What is Windsor Ascot & Maidenhead Community Land Trust?

Inspired by the growing national Community Led housing movement, Windsor Ascot & Maidenhead Community Land Trust (WAMCLT) is a not-for-profit, volunteer run Community Benefit Society that exists to own and operate land and other assets for the benefit of the local community in perpetuity. We aim to act as an area wide CLT that will deliver financially and environmentally sustainable housing and other community facilities (such as community centres, pubs, or open spaces) for local people across the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

Our Vision is to

• enable community projects involving community ownership of land, in perpetuity, within the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead area

• enable the community to build truly affordable and sustainable homes

• help deliver a community service or project clearly linked to the needs of the local communities, such as a shop or cafe or community centre, or food growing project

• We are registered as a Community Benefit Society which means we are

• registered with the Financial Conduct Authority with clear legal rules

• owned by our members and run democratically

• managed via a voluntary Board of Directors, elected by the members (each member has a vote)

​We are a member of the National CLT Network and are also supported by Collaborative Homes (Oxfordshire)

What is a CLT?

What are Community Land Trusts and why do people get involved?  This video explains how CLTs work and benefit local housing needs.

Community-led solutions to the housing crisis

Community-led housing and CLTs

CLTs often work in conjunction with other methods, such as Co-operatives, Co-Housing, and Self or Custom Build, all developed through local people working together. We aim to bring groups of people together and collaborate to build, convert, or buy affordable and sustainable homes that suit them.

We aim to:

• Connect local people that want to start their own housing projects
• Develop ideas to get projects going
• Raise awareness and build knowledge
• Collaborate with local landowners, councils, employers, industry professionals
• Discover suitable land and properties and organize and collaborate to buy them
• Raise funding

If any of the above applies to you and you would like to discuss with us …please get in touch – see our contact page.

Projects we are working on:

Working with Horton Parish Council on saving a piece of land for local community use. We have linked them with resources for carrying out a Housing needs Survey, and worked with them on community consultations, initial feasibility business planning, and project ideas. Watch this space for the next steps.

Pickins Piece, an important facility for the village?

Pickins Piece Woodland from above.  The red line is the site boundary.  It covers approximately 2 acres, and stretches from Pickins Piece cul-de-sac to the back of Champney Hall Car Park, and to the farmland to the east.

The area has reverted to secondary woodland and brambles. Historically, it was an orchard and was designated for use for fairs. Its location means it could make a unique contributioni to improve village facilities.

Horton Parish Council needs your views on Horton’s future!

Green space or concrete jungle?

The woodland behind Pickins Piece (owned by RBWM) is at risk of sale to the highest bidder. If sold, it is at risk of development over which Horton residents will have no control.

The Parish Council and Windsor Ascot & Maidenhead Community Land Trust think it would be better saved for local community use!

We need to know what local residents want to happen, so we are consulting with you to find out.

A community consultation project by Horton Parish Council and
Windsor Ascot & Maidenhead Community Land Trust.  

Tell us your views!

How would you like to see this patch of land used in the future?

For example, would you support recreational uses, such as footpaths, woodland exercise trail, food growing (alloments or fruit trees)? 

How do you suggest we raise the funds to pay the costs for it now and in the future?

Wouold you support a small number of truly affordable homes on a small part of the site if reserved only for people with a strong local connection?

Other Projects in the pipeline

• Collaborating with Waltham St Lawrence Parish Council to save a derelict affordable home for village residents, we helped the Parish Council access a Housing Needs survey in collaboration with Connecting Communities in Berkshire.  This project did not proceed due to viability, but the Parish Council and WAMCLT are looking for another potential Rural Exception Site for a larger project.  
• Advising Gardeners Green Cottages group in Windsor on how to ensure that their (privately owned) open space remains for their use in perpetuity / Advised on obtaining Village Green status.  
• Retro-fitting an ex-Housing Association derelict home, in collaboration with a Housing Association.  
• Exploring with Sunningdale Parish Council a potential community scheme for a derelict building in their village.  
• Working with West Windsor residents about planning issues on the open spaces within their estate.  

Do you have an idea about a property or land for a community scheme that you would like to discuss? Talk to us today with no obligation!