An exciting new initiative for Stourbridge enabling community participation in the acquisition of land for the development of sustainable, affordable, inspiring homes designed and built by the people who will live in them.


If we can form a community that consists of Carpenters, plumbers and electricians as well as solicitors, architects and surveyors we will be able to build beautiful ecologically, physically, environmentally and socially sustainable homes for a fraction of the cost of buying an off the shelf "baked bean tin" house

Community right to build


"As part of neighbourhood planning, the Act gives groups of local people the power to deliver the development that their local community want. They may wish to build new homes, businesses, shops, playgrounds or meeting halls. A community organisation, formed by members of the local community, will be able to bring forward development proposals which, providing they meet minimum criteria and can demonstrate local support through a referendum, will be able to go ahead without requiring a separate traditional planning application. The benefits of the development, such as new affordable housing or profits made from letting the homes, will stay within the community, and be managed for the benefit of the community. The Government will also fund sources of help and advice for communities who want to bring forward development under the community right to build." A plain English guide to the localism act-Department for Communities and Local Government, November 2011


http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/localismplainenglishupdate