Housing minister to meet North Cornwall MP
The Minister responsible for taking the new Housing and Regeneration Bill through the House of Commons has agreed to meet North Cornwall’s MP, Dan Rogerson.
The local MP secured the commitment last night (Monday) as the Government refused to include a legal definition of community land trusts, like that at Rock, in the Bill.
Speaking in the chamber, Mr Rogerson said: “Cornwall Rural Housing Association…has attempted to make progress on other schemes, but the Housing Corporation has given it the message that it would like to be able to give the Association money but does not think it is able do so because it is not sure how community land trusts work…I hope that he will meet me to ensure we can take this forward.”
Commenting after the exchange, the North Cornwall MP added:
“By refusing to give community land trusts a firm definition in law, the Minister is cuffing the Housing Corporation’s arms behind their back.
“The Corporation, a panoply of housing associations and MPs from across the political divide agree that community land trusts offer an excellent way to make more housing available to local people and retain profits from increasing land values for the community.
“But for the schemes to develop and expand, they need money, and to get money they need legal status.
“The Housing and Regeneration Bill is an ideal opportunity to afford community land trusts that status, and I will be pursuing this with the Minister, as no doubt will my colleagues in the House of Lords when the Bill reaches them.”
