CHRISTOW: 18 Passivhaus homes for affordable rent and shared ownership

Christow CLT, Teign Housing & Teignbridge District Council worked in tandem with Wessex Community Assets (now Middlemarch) to deliver homes for Christow village on Dartmoor. 
 
On the edge of Dartmoor National Park, Christow village is a highly desirable place to live and has been affected by high land values. Homes have not been accessible to local people for a long time, forcing younger local people to move out while older local people struggle in too large homes. The Housing Needs Survey results evidenced this high need for smaller homes for older people to downsize into and for larger homes to be refurbished for young families to settle in.  
 
To enable this clever placemaking, Teignbridge DC provided a site for £1 to Christow CLT who owns the freehold. A Homes England grant supported the 18 homes pre-development as well, where 14 homes are affordable rent and 4 were sold at 80% market value with a resale covenant to keep their value capped at ‘affordable’ continually. All 18 homes were built to PassivHaus standard to keep their running costs affordable in perpetuity as well. These are homes for families in housing need as well as homes for older people to downsize into. 
 
Christow CLT therefore long leases the homes to Teign HA. That ground rent generates an income for the CLT. In this manner, the homes are protected from open market sales going forward.  By sustaining a mix of generations, Christow is helping young people stay in the area where they grew up and the village retains its skill profile. Older people have benefited by being able to stay in the area where they have lived for decades. 

All Members and residents of the CLT scheme jointly own and manage the land and assets. The asset lock of the CLT protects the housing