Our mission:
Creating environments for resilient communities to thrive.
The Planning Appeal is under way!
As of November 2025, we are awaiting the appeal decision of our planning application for 14 zero carbon affordable homes, in Bishopston, Swansea. The inspector has confirmed that we will have the decision by the end of December, and if it’s scucessful, we could be starting on site by the spring 2026 (eek!)
APPEAL UPDATE: As people may know, the appeal hearing for our planning application to build 14 low-carbon affordable homes in Bishopston was last Wednesday.
It's been quite a roller coaster in terms of the appeal.
One of the major issues (if not THE major issue) for the council was that they did not accept that Community Land Trusts or community groups could build or manage affordable housing. However in a surprise U-turn, two weeks before the hearing, they contacted us and the planning inspector to notify us that they had received legal advice and now accepted that what we are proposing is 'affordable housing' and therefore withdrew their objections on grounds of affordability. We were therefore quite confident going into the appeal, and we would only need to address more technical issues, such as the green infrastructure, highways and the suitability of alternative sites (which we were confident we could overcome).
Then at the appeal, the council re-ignited the entire debate on affordability on multiple different grounds, which went on to dominate the first half of the appeal proceedings. We were put on the back foot, as we had assumed that given the council had withdrawn their objections, that this would not even need to be discussed, but they seemed to completely ignore their previous statement and even raised points that we thought we had resolved with them a long time ago!! How the council can completely trample over due process, and change their official position repeatedly throughout what is a very formal and regulated process is absolutely baffling.
The second half of the appeal however, which focused on the technical issues, seemed much more straight forward and alongside our professional team, were able to answer questions and felt we made our case clearly and convincingly.
A lot of GCLT members spoke very emotively, including resident members and our board members, and showed real bravery sharing their personal stories, as well as lots of our wider supporters, or people who were just generally supportive.
We are now waiting for the inspectors decision, which he has confirmed will be made before Christmas. So come Christmas time, we will either be celebrating heartily or drawing our sorrows in gravy and eggnog!
We will of course, let everyone know as soon as we have the result!
And you can still sign our petition:
Or Join us as a supporter member:
Gŵyr Community Land Trust (Gŵyr CLT) is a volunteer-led community enterprise, run by local people and embedded in the Gower and Gower fringe community, Swansea. We are committed to democratic decision making, running as a not-for-profit membership organisation owning and developing land for the benefit of the community. With a membership open to local people who share the organisation’s values and aims, we can use local contacts and gather public support to unlock sites that would not usually be available for development.
About Us
Our Goals
Genuinely Affordable
Our houses will be affordable for local people forever.
We will use a community-led approach which will be driven by local people, members and residents.
Community-Led & Community-Built
We will create zero-carbon houses which enable truly sustainable lifestyles.
Low Impact Living
We will use a cohousing design to create a strong, supportive, healthy and resilient community.
Designed For People Not Profit
We will create a new and successful model for sustainable, community-led housing in Wales.
Replicable
Live Project
Gŵyr CLT is working towards building a cohousing site of 14 households, with a common house containing shared facilities, and outdoor space for play, food production and wildlife.
The site will be pedestrianised as far as possible, with peripheral car parking, creating a safe and sociable public realm. A larger shared garden will be prioritised, with only small private gardens associated with each house.
News
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