A long held ambition to provide genuinely affordable homes for local families in Langton Matravers in Dorset is finally moving forward after the National Trust agreed to provide a parcel of land.
Langton Matravers Community Land Trust (LMCLT) has spent eight years working on a scheme to deliver homes in the village for social rent in perpetuity – with no right to buy or sell – and is now drawing up plans to build 10 homes on land at Capston Field.
Duncan Hedges, chair of Langton Matravers Community Land Trust
Homes could be ready by end of 2027
Thanks to the offer from the National Trust, a collection of one, two and three bedroom homes could be ready for local families to move into by the end of 2027 at the western end of the village.
Land surveys on Capston Field are under way and LMCLT is hopeful that plans for 10 homes will be submitted to Dorset Council by Christmas 2025.
Purbeck residents are being asked to fill out a housing needs survey, which runs until Monday 13th October 2025, to confirm the need for affordable housing for locals. It will also help identify families who may be in line to move in.
The plan is to build a mix of eco friendly homes designed to meet the needs of local people, avoiding flats and instead providing houses and bungalows with outdoor space and which are economical to run.
The field earmarked for 10 new low cost rental homes backs on to existing houses at Capston Field
Years of stalemate
The idea for truly affordable housing in Langton was put forward in 2017 by local resident Barry Mayes, who founded the CLT but who has since sadly died.
Finding a suitable site proved one of the biggest hurdles as several landowners were willing to sell plots in the village, but only for huge sums of money, incompatible with the CLT’s model of affordability.
After years of stalemate the breakthrough came in summer 2025 when, after lengthy discussions with the National Trust, it agreed to release land at Capston Field.
The existing community at Capston Field is already serviced by Aster Housing association
“Since June the project has taken off”
Duncan Hedges, chair of LMCLT, said:
“Selling land for housing is not what the National Trust does, but we stayed in contact with them for years over this plot of land, and reminded them every now and again that we were still very interested.
“Eventually they said that because of their relationship with Langton and because of the strong needs of the village they were prepared to make an exception for us and went to their national board to argue the case for us.
“It’s quite a small parcel of land and we had to leave a strip of land next to the lane for the local farmer to drive cattle along, but it will be an ideal location for 10 new homes.
“Since June, the project has really taken off. We selected a housing association, Aster, to work with, then we looked at architects and both of us preferred the same firm, One50 Studio, which focuses on social housing and community led initiatives.”
Survey work has already begun on the proposed building site
“Homes will stay for village use only”
Duncan added:
“Since then we have been doing the relevant surveys on the land – site layout, drainage, wildlife habitat, archaeology and geology – and we have just started fortnightly meetings with Aster to work on a pre-application for planning permission.
“There has been quarrying in that area, though initial surveys suggest there are no shafts there, but there have also been problems elsewhere in Langton with drainage, so we are being cautious.
“Access to the new homes would be off the main road, so the parish council clerk is writing to Dorset Council about the speed limit to see if we can graduate it from 60 miles an hour to 30 before the village speed limit of 20 mph, for safety.
“We will make sure that the homes stay for village use only, as the CLT will own the freehold to the land and while Aster will manage the properties, they will not be able to sell them.”
Spyway Orchard was built in Langton Matravers in 2023 to help address local housing needs
Priority to those with family ties
A recent housing survey has identified 18 households in the parish with a strong connection to Langton Matravers in need of affordable housing, more than the number of homes being built.
Priority will be given to those with family ties to the village, people working locally, and those in essential services such as teaching and nursing.
A spokesperson for the National Trust said:
“The National Trust agreed to work with LMCLT to support a community led scheme for affordable homes and to make a small portion of land available in the village.
“The land at Langton Matravers was given to the trust in 1982, since then we have released selected land for community led housing schemes in a similar way to the Bankes family who owned the estate before us.
“Only a tiny proportion of land owned by the trust can be sold, as is the case in this instance.
“We are only selling the land at the request of the community, to meet an exceptional local housing need and help young people live, stay and work in Purbeck.”
Langston Matraver’s 20 mph zone starts just before the existing Capston Field homes, but may need extending if the new houses are built
“No way of affording local rents”
Maggie Sutton, secretary of LMCLT, added:
“This is a completely altruistic project, it’s about providing affordable homes for local people, in perpetuity.
“It would be wonderful to provide a home for everyone who wants one, but unfortunately it is not going to happen – which is why filling in our survey is so important, so that we can identify the most in need.
“There are lots of young people who have lived here all their lives, gone to school here, but have no way of affording local rents. You’re looking at about £900 for a small flat in Swanage or £1,500 for a house and the wages down here just don’t cover that.
“We know we won’t be able to build houses out of stone, but I think that the homes we do build will be pleasing to the eye and practical, so people can enjoy living in the village.
“They will be eco friendly, comfortable and warm, well insulated, and all with air source heat pumps, built with as much care and attention as possible.”
A bird’s eye view of the site – the area in yellow will be set aside for a cattle drive
