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Shaping Pulborough's Future

Shaping Pulborough’s Future: The Story Behind The Pulborough Community Land Trust's New Low-Cost Housing Plan

Have you ever wondered if you’ll be able to afford a place of your own right here in Pulborough? If you’ve started looking at the local housing market, you already know the answer for many young people and working families is a frustrating "no."

That is exactly why the Pulborough Community Land Trust (PCLT) was set up back in 2018. The goal was simple but vital: to keep our village a balanced, vibrant place to live. When younger residents are priced out, it doesn’t just mean losing friends to neighboring towns; it means losing the people who power our local jobs. It also cuts a vital safety net. When families live close by, grandparents can help with everyday childcare, and younger generations are right down the road to support their parents and grandparents as they get older. Everyone wins when families stay together.

The Reality of the "Affordable" Housing Myth

The biggest hurdle we face is that even when new houses are labeled "affordable," they actually aren't. In the Horsham District, the average house now costs a staggering 11 times the average local income.

To put that into perspective, let’s look at the real numbers in Pulborough:

  • The Income Split: Half of all local workers earn between the national minimum wage (around £24,000 a year) and the average local wage (which is under £40,000 a year).
  • The Gap: With a normal mortgage, which is about 4.5 times income, someone earning within this range stands very little chance of buying a standard market home here.

Recognising this crisis, PCLT was launched in 2018 with the backing of the Pulborough Community Partnership. Local residents loved the idea—two house to house surveys showed a massive 87% of locals support these housing goals. Yet, despite this amazing community spirit, finding the actual funding and land to build on has been an uphill battle. Until now.

A Exciting New Team-Up

Recently, Pulborough Parish Council (PPC) recognized the incredible benefits that community-led housing brings. Instead of working separately, PPC and PCLT have joined forces!

The two organisations are now teaming up to form a brand-new Community Interest Company (CIC) run as a Charity. By combining the Parish Council's local authority influence with the Land Trust's community roots, this new venture is unlocking fresh land and housing opportunities that were previously out of reach. The ultimate aim? Genuinely affordable, community-owned homes built specifically for local village residents.

We Need You!

This is a fresh start for Pulborough, and we want the next generation to help shape it. We are looking for passionate people to join this new initiative.

Get Involved: If you want to make a difference—especially if you have personal skills, ideas, or professional knowledge that could help with future housing developments—we would love to hear from you.

Be a part of the change and help protect the future of our village. To join the new venture or find out more, please contact The Clerk at Pulborough Parish Council. Let's build a Pulborough where everyone has a place to call home!