Photo of Power UP Ore Valley event

Local housing trust celebrates 1 year anniversary

The Heart of Hastings Community Land Trust (HOHCLT), a local housing trust will be celebrating it’s first year anniversary on Saturday 1 July and will be hosting a day of food, fun, music and discussion to coincide with it’s AGM.

The Heart of Hastings Community Land Trust (HOHCLT) was formally incorporated last year and aims to provide affordable housing across Hastings. Made up of local people, the Trust hopes to attract up to 1000+ members to it’s ranks, in order to ensure that it’s governance is rooted locally and that it always stays true to the wishes of local people.

With this in mind they’re inviting you to come and join them on the land, to picture the possible future of their proposed project, to hear more about how you can get directly involved and to eat some amazing chilli, prepared by local chefs all vying for the title of Ore Valley’s number one Chilli Cook-Off Champion.

HOHCLT are aiming to transform the site of the old Broomgrove power station, which has lain derelict for some 40+ years, into a sprawling, green, self-sustaining community. They aim to build 60 environmentally friendly, low energy homes, at rates that are genuinely affordable for people from the local area, and to lock in affordability so that rents will only ever rise at the rate of inflation, not at the rate dictated by the local housing market.

As well as housing, the CLT aims to bring jobs and industry back to the valley, which sits in the top 10% of deprived areas in the UK:their goal is to create 100+ long term jobs in Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) within the first year of construction, starting around April 2018. The CLT have been in advanced discussions with the local college campus on Parker Road, who are thrilled to be able to provide support to the project in recognition of the importance that MMC will play in the future of housebuilding in the UK.

Heart of Hastings Community Land Trust

On the day of the AGM, there will be a number of activities provided onsite to keep you entertained and informed about the vision for the future of the site. The CLT will be hosting a car-boot sale onsite throughout the day.

At 1pm you’ll be able to hear a talk about mushrooms by local resident and artist/mycologist, Thilaka Hilman, who was recently awarded funding to initiate an arts project around mushrooms on the site.

At 3pm, the judging of the chilli cookoff will commence and prizes (including meals for two at local restaurants Zanzibar, Xochipilli, Diego’s and Two Bulls Steakhouse) will be awarded to participants, with scores based on official International Chilli Cook-Off Rules.

The Annual General Meeting will take place from 2 til 3pm and is open to shareholders of the Community Land Trust only – and will be an opportunity for shareholders to hear what has taken place on the land to date and to vote on proposals for the activities of the Land Trust in the year to come.

Photo from Power Up Ore Valley event

For more information on Land Trusts generally visit the Community Land Trusts website.

For information on the Heart of Hastings Community Land Trust, visit their website and Facebook site.

For more info contact, Sam Kinch, Community Organiser for Heart of Hastings CLT on 07421995019 or at sam@heartofhastings.org.uk

If you want to take part in our ‘Chilli- Cook off’ or read the rules and regulations of the competition please email Rossana at rossanaleal_2000@yahoo.com

1 Year Anniversary Celebrations on 1 July, 12 – 5pm at the Old Broomgrove Power Station Site – Access via Firtree Road, or by foot from Broomgrove Road/Fellows Road, Hastings.

Also in: Home Ground