The Council have been working closely with LiveWest Housing Association to progress the former secondary school site at Carn Thomas, St Mary’s for affordable housing. It was agreed at Full Council in September 2021 for the site at Carn Thomas be transferred to LiveWest by March 2023.
LiveWest have been developing plans for the affordable housing scheme alongside their application for planning permission on the site. LiveWest recently held a consultation with residents of the Isles of Scilly to discuss their plans to develop affordable homes on the islands.
Details of the proposed housing scheme
LiveWest have produced designs for an affordable housing development at the former secondary school site at Carn Thomas on St. Mary’s, with it being possible to build up to 27 affordable homes.
You can view the proposed plans for the site and provide any feedback via: https://www.livewest.co.uk/my-community/feeding-back-on-our-plans-for-affordable-homes-on-the-isles-of-scilly
You can also take a look at the plans via the documents on the right of this webpage.
Site transfer to LiveWest Housing Association
On 31st March 2023, the council completed the transfer of ownership for the former Secondary School site at Carn Thomas to LiveWest Housing Association. This will allow LiveWest to move forward with their plans to build up to 27 affordable homes on the site.
The terms of the transfer of ownership make the following requirements of LiveWest:
- To make reasonable endeavours to submit an application for planning permission within 12 months of 31 March 2023
- To start work on site within 12 months from planning consent
- To complete the development within 3 years of commencing work on the site
- Not to use any of the homes developed now, or in the future, for any use other than occupation as sole or main residences
A link to the press release on the transfer can be found on the Council's News pages: https://scilly.gov.uk/news/council-transfers-former-secondary-school-site-livewest-housing-association-housing-delivery
You can find out more information about LiveWest Housing Association here: https://www.livewest.co.uk/
Land Release Fund
The Council received £315,000 of Land Release Funding for the former Secondary school site at Carn Thomas. The Land Release Fund provides capital funding for land remediation and small-scale infrastructure to local authorities across England, to bring otherwise unviable local authority-owned sites forward for housing. It is delivered by the One Public Estate programme which is a collaboration between Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Local Government Association and the Cabinet Office. This funding has helped to de-risk the Carn Thomas site and allow the land to be released for affordable housing delivery.