We have worked with Thame Community Land Trust since 2018, supporting the group’s development from incorporation to securing a three-acre rural site on which to build genuinely affordable 31 homes, and finally to securing planning permission to develop the site.
Our team have supported Thame CLT in developing a clear vision and set of objectives which has been instrumental in enabling them to secure grants from the Community Housing Fund and Community Led Homes Start-up Fund, as well as allowing them to prioritise their needs.
We were appointed as the groups architects in 2020 and have supported the group with a number of services.
This has included the procurement of a housing needs survey, development of a communications strategy, advice on tenure and Registered Provider partnership options, financial modelling and development appraisal and brief and design development.
We believe good communication is key, especially when working with clients comprising a broad membership. As such, we prepare regular reports and encourage touching base via phone and face-to-face meetings with both steering committees and sub-working groups, where appropriate.
The team are skilled problem solvers, combining the pieces of the puzzle needed to progress to site acquisition and commence a pre-planning application
Bob Austin, Chair of Thame CLT
This has enabled us to support Thame CLT to get to a place where they are confident and comfortable with their direction in an effective and efficient manner, and are well on their way to building the homes they wish to live in.
Transition by Design has in-house accredited Technical Advisors for advising community-led housing groups on various elements of their strategy, governance, vision, business plan and community engagement. Through this role we have advised over 10 community housing groups in Oxfordshire and across the UK. Our expertise in community-led housing compliments our participatory research and design skills, especially within workshop delivery.
Most recently, we have provided architectural services including the development of a design brief, site options appraisal and design development to support an application for pre-planning advice. In late 2021, the group received planning permission and secured funding to take the project to RIBA work stage 4.
