The group aims to provide more affordable, eco-friendly housing for locals in an effort to tackle the housing crisis in Wales
The Gŵyr Community Land Trust from the Gower are made up of volunteers(Image credit: Gŵyr Community Land Trust)
A revolutionary housing development is set to take shape in the Gower, Wales, driven by community effort to help provide more houses locally.
Thanks to a grant from the Welsh Government, the project will mark the first self built housing community in the country, called Gŵyr Community Land Trust (Gŵyr CLT), where residents contribute their labour or "sweat equity," to build their homes.
We take a look at how many self build homes could be made, how the grants will be used and why the group was established.
How many homes will be built?
Fourteen zero-carbon eco houses will be constructed as part of this groundbreaking initiative, aimed at addressing the pressing housing crisis in Wales.
The development will offer affordable housing solutions for local families, including those with children currently living in temporary accommodations.
Gŵyr CLT is supported by the development agency Cwmpas and has secured nearly £900,000 in funding to push the project forward.
What will the grants be used for?
The funds will cover planning applications for the homes to be built on one-third of a 6-acre site in Bishopston, pending successful planning approval.
Get the Homebuilding & Renovating Newsletter
Bring your dream home to life with expert advice, how to guides and design inspiration. Sign up for our newsletter and get two free tickets to a Homebuilding & Renovating Show near you.
The remaining two-thirds of the land will be developed with input from the wider community.
Proposed uses also include a community orchard, green spaces, and allotments for growing food, all of which will be accessible to everyone, not just the residents.
Residents can acquire up to 65% of the leasehold of their homes, with property values linked to local average wages and the homes cannot be sold to anyone without a housing need or "local connection".
Initially fourteen self build homes will be made but it is hoped similar groups will be set up across Wales(Image credit: Gŵyr Community Land Trust)
Why was the group created?
Gŵyr CLT was established in 2020 by local residents frustrated with the unstable private rental market and long social housing waitlists who aimed to provide affordable housing locally.
The CLT model offers leasehold shared ownership homes while retaining the freehold of the land with an asset lock to prevent resale for other purposes.
Claire White, from Cwmpas’ Communities Creating Homes Programme, emphasised the project's significance: “By adopting a self build approach, residents are creating a path to home ownership that would otherwise be out of reach. This is the first time sweat equity has been used in Wales, and Gŵyr CLT hopes to inspire other communities to follow suit.”
Emily Robertson, a volunteer board member of Gŵyr CLT, highlighted the transformative potential of the grant: “This Welsh Government grant recognises the severe housing issues many people face in Wales and shows a commitment to sustainable and equitable housing solutions. We are thrilled to see our efforts rewarded and are eager to move forward and share our experiences with other community-led housing groups across Wales.”
Gŵyr CLT is currently awaiting feedback on its pre-planning application and aims to submit a full planning application by the end of 2024.
News Editor Joseph has previously written for Today’s Media and Chambers & Partners, focusing on news for conveyancers and industry professionals. Joseph has just started his own self build project, building his own home on his family’s farm with planning permission for a timber frame, three-bedroom house in a one-acre field. The foundation work has already begun and he hopes to have the home built in the next year. Prior to this he renovated his family's home as well as doing several DIY projects, including installing a shower, building sheds, and livestock fences and shelters for the farm’s animals. Outside of homebuilding, Joseph loves rugby and has written for Rugby World, the world’s largest rugby magazine.
