Botley faces a number of challenges. These include:

  • Shortage of housing
    As of November 2019, 141 households with a connection to Botley were looking for an affordable rented home in the parish.
  • Cost of housing
    The average 4 bedroom house sold over the last 18 months cost £625,000*.
    • Younger people and families cannot afford to live in Botley Parish.
    • Key workers need to travel further to do their jobs, causing further congestion.
    • There are not enough affordable homes.
    • A growing proportion of the population cannot afford to buy or rent.
  • Aging population
    The UK population is getting older. There is a shortage of accommodation fit for older residents.

Much of the development in Hampshire in recent years has not been fit for purpose.

We observe most new development:

  • Is car-centric, increasing the number of cars on the roads
  • Tends to be generic and poorly designed
  • Is not energy efficient: Just 1% of new homes are built to the highest environmental standards.

We believe:

  • Development should benefit the community, not damage it
  • Local residents should be more involved in the design and provision of housing and other local developments
  • We can facilitate this process to achieve better outcomes for our community.

 

How to address the challenges

Botley Community Land Trust is a not-for-profit Community Benefit Society.

Our goal is to make sure that the Uplands Farm site is developed in a way that enhances Botley and does not make the challenges we face worse.

We have the motivation, access to the funding, the contacts and partners to deliver truly environmentally friendly affordable homes that will benefit the village.

*Source: zoopla.co.uk

Join our mailing group