Leiston Community Land Trust - Inspiring Positive Change

Inspiring positive change for our community

The Community Land Trust (CLT) aims to work with local partners, businesses and the community to bring about positive change for Leiston.

We want to hear from you!

Become a member Our projects

Old Post Office Square

Watch this video to hear from residents about what makes Leiston special. Learn more about the Community Land Trust's mission, and see how you can get involved.

Become a member

We know that Leiston is a great place to live and work, with good amenities, but unfortunately we also all know that the centre of Leiston is in urgent need of regeneration. Its local shops need more trade, its cafés and restaurants need more visitors, and its community needs a town centre that can bring about a greater sense of belonging, cohesion and pride.

The Leiston CLT is working with local partners, businesses and the community to bring about positive change within the town centre. It's a not-for-profit organisation that seeks out, listens to and acts on the opinions of Leiston's residents and visitors. Make your opinion heard by becoming a member. You can make a difference. Sign up now and help Leiston become a destination for the community, local businesses and tourists.

"Let's get Leiston to fall in love with itself again."

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Our objectives

The Urban Plan
Our vision is for three squares, providing three unique community spaces through the town. Heritage Square, focused on the Old Post Office Square and Long Shop Museum areas, celebrating Leiston’s rich history and attracting visitors; Church Square, a community garden in the United Church garden, offering a rest space for shoppers and visitors in the centre of town; Market Square a combination of affordable housing, modern retail and contemporary civic space that will boost the economy and provide energy to the heart of the town. More below …

Housing
The CLT plans to provide local housing for local people. This will be single and two bed units predominately, owned or managed by the CLT. There will be binding conditions to ensure that all housing provided will be limited to Leiston people, whether rented or ownership. This follows the Neighbourhood Plan housing group's outcomes where local people feel out-priced in the market by holiday lets and second home buyers.

Retail

Leiston High Street already has a number of first-class independent retailers. It is therefore essential that the CLT continue to support them, but the town could also attract additional visitors and shoppers if they can fulfil all their shopping needs. As a result, the CLT will encourage additional retailers who can fill the gaps in the retail landscape by providing high-quality outlets at highly competitive rates. Furthermore, they will encourage other community services like the Library, Council Offices and Citizens Advice services to become more central to the town.

Our urban plan will include sympathetic planting and green space

Project phases

Our proposed projects will be undertaken in three key phases:

Church Square and garden

The United Church garden and pedestrian way through to the Co-op car park and continuing down to Sizewell Road was our first project. Completed in June 2022.

Market Square development

Centred on a market square, housing for Leiston people suited to first home owners and those more elderly who find they need to downsize. Merged with craft and technology units, a 21st century library, and civic facilities in the suite of shops in Sizewell Road

Heritage Square

A heritage zone, celebrating Leiston Saxon beginnings and rich industrial heritage including the Long Shop Museum and the
Leiston Works Railway entertaining residents and attracting visitors.

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Fundraising opportunities

The Leiston Community Land Trust brings with it new promises and possibilities. Our reputation is growing and the people of Leiston are coming round to the opportunity provided by a new town centre and the economic prosperity it will bring. Therefore, we always welcome financial support. You can contribute through a variety of means:

- Regular donations to the Community Land Trust via our online shopping link
- Crowd funding of one or part of our projects
- A bequest or grant in a will
- or simply dropping your loose change in our collecting boxes at one of our public facing days

Online Shopping Link

Crowdfunding Link

Some of our funding is via match funding or project support. East Suffolk Council are a major stakeholder; they own a large amount of the local land, including some of the shops in Sizewell Road. We have also been successful in applying to grant funders for monies to support our development and growth.

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Key information

Neighbourhood Plan
Prepared by the community via the Leiston Neighbourhood Plan Group (LNPG), the Neighbourhood Plan seeks to establish a vision for the future of the parish and to set out how that vision will be realised. This will be achieved through controlling what developments take place and where.

The Neighbourhood Plan was instigated by the town council from a public meeting. To begin with, residents volunteered for groups which interested them, such as housing, welfare, transport, education, employment, and health. Then each group surveyed the townsfolk on their areas of interest and reported back to the central group.

After months of deliberation, debate and discussion, the full Neighbourhood Plan was agreed. Finally, this was taken to the District Council who vetted it and assessed its contents to ensure it did not conflict with the District Council's Neighbourhood Plan.

It was then returned to Town Council to put it to all town residents to vote on. Once voted on and accepted by the residents, it became a legal document by which all planning and development that is put forward for the town has to meet the details in the Neighbourhood Plan. The Neighbourhood Plan is therefore the document that drives the Leiston Community Land Trust regeneration.

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