“It’s about more than just houses, the project is about housing and the social rights of people, regardless of what their social economic position is, to have housing that is fit for the future.”
Pippa St John Cooper, Whitleigh Community Trust
Build Up Whitleigh
Whitleigh, Plymouth
meet ...
Pippa
Our Why
Whitleigh is a post-war estate with high levels of social and affordable housing, consisting of Cornish units. In 2019, low-cost housing for people was identified as a local need by a resident steering group of 22 people. They prioritised the need for social housing for single people, small families, veterans and people with additional needs. The driver for this was in recognition that families wanted to stay together and that the community wanted to support more vulnerable members to ultimately create homes not just houses.
Our Idea
We are striving to deliver 10 community-led homes for social rent. In 2023 we were given full planning permission for 10 homes alongside a community garden and growing spaces with no local objections to the scheme. The largest barrier to the delivery of community-led homes, for social rent, is the need to be a Registered Provider (RP) in order to release capital funding from Homes England. As becoming an RP to deliver one project is unviable, we are exploring the potential to develop a collective approach to community led housing. Can we become a collective RP or cooperative that is able to represent several small community-led housing projects?
Our experience is that if you work with people from the start on finding local answers to housing issues that the solutions people produce are meaningful, sustainable, and put people and planet first.
With Footwork's support ...
About
Pippa is looking forward to the space to learn, make new connections, reflect and think creatively; supporting the vision for her community led housing project. Pippa will also be supported to make vital improvements to the Whitleigh community van (Winnie).
Whitleigh Community Trust
Whitleigh Community Trust was founded in 2018, by the residents of Whitleigh to act as the legacy body for Whitleigh Big Local. Aiming to benefit all residents of Whitleigh by providing opportunities for learning, for leisure, and for wellbeing to improve the lives of residents.