Inspirational case studies and stories

 

Stonesfield Community Trust Oxfordshire

A local activist donated a quarter acre site in the village of Stonesfield for affordable housing for local people following steep rises in land prices in the 1980’s. The Stonesfield Community Trust (SCT) was registered and planning permission obtained with the help of a seed corn grant of £3000 which increased the value of the donated land from £3,500 to £150,000. This enabled SCT to raise a mortgage and build the first four properties. SCT has since developed a further eight affordable homes on another quarter acre site, and converted a redundant glove factory into workspace units for the village. More recently, a second development has been completed to house the village post office at a low fixed rent. All properties have high energy efficiency standards to ensure low running costs and as the first loans were fully repaid net income from CLT property has funded a local youth service

Hofn Youth Centre Westray Orkney

An award winning community centre primarily used as a drop-in for the young people of Westray who also manage the centre. To meet the majority of the building’s heating requirementsa wind trubine has been installed.

 

Bettyhill Swimming Pool, North Sutherland

Run by a local social enterprise Tongue and Farr Sports Association Ltd and supported by The Highland Council, the pool has around 10,000 visitors a year and recently replaced an oil fired heating system with a biomass (wood fuel) boiler, providing renewable energy for both the pool and space heating needs. Adequate wood supplies are all sourced locally.

 

RSPB Osprey Observation Post, LochGarten Strathspey

The centre made use of home grown softwood for all structural timber, external cladding and roof shingles. Located on an artificial island, in a bog that is highly sensitive to changes in ground water levels, the centre avoids adverse environmental impact from drainage installations through the use of composting toilets..

 

People power to transform centre

A group of residents in Ashfield are being given the power to run their own community centre. People in Annesley Woodhouse, near Kirkby, will have the opportunity to take over control of the centre on Acacia Avenue from the district council.The initiative will also benefit a community radio station which is based in a portable building next to the centre.It is hoped a community trust will be formed to run the centre and apply for funding.. © BBC

 

Council to give away its asset

About £8m raised through the sale of council houses along with land and property in Shropshire will be given away to a community trust.
© BBC

 

Ex-School made a thriving asset

As a report recommends selling disused public buildings cut price to community groups, Sheffield’s Burton Street Project is already leading the way.
© BBC