Community-led Development

Taking the initiative and establishing partnerships between landowners, housebuilders / developers, and communities can inspire and enable projects that deliver infrastructure and other tangible benefits for local people that would otherwise not be viable.

At Hambleden we are committed to bringing about development; particularly where it is most beneficial and most suitable for the local community. A particular focus for us is to work directly with local communities to shape their growth in a controlled and considered manner, avoiding unwanted development where possible.

One of our specialisms is forging agreements between community groups and parish councils, Landowners, and sympathetic developers, to bring forward limited development in partnership. This partnership approach results in the community having a large say in the development that comes forward, allowing only what development they want to see and in exchange for the delivery of key community assets otherwise unaffordable from standard planning contributions.

The Planning Context

Existing planning policy ensures some degree of benefit is derived from development in its locality via Section 106 and the Community Infrastructure Levy. However, this tends to go towards mitigating the impact of such development, rather than making a step-change for the community itself.

Planning policy has been moving towards more and more local decision-making for many years, and recent government proposals are set to increase this even further, arguably at the cost of meeting any objective housing targets in many areas.

Towns and Villages have been historically worried (and rightly) about the imposition of inappropriate or intrusive housing schemes over which they have no real control, without tangible relief from the additional pressure on their resources, and without significant improvement in the community.

The creation of Neighbourhood Plans goes a long way to establishing what is appropriate development in the community, and securing increased proportions of the funds generated by development. However, they only go so far, are not always effective, and the pressure of housing on the horizon, and a shortfall of capital for community projects remains.

Mutual Benefit Partnerships

There is however an opportunity, that many local authorities are involved in, to solve both the problem of funding community improvements, and controlling appropriate development in those communities.

At Hambleden we have worked on a number of projects where the parish or town council and local Landowners form a partnership, and work with housebuilders and developers to achieve interrelated goals.

Examples of this have been:

Releasing an existing, derelict community hall for mixed-use redevelopment, with the developer providing an equivalent, modern facility back to the community, in return for the ability to develop and sell residential units on upper floors.

Landowner and Parish Council jointly appointing a housebuilder to provide a new primary school (in place of an old redundant school), gifted to the church, and the minimum number of houses possible to make the scheme financially viable, in return for a reduced land value. The landowner having both a vested interest in the sustainability of the community, and the knowledge that development would not be possible on their land without the full support of the community.

Naturally, the community project will require a site, and the initiative depends completely on participation and partnership from a willing landowner – whether that be the community itself or a landowner with an interest in the sustainability of the community and / or the understanding that sacrificing land or land value for community benefit is key to achieving development on their land.

It is a win-win scenario, but it is also one that requires careful management of many stakeholders to realise.

Hambleden’s expertise in project management and stakeholder engagement means that we are uniquely positioned to advise on these initiatives and see these projects through to a successful conclusion.

For the Community this means getting the facilities they need to maintain the viability of the settlement and improve existing infrastructure.

For Landowners this means finding a real solution to achieving development on their land which might otherwise not be acceptable in planning terms, and helping their community directly.

For Housebuilders this means the opportunity to deliver truly Community-led development with an experienced agent acting on the project to ensure the project is commercially viable.

Hambleden would be delighted to discuss how we can assist your community achieve its goals whilst protecting against overdevelopment, and can present to community groups and parish / town councils. We are equally keen to work with landowners who would like to see development come forward on their land in conjunction with genuinely improving their community. Please contact us for a confidential discussion.