​Why does a property not being able to become a second home or holiday let mean so much to you?
I have been a Trustee of the Lakeland Housing Trust for the last three years. My family’s history in the Lakes goes back almost 400 years and I love the Lake District and its local communities. As a result of holiday homes, we are losing our infrastructure rapidly including local facilities like shops, schools, doctors’ surgeries which are closing. I want my property to stay as a permanent residence for local people to help keep our communities viable and thriving.
 
What would you like to see going forward?
It would be great to see more people placing the Agreement on their properties, if they can. It is easy to put in place and it will ensure that more homes remain available for those who want to live and work in our local communities. Once attached to a property, the Agreement is there in perpetuity and cannot be removed.
 
What was the process like?
It was very straightforward. The relevant documents are available from H&H Land & Estates or via the Lakeland Housing Trust website. I gave them to my solicitor and they did the rest! 
 
What were the costs?
The basic cost was around £450 including LDNPA and Land Registry fees. Solicitor fees were separate and these will vary dependant on which firm is used to complete the work.
 
What are the timescales?
The process is relatively quick. For more information on specific timelines, it is best to speak with a solicitor as there can be variations dependent on several factors.
 
Would you recommend putting a Section 106 Unilateral Agreement on a property to others?
Absolutely, if you are able to as a property owner – it is really worthwhile to maintain properties that have permanent residents in for our communities and local area; thereby reducing the future number of holiday cottages, second homes and Airbnb premises.

It will be up to the Lake District National Park planning authority to ensure this remains the case for properties where the restriction has been applied.

Founded in 1937, Lakeland Housing Trust owns over 50 properties across the South Lakes, with the aim of providing affordable rental homes for people living and working in the local community. In the last seven years it has grown from having 36 properties to 53, many of them bequeathed to the charity in legacies or which it has bought using money people have left in their wills. It has also built some homes in recent times, including in Grasmere and Sawrey.
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"They love the local area and they can't bear the thought of their house being a second home. They've got children, but the children are independent, or they haven't got children at all, so they leave their property to us.”
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If people did leave a property to their children they would often sell it and, in the national park, this would usually see it become a second home or holiday let.

“This gives people the option to leave that home to their children and those children can sell it, but it will still remain a local occupancy property,” says Malcolm.

As well as keeping properties locally occupied the trust estimates a Section 106 will also reduce its saleable value by around 10 per cent, making it more affordable at the same time.

So far one Section 106 has been applied to one of Lakeland Housing Trust’s properties but could be applied to many more in the area, as well as those outside the region in England and Wales.
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"If it was accepted by the planning authorities that in a particular area outside of the national park there was still an issue of affordability for local people there is nothing to stop this being put in place,” says Malcolm.

“There's a general pull because it does offer a solution,” he says.

The trust’s properties are rented to tenants at around 40 per cent below the private market rate, subject to conditions such as living in the local area, means testing and what they contribute to the community.
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The majority of residents are younger people or families, working in a wide range of sectors including hospitality, farming, nursing and various trades.

“Think of all the people you need to make a local community work but who aren’t very well paid,” says Chris.
As well as providing homes, Malcolm says the trust’s housing also keeps communities alive in places where so many houses are only occupied by tourists or visitors.

"We're able to have properties in the little hamlets and the villages that are unlikely to have new build properties,” he says.

“So by doing that, we're able to keep those villages alive.”

The trust is overseen by a board of 14 trustees with day-to-day management of its properties overseen by H&H Land and Estates.
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The organisation has been putting an increasing focus on its marketing to grow awareness of the work it does, as well as maintaining the upkeep and quality of its stock.

This has included improving energy efficiency and upgrading features such as double glazing.

"If people are thinking of leaving us their greatest asset, they've got to be absolutely confident in us as an organisation that we will look after their property,” says Malcolm.
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"Now we are going to carry on pushing forward and trying to carry on growing.”