The Project

Image by Ian Miles from www.flashpointpictures.co.uk and commissioned for a project by Community Land Trust Network.

South Bank CLT was originally created out of the concerns residents had about the number of empty properties, problematic absent landlords and the general lack of investment in the town which was having a huge, negative effect on the rest of the community.

A group of residents came together and set up a local steering group.  They then set about working with the council, Thirteen Housing Group, Beyond Housing, RCVDA, local Churches and Mosques, the National CLT Network, Community Campus 87, Redcar College and Homes England to look at ways to work together and come up with a plan that would help improve things locally.

After many months of work, it was decided setting up a Community Land Trust was the most appropriate option for the group to become a formally constituted body that was able to bid for the funds required to buy and improve properties in the area.

With the support of all of these organisations, the CLT was set up in 2019 and started bidding for grants and funding to support their ambitious plans.

We are delighted this community project of acquiring and refurbishing five empty homes provided job opportunities for local people and businesses and now provides safe and secure accommodation for South Bank residents.

Project Success - how it happened

  • Five suitable empty properties were purchased, refurbished and allocated to South Bank residents

  • The CLT agreed on a formal working relationship with Thirteen Housing Group and work with us to manage the tenancies

  • Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council formally agreed to give the CLT a grant to buy the five houses

  • Each of the five properties had detailed surveys carried out to identify the repairs that were required and invited suitably experienced local builders to submit bids to carry out some of the improvements

  • Thirteen Housing Group secured Homes England grant funding to pay for the repairs on our behalf

  • Redcar and Cleveland College worked with us to identify local training and employment opportunities as part of the works