A Community Land Trust (CLT) is a non-profit, community-led organisation that owns and manages land for the benefit of the local community. CLTs help ensure that homes, green spaces, and other developments stay genuinely affordable and available to local people, not just now but for future generations too.

They are set up and run by ordinary people who care about their area and want to make it better. The trust holds land “in trust” – meaning it’s protected from speculation – and any housing or development on it is done with long-term community benefit in mind, not private profit.

In short, a CLT gives local people a powerful way to shape the future of their village, town, or neighbourhood.

We're trying to build some to rent for the community that

Social housing in the UK refers to homes that are rented at below-market rates, primarily through housing associations or local councils, to those who cannot afford private rentals

Social housing is affordable housing provided for people in need, usually by councils or housing associations. It's designed to offer safe, secure, and long-term homes for those who might not be able to afford to rent or buy on the open market.

Some Community Land Trusts, like ours, aim to create homes with similar principles—genuinely affordable and rooted in long-term community benefit.

We already have over 100 members in the Chilbolton Community Land Trust. Anyone aged 18 or older and who lives within the parish is welcome to join.

A trustee of a Community Land Trust (CLT) helps guide the direction of the trust and ensures it stays true to its purpose: working for the benefit of the local community. Trustees are volunteers who take on a legal and practical responsibility to oversee how the trust is run.

Their role includes:

• Helping make decisions about land use, housing, and projects

• Ensuring the trust is financially sound and well-managed

• Listening to and representing the needs of the community

• Working with other trustees, members, and partners to shape the future of the area

You don’t need to be an expert to become a trustee—just passionate about your local community and willing to get involved.

See our 'Meet the trustees' page to meet the current trustees

Great question! We all need to work together for the good of the community. We have trustees that sit on the CDC and Parish council to ensure we all work closely together

We're whats known as an 'Exempt Charity' which means we have charitable status but we arent registered, to learn more see : Exempt charities (CC23) - GOV.UK