About Us

UHCLT was formed for the benefit of local communities in the south of Rutland to operate as a Community Land Trust in the parishes of Preston, Wing, Glaston, Bisbrooke, Seaton, Lyddington, Thorpe by Water, Caldecott, Stoke Dry, Belton, Wardley, Ridlington, Ayston and Uppingham.

The Trust’s primary objective is to provide and manage (for sale and rental) affordable housing, including social housing, starting with its first affordable homes development (the Badley Orchard site – Seaton Road) in partnership with architects GSS of Northamptonshire.

Development

Financial support for UHCLT has to date come from government, Homes England, Locality, Uppingham Town Council, HSBC and the Trust’s membership. It is intended to secure further investment from the community through the issue of Community Shares during the autumn of 2020.

As part of its formal application to the Regulator to be recognised as a Registered Housing Provider, UHCLT is now developing its housing management, membership, investment, and forward planning policies in consultation with Rutland County Council and Uppingham Town Council. These will be added to the website as they are approved.

The Trust Board has been complimented by Homes England for its skill set and breadth of experience. A number of directors are also town or county councillors with a substantial experience of neighbourhood planning.

The Trust is now looking forward to its next developments and has been asked to give Homes England an insight into its forward plan. It is the view of some on the Town Council that all future affordable homes in the area should be built in collaboration with the Trust. Government has advised that such a policy can be incorporated into a Neighbourhood Plan and has already been implemented in one community.

Such a policy is ultimately for Uppingham Town Council to determine, however, UHCLT would prefer to work with intending housing developers on a collaborative basis helping to deliver, and then manage, high quality affordable homes with its new shared ownership and rental programmes. The Trust has already agreed to work with the local neighbourhood plan team, RCC and CPRE Rutland to undertake a full survey of affordable housing need in Uppingham (1900 dwellings) to support future planning applications.