Building local homes for local people

Community Led Homes

A locally powered solution, involving ordinary people taking positive action to build and manage homes for their own community.

The Community Led Homes North Yorkshire and East Riding Hub was created to act as the focus for community led housing in the region. Its purpose was to provide access to local and national one-to-one specialist support throughout all stages of a community led housing project, from community engagement right through to build and live stage.

Community led housing is led by community participation, and engagement takes place throughout the process. The housing is owned, managed or stewarded by the community through a variety of means and, perhaps most importantly, the development is of true benefit to the geographical or intentional community.

After four years supporting the development of community led housing across North Yorkshire, the Hub came to a close in May 2024. Community First Yorkshire is still working closely with Rural Housing Enablers at North Yorkshire Council to support the development of affordable rural homes. If you would like further support to develop affordable homes in your area, please contact affordablehousing@northyorks.gov.uk.

About the hub

The Community Led Homes North Yorkshire and East Riding Hub existed to:

  • Promote community led housing as a viable housing delivery option with tangible and non-tangible benefits to all potential residents, communities and partners throughout the North Yorkshire and East Riding region
  • Be the central point of information for the development of all forms of community led housing
  • Deliver activities and workshops to interested communities
  • Be ambassadors for community led housing, locally, regionally and nationally
  • Develop a pipeline of community led homes throughout the region and provide additional support to create new opportunities.

The hub supported communities that wanted:

  • To build and manage their own scheme
  • To develop and own their scheme but not then manage the properties
  • The whole package of support, with a housing association, or other appropriate body, taking on a long lease.

 

We worked collaboratively  with public, private, voluntary and community sector organisations, to provide effective solutions for communities to deliver affordable community led housing.

The hub was co-hosted by Community First Yorkshire, in partnership with Humber and Wolds Rural Action, and was part of the national community led housing hub network. Information and knowledge were shared between other regional hubs, and we assisted the national community led housing organisations to gather evidence for central government housing delivery policies, grant programmes and responded to government consultations.

The Community Led Homes project created a wealth of podcasts and case studies which you may still find useful. Have a browse and if you have any questions, please email us on info@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk or give us a call on 01904 704177.

Community led housing stories

We have created a collection of case studies, taken from schemes both in our region and nationally. From these stories, you will be able to see just how diverse community led housing can be, and what it means to the individuals, companies and families involved.

The Green Dragon, Exelby

Read what happened when a community came together in a pub – and buys it!

Hudswell Community Charity

See how this community developed housing for local people in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Fishponds Road

These residents became a community by building their homes and communal space together.

Heron Educational Foundation

Learn how charities can use existing assets to develop their own community led housing.

Keswick Community Housing Trust

Learn about housing needs surveys, community consultation and community shares.

Broadhempston Community Land Trust

Read how these self-build eco homes created affordable homes in a high-priced area.

Listen to our podcasts

In these podcasts we met with people at the forefront of creating, supporting and enjoying community housing. Take a listen to their shared experiences.

Chris Brazier, developing affordable housing

Chris talked through the process of developing affordable housing.

Chris France, community led housing within the North York Moors

Chris spoke about the opportunities for community led housing within the National Parks and the North York Moors.

Duncan Hayes, meeting local needs and sustainable modelling

Duncan Hayes shared how custom and self-build homes can meet local needs and be a sustainable model for community led housing.

Dave Boyle, benefits of community shares

Dave talked about the benefits of community shares and how they help community led housing projects raise capital and local support.

The Flanagans, moving into community led homes

The Flanagan family shared how their life was changed when they moved into a community led home built by Hudswell Community Charity.

James Hartley and Ryan Jeffers, affordable homes in Leeds

James and Ryan from Latch talked about their amazing work in Leeds to renovate and provide affordable homes and training opportunities.