Cornwall Council has re-launched the Community Housing Land Remediation Fund. The aim is to support the development of new community-led affordable housing. The £1m fund was set up to tackle expensive-to-develop sites that communities want to see turned into affordable housing.
Cornwall has an excellent track-record of providing such developments. Many sites considered by community organisations have high associated costs. This may mean they cannot be developed without financial assistance. Our Community Housing Remediation Fund can be used to get these sites ready for development. This could involve tackling issues like unstable ground conditions, soil contamination or flood risk. By working in partnership, we can help make affordable community-led developments a reality.
The Community Housing Land Remediation Fund is open for applications from local Community Land Trusts and other community-led housing organisations. Projects can include a mix of affordable housing tenure types such as
- shared ownership
- shared equity
- affordable rent
- intermediate rent
- intermediate sale
Where a Registered Provider delivers the scheme on a community’s behalf, they must demonstrate genuine community engagement and support for the project.
Applicants will need to demonstrate that they have a robust business case. The application will need to detail:
- the amount of funding required to unlock the site
- the planning status of the proposal
- the security the group has on the land
- and the extent of the works planned or required
Key Features
- Grants can be awarded to assist with resolving specific land or site remediation issues that prevent the delivery of new affordable housing. Eligible costs may include
- abnormal ground conditions
- unstable slopes
- retaining walls
- subsidence
- attenuating flood risk
- disused mine workings
- soil contamination
- stabilisation of historic structures
- This can include other issues subject to evidence. The Council may consider supporting any quantifiable site abnormal or land remediation issue.
- Grants will be paid in advance on the basis of agreed cost estimates (supported by evidence). There will be a clawback in the event that final scheme costs are less than the estimated costs.
- The fund will be administered on a ‘first come, first served basis’, until the fund has been fully committed. Any application submitted will need to demonstrate good value for money and meet an identified affordable housing need. It is a good idea to discuss the project with the Council's Affordable Housing Team. This is to ensure you have their support before submitting an application to the fund.
- The grant will be awarded to cover all or part of the costs associated with remediating the site or land. It cannot be used for construction or any other purpose. Traditional development and long-term finance will also be required.
- You will need to demonstrate a viable business case in the application for the overall development scheme. Applications that demonstrate the business case for the remediation element of the scheme alone will not be supported.
- Allocations will be made as non-repayable grant funding. To apply, you need to be a property constituted community housing organisation (such as a local Community Land Trust).
- Subject to approval on a case-by-case basis, this fund may be used in combination with other grant funding. This can include funding from the Council/Home England and the Council’s CLT Revolving Loan Fund. The Council reserves the right to request an element of match funding to be provided by the community organisation. This will depend on specific criteria and timescales in order to release the funds.
- Grants will be secured through an appropriate legal agreement.
Find out more
You can contact the Rural Housing Enabler for more information on the Community Housing Land Remediation Fund, or to discuss a proposal.
Application Pack
The following supporting documents are available to download: