The Government has just announced its decision to discontinue the current programme of the successful Community Housing Fund (CHF) which recently distributed £4 million to community-led housing projects around the country, including to many groups in Cornwall.

Cornwall CLT and other CLTs around the country had been lobbying for a continuation of the CHF, as it has done so much to support the early stages of housing projects in our local communities.

Previous rounds of the fund had supported the delivery of 40 new in-perpetuity homes by Cornwall CLT at Rame, nr Penryn (16), Duloe (18) and Ruan Minor (6). It has also assisted in early-stage efforts for projects near Redruth, in Gwennap parish, in St Ives, on the Isles of Scilly and in many other communities in Cornwall.

Both local projects and Cornwall CLT had hoped the CHF would continue for at least another five years. It would have made a huge difference in delivering hundreds of much-needed homes for local people across Cornwall. Despite this set-back Cornwall CLT is determined that it will not dent its resolve to press on with projects which will make a big difference to the communities and local people in housing need. CCLT will work with its ethical funding partners, Cornwall Council and others to find ways through the challenges which this disappointing decision has created.