Cwmpas Statement – Gwyr CLT Planning Appeal Dismissed 

Cwmpas is disappointed to learn that planning permission for the Gwyr Community Land Trust project was this week denied at appeal. Gwyr CLT is a volunteer-led community enterprise, run by local families in the Gower and Gower fringe, who have struggled with the cost of housing in the area they live and work.  

Their vision is to create 14 affordable, low-carbon homes for local people in housing need. Over the last five years, they’ve given up countless evenings, put in incalculable hours of work, all in pursuit of having an affordable place to call home.  

We believe the assertion that a Community Led Housing proposal cannot deliver affordable housing in perpetuity to be incorrect. The delivery of affordable housing by Community Led Housing projects, including Community Land Trusts, like Gwyr CLT is supported by Welsh Government’s framework Planning Policy Wales. 

Wales continues to be in the midst of a housing crisis. We do not have enough affordable and social homes to house the people who needed them.  

We believe that Community-Led Housing has a huge role to play in providing more social and affordable homes, and the Welsh Government has identified Community-Led Housing as a key pillar in efforts to tackle the housing crisis by supporting Community Led Housing initiatives in its Programme for Government. 

This decision has highlighted a serious disconnect between settled Welsh Government policy and Local Planning Authorities across Wales, and has the potential to set a precedent detrimental to the delivery of new Community Led Housing projects. 

The Community Led Housing team at Cwmpas will be responding in full to the decision in the New Year. But at this time, we would like to send our very best wishes to everyone at Gwyr  CLT, whose commitment and resolve over the last five years has been a genuine inspiration.  

Please direct any questions to co-op.housing@cwmpas.coop.