news

So much has been going on locally - here is a round-up of some..

Mast proposal - for near Ash Lane, Randwick - this was refused planning on Tuesday by the Development Control Committee as the company had not sufficiently considered alternative sites. Well done to all who have campaigned on this. However we will need to remain vigilant. I fear that a new application will not be long coming and they may well do their home work better this time. See more blogs on this here.

Basketball good news - after being contacted by younger Ruscombe residents keen to play basketball I have sought to get a hoop locally - especially as that part of this area has very little for that age group - previous blogs carry many of the twists and turns of this story but we are getting closer - local residents wrote along with me to save the hoops at Stratford Park - the hoop has been re-sited and there are now hopes for a half court to be built there - but I have managed to get the spare hoop for the Parish (see photo of hoop) - at a meeting this morning on Whiteshill playing field Parish councillors looked at possible sites - they still have to take findings back to their next meeting but things are looking v positive - I've emailed several folk tonight in the hope that we can also get it put up fairly soon - we'll see....

CuckooRow farewell concert - Stroud band CuckooRow (see previous blogs here) whose guitarist Freddie Whitacker lives in Farmhill are splitting up as the two girls go to University and Freedie moves to Cheltenham for work - catch them for the last time at the Fringe this weekend at the Prince Al;bert Inn, Rodborough on Friday from 8pm. Contact Lotte for details 755600.

The Healthy House - based in Ruscombe and set up in 1991 by Ruscombe residents Maxima and Don Skelton have developed a wonderful family business with everything for the healthy house incl electrical sensitivity, allegies and much more - see their website here with their new catalogue just out a couple of weeks ago: www.healthy-house.co.uk

Whiteshill Sunflower reaches 9ft 3in - Whiteshill resident and school child 7 year old Tabitha Copp planted the seed and nurtured it to it's current height - see photo in the SNJ with her Dad - owner of that great Stroud clothing shop Eclipse. Sid came to Stroud from Suffolk, and believes that fairtrade is the way to go. Eclipse was born in October 2002, and he sells with his partner Alicia to customers from 16 to 90 years old. The world's tallest sunflower was 25.5ft.

Whiteshill film-maker's success - Luke Wasylkiw, 19 first came to notice as a film-maker with his film The Ball in 2005 - set in Stroud it was a visual journey about a group of teens chasing a ball around a forest - he won with his brothers Damien, 31 and Johnny 26, the best-editing award at the Cotswold Film International Film Festival - since then he has composed the music for the behind the scenes film about the making of the Danny Boyle's 2007 Sci-Fi thriller Sunshine. Lots more has come since then - see some of his work here - plus he has even worked on a District Council video looking at the Minchinhampton intergenerational allotment project which is encouraging youths to grow veg. He is now looking for any local businesses who feel they could benefit from his work - email him on:
dj (at) wasylkiw.co.uk

Drew Wedding - Amy Elizabeth Drew, daughter of our MP, married Martyn David Pearce son of David and Lynda Pearce in Randwick (see photo). The SNJ report the couple spent their honeymoon in California and Hawaii before returning home to Dudbridge.

Cashes Green Hospital site photos wanted - don't forget the consultation on Saturday - see here for details and other events this weekend including Coffee Morning, Open Homes and Randwick Village Hall's opening. Jenny Bailey has appealed for photos of the early years of the hospital - apparently some photos have gone missing - if you have any info call her on 765705.

Coco Chic Beauty and Nail Salon opens - lastly good luck to a new local business near the Tesco Express at 143 Stratford Road in Paganhill. It is great to see this place in use - good luck to Leanne Townsend.

Latest re Cashes Green Hospital site

I received a response from Marlene Rodney (Department for Communities and Local Government) re my letter to Yvette Cooper and Hazel Blears re the Cashes Green Hospital site.

Photo: two weeks ago leaves still on trees - now none!

See earlier letter to Ministers on blog by using search engine - Ms Rodney replied stating that English Partnerships "have not reversed their decision as no decision has yet been made" and that the "English Partnerships board refused to approve the scheme because the model does not offer value for money" and "We are considering the options about how the scheme might progress."

Here is my response:

Dear Ms Blears and Ms Cooper,

Re Cashes Green Community Land Trust Pilot Project

Thank you for your reply dated 30th November from Marlene Rodney. I hugely welcome your continued interest in this project and wondered whether you would be able to answer the following questions that are being asked locally by constituents in the area of this proposed project.

There has been much enthusiasm locally following the extensive consultations over the last couple of years and people are now finding it hard to understand why there is a hold up on this project despite the widespread support.

1. I understand a 'value for money' report was requested for the community despite the original reports containing considerable information regarding the community value of the proposals. I can understand that you need to be sure but I would now welcome confirmation that the community interest in this site has raised its value?

2. In June 2007 English Partnerships were quoted in a press release that David Warburton, English Partnerships' Director for South West England, said; "We welcome this approach for a Community Land Trust pilot project. It provides for significantly lower entry prices for home ownership in perpetuity by utilising what is known as a Mutual Home Ownership model and it will help us achieve high quality, well designed, sustainable and affordable places for people to live." We are still unclear as to why they may have changed their mind. We would welcome a view on why?

3. One local resident posed the question: "Is it not the case that this site, an old hospital site, is in effect already owned by the community?" I would welcome your comments to feed back on this and also concerns expressed locally that the Government (English Partnerships) is trying to make money out of community assets?

4. Hazel Blears has said much about the value of community engagement, urging local authorities to seize the chance to transfer power to residents. One quote from last month notes: "One of my worries is that community empowerment ends up as so much blah, and our task is to put some flesh on the bones. It’s a challenge because if you give people power other people have to give it up. The top message I have given to my department is that I want community empowerment to be one of our top priorities. If we can’t use the resources we have got to make a difference on this agenda, I don’t know when there will be a better time. Our task is to try to change the system so people can do things and the system can help them do it rather than stand in their way. That will require a massive shift in local government and certainly in central government as well." Another quote condemns councils that involved residents in regeneration only to push them aside when policies changed: "If there’s one lesson we have to learn, wasting that kind of capacity of people at local level is a sin. We have to think again and again and again about how we keep people involved."

How can the Housing Minister the Rt Hon Yvette Cooper best build upon this in the Cashes Green case?

I look forward to hearing from you,

Yours Sincerely,

Cllr. Philip Booth,
Stroud District councillor for the Randwick, Ruscombe and Whiteshill ward,

Write to Ministers re Cashes Green Hospital site

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

Cashes Green hospital site - what is going on?

First up in this blog entry is an update re the project then the campaign to see if we can still get it to happen despite all the gloomy news - then at the end a briefing paper for councillors which hopefully is useful to answer questions.

Photo Citizen news report of site

It has been suggested in the local press that Stroud District Council have concerns about the capacity of GLP to deliver the pilot - but this has not been confirmed by the Council - indeed some I have spoken to talk favourably - nevertheless there does appear to be a break down in communications - I hope these are sorted soon as this project will benefit the community enormously - and certainly better than any alternative can offer if the land goes to a private developer.

Update info from the project

The plans for an innovative national Community Land Trust pilot project to provide permanently affordable homes are at risk. Gloucestershire Land for People has been seeking urgent talks with Housing Minister Yvette Cooper MP after being informed that English Partnerships, the Government's regeneration agency, 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 open consultation and engagement with Cainscross Parish Council and the local community. This resulted in a proposal, which included carbon neutral houses, family friendly social design, permanent affordability through Mutual Home Ownership and retaining the land value in the community land trust, GLP.

When English Partnerships' Hospitals Disposal Board recommended GLP's proposal in June 2007, David Warburton of English Partnerships said; "We welcome this approach for a Community Land Trust pilot project. It provides for significantly lower entry prices for home ownership in perpetuity by utilizing what is known as a Mutual Home Ownership model and it will help us achieve high quality, well designed, sustainable and affordable places for people to live."

In a surprise change of course, which has shocked Gloucestershire Land for People, Cainscross Parish Council and Stroud residents, English Partnerships have signaled that the plans may not now proceed. In a 17th October letter to CDS Cooperatives, GLP's partner housing association, English Partnerships state that they now propose to develop alternative proposals for the Cashes Green site, due to financial constraints. The new plans propose a partnership development between EP, GLP and Stroud District Council with 1/3rd to ½ the site being used for a CLT pilot project and the rest developed "in a more conventional manner …. to include homes for outright sale and conventional affordable housing".

Gloucestershire Land for People has written urgently to Housing Ministers, Hazel Blears MP and Yvette Cooper MP, seeking a meeting to clarify the situation and show how the innovative Cashes Green Scheme can deliver the benefits the government says it wants. Cainscross Parish Council is also writing to the Ministers to press for the GLP proposal to go ahead.

GLP, which welcomes Stroud District Council's partnership, has sent a briefing to Councilors, so they are fully in the picture (see below).

GLP will highlight to Ministers that Community Land Trusts and Mutual Home Ownership are government policy for delivering affordable homes, community cohesion, carbon neutral houses and community engagement. Hazel Blears MP, DCLG Minister, both supports a CLT start up in her Salford Constituency and includes CLT's as part of her flagship community engagement policy. Yvette Cooper MP said in Parliament on 11 September 2006 that 'community engagement is essential to the delivery of sustainable development and creating sustainable and safe communities.'

Cllr Helen Royall (Green party) said, "This is what local people want. The plans have been put together sympathetically and sensitively, and we want them to go ahead. The sooner we see some affordable housing the better. This scheme will be at the heart of the Cashes Green community."

GLP invite you to join the campaign

A Brick for Cashes Green! Securing land for Gloucestershire Land for People national pilot of permanently affordable homes with CDS Cooperatives.

The future of the long since derelict Cashes Green Hospital site in Stroud is hanging in the balance. EP wrote to GLP on 17th October, to apparently reverse their Hospitals' Disposals Board positive recommendation to the Minister in June 2007. They did not state their reasons to GLP for the change, and proposed an alternative that would be potentially unviable for the pilot 50 unit Mutual Home Ownership Cooperative, and that would compromise the integrity of our community engagement work and scheme.

Peter Hetherington's article in The Guardian - copied on this blog has more info (see 25th Oct 2006 blog).

This is a defining moment. GLP invite your help to create a value shift from a failed rental and first time home ownership market where land is owned as a commodity, to capturing land value for communities through community land trusteeship. In fact, the government has both all the land we need for affordable homes for people and communities, and the resources, for example the £16billion loan to Northern Rock. We have the expertise with the community energy - if only the government -as has so famously been done in Scotland - can make CLT delivery easier for communities on the ground.

Send a brick

GLP are inviting people to send a brick and letter to Yvette Cooper MP to endorse and support the proposal that the government disposes the land to GLP for this scheme. It is an important National Exemplar Pilot that will pave the way for other such schemes nationally, - and best preserves public subsidy for permanently affordable housing. Say that the brick is your contribution for permanently affordable homes at Cashes Green, and that communities can help government to help communities create affordable homes.

Yvette Cooper MP's address Housing, DCLG, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DU. Her email is: PSYvetteCooper@communities.gsi.gov.uk

Also write to Hazel Blears MP. I will be sending my letter shortly.

Lots more info at:
www.gloucestershirelandforpeople.coop/


Cashes Green - What is happening?
A briefing note for SDC Councillors: October ‘07

Cashes Green – a national pilot project

The potential for development of affordable homes at Cashes Green is not yet secured. Last June, English Partnerships’ , owners of the site, approved proceeding with the proposed development, which included 50 affordable homes, subject to ministerial approval. The recommendation was in response to a proposal from Gloucestershire Land for People and CDS Cooperatives. This proposal has been described as innovative and would be a national pilot project, demonstrating how a community land trust and a mutual home ownership scheme deliver permanently affordable homes. What is happening now?

Gloucestershire Land for People – a community land trust

Gloucestershire Land for People is a community land trust CLT for community benefit. CLTs own land in perpetuity on behalf of the community and lease it out for affordable housing, land for growing, and/or workspace. CLTs are adaptable and can be established to serve the specific needs of the local community and to work with charities, local authorities or land owners by, for instance, the retention of the value of public investment for long-term community benefit and enabling a secure way for people to invest for local benefit. GLP is an open membership, Industrial and Provident Society with over 50 local members, who elect a Board of Directors. The Directors represent the public interest, users and the community at large.

CDS Cooperatives – pioneers of Mutual Home Ownership

CDS Cooperatives is the largest co-operative housing service agency in London and the South of England dedicated to promoting, developing, and servicing housing co-operatives controlled by the people who live in them.

Mutual Home Ownership MHO1 is a new form of tenure that seeks to increase the supply of affordable intermediate market housing without requiring a major increase in capital investment from Government. Unlike other forms of low cost home ownership, it is designed to remain permanently affordable and not move out into the open market.

Cashes Green Hospital Site Feasibility Study

English Partnerships, owners of the Cashes Green site, agreed to GLP carrying out a feasibility study2 for a community land trust and mutual home ownership pilot project (at nil cost) but also asked that three other disposal options be considered:
• Open market sale to a developer;
• Disposal to a CLT for MHO at a cost equal to the costs paid for the site by EP
• Disposal to a CLT at full cost.
The Feasibility Study shows that none of these options are viable as a means of providing affordable housing and do not provide as good value for money to the taxpayer as disposal to a CLT for a MHO project.

Following local community and stakeholder consultation, the GLP and MHO proposal is for:
• 77 homes from 1 bedroom flats to 4 bedroom houses, of which 50 are for MHO and 27 for sale or HomeBuy sale to capture land value in order to lower the income threshold for MHO and create a mixed income community;
• A health centre/community facility: the health centre for a local GP’s practice in a dual purpose building designed to permit the public areas to be used by the community outside surgery hours;
• The reinstatement of 25 allotments on the former allotment land at the west of the site;
• Public open space.

Advantages of GLP and CDS proposal for Cashes Green

1. Permanent affordability
The key is to make land available, as a sustainable community held asset, for MHO at nil cost to the mutual home owners who will live in the housing built on the land so MHO residents pay for the build costs, but not the land. The land is transferred into the ownership of a Community Land Trust CLT that holds it in perpetuity for the provision of affordable housing in their community. The homes are never sold on the open market and are re-cycled, from one family to another, through the MHO scheme.

2. More affordable homes
If the Cashes Green site is sold to a commercial developer there will be far fewer affordable homes as part of any scheme agreed with a developer under the current strictures.

3. Homes for rent can be part of the scheme
Stroud District Council have already requested that, as with any development, a certain number (10 -12 in this case) of houses will be included for rent. While that has yet to be discussed in detail with SDC, GLP and CDS have agreed in principle to include homes for rent and to try to secure funding for them from the Housing Corporation, which has agreed to support CLT projects. Subject to funding, homes for rent will be included and should be seen as part of a integrated range of tenures offering residents opportunities to progress from one form of tenure to another. It is GLP’s view that residents who rent homes should be within the mutual scheme and encouraged to play their part in the mutual, like any other resident. (See GLP Board Meeting Minutes 3 July ’07)

4. Lower income households can improve their choices
Membership of the MHO scheme offers members the opportunity of a ‘foothold’ on the housing ladder at lower household incomes.

5. Benefits of scale eg. energy efficiency
A mutual scheme, such as MHO, makes it easier to finance environmentally sustainable components eg. combined heat and power; photovoltaic panels because the costs can be amortised over a much longer period than any individual householder can envisage.

6. Acitve citizenship and community engagement
Resident management and community ownership encourages active citizenship and the development of a more sustainable and empowered community

Cross Party political support

1. Michael Gove MP, has spoken several times about the potential of community land trusts. When he was Shadow Housing Minister he established the Conservative Party’s CLT Taskforce.

2. Labour National Policy Forum, Report to Conference 2007. Pg 69. Section headed “Meeting intermediate demand – low cost home ownership. It reads: “In addition to the schemes already in operation, one model of shared equity ownership which has provoked great interest is the mutual home ownership model. The affordable housing sub-group has been impressed by the case for this model. A key advantage is that the housing is not put out to the open market. It depends on land being made available as a community asset at no cost to those who live in homes on that land. This is achieved through transfer into a Community Land Trust (CLT) - for example from surplus publicly owned land or from a private land developer through a Section 106 agreement. The CLT may be particularly effective in some rural areas."

“Mutual Home Ownership is a new form of tenure that seeks to increase the supply of intermediate market housing without requiring a major increase in capital investment from Government. Unlike other forms of low cost home ownership it is designed to remain permanently affordable and not move out into the open market. (Cooperative Development Society, September 2005)”

The Liberal Democratic Party has also supported CLTs and mutual home ownership in its 2005 housing policy paper: Affordable Homes in Safer Greener Communities: “First time buyers will benefit under Liberal Democrat plans for low cost home ownership. By investing in more shared equity schemes and with our new model of mutual home ownership, we will make it easier for people to own their first home. Our policies would create an intermediate housing market, bridging the gap between the rented sector and the open housing market. Mutual home ownership is a totally new concept, primarily aimed at helping young people starting out. Rather than buying the home right out, people would buy shares in a mutual homeownership trust that owned their home. Mutual homes will also be affordable because the land on which the homes are built would be owned by a separate Community Land Trust. By permanently excluding the land cost from the house price, affordability is locked in. Sites would primarily come from surplus land now owned by the Government.”

The Green Party, Manifesto for a Sustainable Society Spring 2007 said: “The Green Party seeks a balanced mix of housing tenures, to meet the diverse needs of the community. These include individual and shared home ownership, leasehold, and others. Disincentives to the speculative ownership of housing will be introduced, including higher rates of Council Tax for unoccupied properties and second homes. People must not be forced into home ownership because there is no alternative. The Green Party seeks to increase the amount of social housing and commonly owned housing as representing the best way of ensuring an availability of affordable housing.”

English Partnerships recommends proposal to Minister

After considerable work looking at value for money and long term benefits, English Partnerships Hospital Disposals Board recommended that the GLP & MHO proposal go ahead and, because this is such an innovative proposal, that Ministerial approval should be shortly forthcoming.

However, at our recent AGM CDS reported that at a meeting with English Partnerships, unexpectedly, two new problems were revealed.

Firstly, in discussions between English Partnerships and Stroud District Council (SDC) have been exploring a different scheme for the Cashes Green site involving a different mix of tenure including houses for sale and rent and only a small part of the overall scheme to involve GLP and mutual home ownership. This has not been the basis of discussions between GLP and CDS with Stroud District Council. English Partnership’s had also reported that Stroud District Council was concerned about the capacity of GLP/CDS to deliver the project, but as this has not been Communicated directly to GLP by SDC it is necessary to ask Stroud District Council to articulate their stance more clearly.

Secondly, Apparently EP have an ‘overage’ agreement with NHS Estates, from whom they purchased the portfolio of hospital sites including Cashes green, that when they dispose of old NHS sites, that the NHS are entitled to an additional payment if the site value is greater than a specified amount. This means that if EP were to dispose of the site to GLP at nil value, as has always been proposed, they will still have to make this payment to NHS Estates. This would be a cost to EP in addition to providing the site at nil cost to GLP. EP’s view, therefore, is that they will be unable to secure HM Treasury approval to the scheme proceeding as planned. English Partnerships had therefore proposed a different approach to developing the site. This involved one third to one half of the site being made available for a reduced GLP pilot community land trust project to include a smaller community/health facility, with the rest of the site being sold by EP for more traditional affordable housing for rent and sale. EP would lead working up the development of the site, in partnership with GLP/CDS and SDC using its ‘Enquiry by Design’ Process.

GLP has requested a meeting with the Housing Minister, Yvette Cooper MP to discuss the difficulties that the proposed pilot project has encountered. The minister has agreed to the meeting and a date for it is awaited.