Land Trust Annual Review - Our service charge model

In 2017 – 18 the Land Trust continued to develop its residential service charge model with the charity now having responsibility for the green space management at three sites across England.

In this article our Director of Portfolio management, Alan Carter, discusses our work in this area and our ambitions for the future.

“The Land Trust has many years of experience in managing parks and open green spaces.

“However in recent years, we have taken our unique skill set, passion and expertise for improving people’s lives directly into communities by taking on service charge spaces. This involves us taking on the management of the green space around a development and planning a sustainable future that benefits all residents and the local community.

“We work with a local contractor or managing partner to ensure the upkeep and maintenance of the site are to a high standard. The cost is then shared between all residents (the service charge), who are kept informed and involved in decision making processes and budgeting.

“Unlike commercial landscape contractors we have a long-term interest in the site and aim to manage our spaces in a way that improves people’s lives and communities, rather than to generate shareholder dividends.

“This is reflected in our resident’s satisfaction following recent surveys on our sites at Beaulieu and Upton. The results highlighted that 78% of residents said that our work had a positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing, while 75% of respondents said they were happy to live in a space managed by the Land Trust.

“We are developing innovative methods to communicate with, consult and involve the community to enable residents to make decisions on how their land is managed.

“In addition to Beaulieu and Upton, the Land Trust took on the management of Waverley in 2017, bringing our total number of service charge sites to three. Waverley currently has around 800 residents who contribute to the green space around their properties. This includes two lakes, which are surrounded by woodland and open green space. As development continues on the site, the Land Trust will take on more of the completed space and begin new relationships with homeowners.

“In the future, we will continue to develop our three service charge spaces, whilst bringing more communities on board with our forward thinking, people first approach.

“It is our firm belief that well managed green space is the catalyst that creates healthy, resilient and sustainable communities.

“Building new homes is vitally important to the country, but it is the green infrastructure around these homes that is key to bringing new communities together, creating support networks and providing space for healthy activity and outdoor education.”