What is a Land Trust? Why Wilton? Who are the Board? What we do.

Why does Wilton need a Community Land Trust?

With increased development planned, South Wiltshire is changing and Wilton is no exception.

• Wilton Community Land Trust provides a realistic alternative to profit-led private development.
• It gives the people an opportunity to benefit, by for example, buying sites in the town, and developing and managing them for the community; development of the kind that people actually want.

After considerable local consultation Wilton Community Land Trust was founded in April 2012 to offer an alternative to private development with its need for profit-driven investment.
Wilton CLT works alongside other organisations such as Wilton Town Council to ensure a coordinated approach.

Our Objectives

Wilton Community Land Trust’s objectives are to support the provision of the following for the benefit of the community:

• To maintain or improve the physical, social and economic infrastructure within the parishes of Wilton, Quidhampton and Burcombe and their environs;
• To advance education (particularly concerning asset based community development and enterprises with a community or environmental focus); and
• To provide an opportunity for public-spirited people and organisations to contribute financially to the community, with the expectation of a social dividend, rather than personal financial reward.

Examples of the ways in which the CLT can carry out its objects may include:

• Providing housing for those in need and help to improve housing standards;
• Creating training and employment opportunities by the provision of workspace, buildings or land;
• Developing new or existing services to the local community that contribute to the local economy.

What is a Community Land Trust?

Wilton CLT is a community land trust (also known as a ‘development trust’). These are community owned and led organisations.

Community Land Trusts:

• Use social enterprises, trading for social purpose, and ownership of buildings and land, to bring about long-term social, economic and environmental benefits in their community.
• Operate in both urban and rural areas, often in neighbourhoods which have experienced the worst economic decline.
• Are independent, but work with the public sector, private businesses, and with other community groups.
• Are community ‘anchor’ organisations, delivering services and facilities, finding solutions to local problems, and helping other organisations and initiatives succeed.

The National Community Land Trust Network is  the official charity that supports CLTs in England and Wales.

• The ambition is for a successful development trust or community land trust to be established in every community that wants one.
• There are now over 500 CLTs and development trusts in both urban and rural areas. While many are still small, others are operating at a much larger scale.

Who’s who at the Wilton CLT?

The current 2022-2023 Wilton Community Land Trust Board is comprised of the following volunteers:

Chair – Neil Prigent
Treasurer – Peter Edge
Director(s) – Jon Sloan.

You can contact the Volunteer Directors via email on: info@wiltonclt.com.