Community led housing schemes are increasingly being recognised as a way to boost affordable housing supply, have a positive social impact and put communities at the heart of decision making.
What is community led housing?
Community led housing is developed to meet the specific needs of local communities. It is developed and/or managed by local people or local agencies that are not making a profit.
There are various different ways that community led housing can be achieved, but schemes should be overseen by people who either live or work in the area that will benefit. Information on the different models of community led housing can be found below.
Why community led housing?
Affordable homes where you want them, with the design, type, layout and tenure to suit the needs of your community.
Priority given to local people.
Homes can be developed and owned by the community for the long term benefit of the local community.
Worcestershire Community Led Housing Hub
The aim of the hub is to increase the delivery of community led housing schemes across Worcestershire through community engagement events, support, consultancy and training provided to community led housing groups and other stakeholders in Worcestershire.
We recognise that groups will need support to bring together groups in their local community, and to find a model that will be financially viable for affordable housing and most importantly, have the backing of the local community.
If you are interested in the help available to support community led housing schemes in the Malvern Hills district, please register your interest below or contact us at
Models of community led housing:
Self-build and custom-build
If you are interested in building your own home or having a custom-built home, please register your interest on the Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding page. All local authorities have a statutory duty to keep a self-build and custom-build register. You can also learn more about self and custom-build housing at the National Custom and Self-Build Association’s website
Community Land Trust (CLT)
Community Land Trusts are another form of not-for-profit community-led housing, in which local organisations, set up and run by ordinary people, develop and manage homes and other community assets. The Community Land Trust will aim to make sure that homes are genuinely affordable, based on what people actually earn in their area, not just for now but for every future occupier. You can learn more about CLT’s at the National Community Land Trust Network website and the self build portal.
Malvern Hills Community Land Trust
Malvern Hills Community-Led Housing Trust have a vision to “provide truly affordable, good quality, energy-efficient homes built by your community for your community”. For more information, read the pdf membership leaflet (410 KB) .
Malvern Hills Community Land Trust is currently looking to develop a community led housing scheme within the Malvern Hills district. Read the pdf All about Malvern Hills (159 KB) feature for more information.
Self-help housing/bringing empty properties back into use
Self-Help housing is when local people bring empty properties back into use. The reasons for the properties being empty may vary, but the one thing they have in common is that a group of people with a shared goal will work together to meet a housing need for a specific community. This could be for something temporary like emergency accommodation or it could be longer term use.
Cohousing
Would you prefer to live in a more affordable and more inclusive community? Every co-housing community is unique, but they will usually involve:
Independent living with an element of shared resources; this might be your own home but having a shared space to meet, socialise and eat together
Reduced outgoings; communities might have shared laundry facilities, pooled electrical items and gardening equipment. It might also have a shared playroom and toys for children
Shared values; many co-housing communities have a shared ‘vision’ – it might for example be a community who want to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle
Co-operative and tenant controlled housing
A housing co-operative is a housing organisation where members (tenants) democratically control and manage their homes. Housing co-operatives have open and voluntary membership and are independent of external organisations.
The Confederation of Co-operative Housing provides further details on co-operative and tenant controlled housing.
Development Trusts, Settlements and Social Action Centres
These are sometimes referred to as ‘community anchor organisations’ and they can be involved in a range of community projects including social, environmental and economic.
If you are one of these local organisations, we can support you to develop a community led scheme. If you want to find out more about community led housing in the Malvern Hills district or have a proposal you would like some support with please register your interest below or contact us at
Latest news
June 2020
The Clifton upon Teme Community Led Housing group is now receiving support from the Worcestershire Community Led Housing Hub and Community First to bring forward their plans. Further detail will be provided over the coming months.
The group is looking at purpose-built apartment accommodation which would allow local older residents to live independent lives but with the knowledge that other people in the community are close at hand.
A small steering group has been set up and a housing needs survey of the Parish has been carried out which revealed that 30 people currently resident would be interested in using such accommodation.
Data Protection
The information you provide will be used solely for purposes related to developing community-led housing schemes within the Malvern Hills district. It is possible that your details may be shared with officers within other directorates of the council who are working on community-led schemes. The personal details you supply will not be shared with any third parties external to Malvern Hills District Council.