Villagers' bid to build '˜affordable' properties

DM17311226a.jpg. Bid to build 12 affordable homes for Angmering villagers who cannot get on the property ladder because of rising prices. Rob Martin, Angmering Commumity Land Trust secretary. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-170703-121737008

Parishioners are taking on the role of developer in a bid to ease the chronic shortage of affordable housing in their village.

Angmering Community Land Trust unveiled plans to build 12 homes in Mayflower Way at an exhibition on Thursday.

The trust hopes villagers will be able to rent the new homes at 60 per cent of the market rate – a quarter less than the typical reduction offered when developers provide affordable housing.

Using the example of a two-bedroom property in the village costing £315,000, trust secretary Rob Martin outlined the difficulties first-time buyers faced.

“You would have to be earning £60,000-£70,000 a year to afford a mortgage for just a two-bedroom property,” he said.

“It is crazy, really. We want to make that more affordable.”

Angmering Parish Council will decide on Monday whether to transfer the land to the trust for no cost.

The trust would then fund the construction of the new homes by borrowing.