A COMMUNITY-LED project to deliver 10 new affordable homes in Nailsworth has been given the go-ahead by Stroud District Council.

All these new homes will be made available to local people and families who qualify for affordable housing.

They are earmarked for a site on the border of Lawnside and Bunting Hill and will be funded and built by ethical housing developer Aster Group.

The decision on Thursday marked the culmination of many months of hard work by non-profit community group Nailsworth Community Land Trust (NCLT).

Ian Potts, chair of the Trust, said: “Our prime focus is to deliver more affordable housing in Nailsworth.

“These new high-quality homes represent the first tangible result. It is important to all of us that they will remain genuinely affordable both now and in the future and will never be sold privately.

“They will be a long-term asset to support the broader development of Nailsworth.”

The Trust started working on a Community Right to Build Order (CRTBO) to develop the homes at the site back in December 2014.

It followed the agreement by Stroud District Council to sell the site to NCLT for just £1.

The CRTBO is a type of planning application that allows local groups to propose small-scale community developments that aim to benefit towns.

All profits generated by the development will stay within the community and the new affordable homes will remain the property of Nailsworth Community Land Trust so they can continue to be offered to local people for rent in perpetuity.

Aster Group will maintain the properties and manage the tenancies on behalf of the CLT.

Karl Hine, community housing project manager at Aster Group, said: “Projects like this are a great way for communities to invest in their local area, put under-used land to work and create much-needed affordable housing.

“We deliver several projects like this every year as part our commitments through the Aster Foundation, our Corporate Social Responsibility initiative set up to support local areas where we work.”

GCP Chartered Architects was appointed by Aster Group and Nailsworth Community Land Trust to design the scheme and it had significant input.

The decision was made at SDC’s full council meeting on Thursday evening.

Simon Pickering (Green, Stroud Slade) said: “This will in effect granting planning permission for the new affordable homes in Nailsworth

“As far as I’m aware this is possibly the first community right to build order in the country to be passed, beating Totnes whose referendum is on November 23.”

Steve Robinson (Lab, Nailsworth) said: “They will stay in perpetuity to be rented and not bought.

Tom Williams (Lab, Cainscross) added: “It’s been a long gestation period but it’s good to see it clear another hurdle, it’s a way of providing more affordable homes in small areas, occasionally we should trust the locals and now we are trusting Nailsworth Town Council to decide what is best for Nailsworth, I don’t see what there is not to like.”

Debbie Young (Con, Chalford) said: “I have concerns that some of the planning which will go through the same steps as applicants that pass through the Development Control Committee.”