A PUBLIC meeting is being held in Carhampton Village Hall on January 18 to allow local residents to view plans and have their say on the proposed development of eco-friendly, carbon neutral, affordable homes at Townsend Farm.There will be an informal session between 3 pm and 5 pm, followed by a formal presentation between 7 pm and 9 pm.
West Somerset Council wants to develop the scheme in partnership with the Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development, a charity set up to promote sustainable construction and design.
A community land trust would be set up to allow land to be taken into the ownership of the local community and managed by a board of local people, including parish councillors, local residents, and tenants.
The trust would have a responsibility to protect community assets, re-invest any proceeds, and ensure the homes remained affordable.
District council housing, health, and welfare portfolio holder, Councillor Mary Crowley, said: “We could build 30 homes, 20 of which will be affordable homes to rent and buy, with the remaining 10 to be sold on the open market to off-set costs.
“If we can take it forward, this will be a groundbreaking project, with homes built to a carbon neutral specification that will be affordable for local people on low wages.
“The aim is to derive 20 per cent of the homes’ energy from micro generation like solar or wind power, or ground source heat pumps.”
Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development director Charles Couzens said: “We are looking forward to working with the local community and the council to create new homes which meet the need for affordable housing and have a vastly reduced global footprint.”
The presentation from the Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development will explain how community land trusts can work for the benefit of the community, as well as the benefits of carbon neutral housing.
Following the presentation, representatives will be available to explain more about the development and to answer questions.
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