SSH - Somerset Sustainable Housing
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Through the work of SSH, significant support from South Somerset DC, Somerset County Council, and Clipper Estates - a private sector partner - and many individuals, some of whom have now become Trustees The Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development was launched in May 2000.

The Trust is a development trust - a not-for-personal-profit, community based organisation, with charitable objectives. Our work is primarily focused on Somerset, but we are also happy to work other organisations in other areas to promote sustainable construction and sustainable

We work independently and in partnership to provide education and information on sustainable construction, as well to undertake exemplar sustainable construction projects. In helping to demonstrate and promote sustainable construction we are happy to work with individuals and community groups, local authorities, housing associations and private sector partners, including housing developers.

Our main activities include:

  • Seminars and educational events
  • Information and Publications
  • STSD development projects
  • South Somerset Sustainable Construction Project
  • STSD Membership

Please contact us for more information on any of these activities:

The Somerset Trust For Sustainable Development

The Town Hall, Bow Street, Langport TA10 9PR
 
Project Manager: Julian Brooks    Office Manager: Charlotte Wilson
Tel: Fax:
 


The 'Anywhere' Trust for Sustainable Development

The following can be used as a model community based organisation to promote sustainable housing and construction. If you like what we are suggesting you might like to download the file, and then use and adapt the document as a whole according to your local situation

This document details proposals to establish a local Trust for Sustainable Development Housing as the most appropriate organisation to take a leading role in promoting and undertaking sustainable housing developments locally. As an independent not-for-profit organisation the Trust will have the flexibility to operate within both public, private and voluntary sectors, developing appropriate partnerships as necessary. With over 150 Development Trusts now established in the UK, in its development and evolution the Trust will both learn from and contribute to a growing body of experience and expertise through the Development Trusts Association and other appropriate networks.

The 'Anywhere' Trust For Sustainable Development:
Mission, Aims and Objectives

The Trust's Charitable Objects will be:

  • building and renovating sustainable housing for people in need
  • environmental improvement and sustainable development projects in Somerset, and elsewhere
  • education

The Trust's Mission Statement will be:

The 'Anywhere' Trust for Sustainable Development exists to promote sustainable housing and sustainable lifestyles primarily for the benefit of the inhabitants of Anywhere, by encouraging and bringing together the people and organisations of Anywhere, including local authorities, businesses and voluntary organisations, in their individual and combined efforts towards this goal.

The following Aims for the Trust support its Mission Statement:

  • To undertake, enable and encourage exemplar sustainable housing developments, including mixed use developments.
  • To create a forum for research and design to promote healthy and sustainable living and working environments.
  • To offer, or help to secure, the establishment of training and education in areas that are particularly appropriate.
  • To promote sustainable housing in whatever ways that seems appropriate, including helping to identify barriers to progress towards sustainability in construction and to helping remove or find appropriate routes around these barriers.
  • To encourage and implement effective best practise approaches to community involvement in the design and implementation of local sustainable developments as a matter of course.
  • To encourage and implement ethical and sustainable business and management practices in the construction sector and beyond.
  • To utilise finance and other resources in appropriate, constructive and sustainable ways in furtherance of all or any of the Aims and Objectives detailed here.

The following specific Objectives for the Trust will be the practical first steps to achieve the above Aims and will be a particular focus for the Trust's work in 2000-2001:

  • Promoting the growth in the activities and effects of The 'Anywhere' Trust for Sustainable Development;
  • Promoting the creative and productive use and dissemination of relevant publications;
  • Working with Councils and other local organisations to assist them in establishing local partnership-based Sustainable Housing Strategies;
  • Undertaking and being involved as a partner in a range of exemplar innovative Sustainable Housing projects, including urban infill sites, 'key sites', new build and refurbishment projects, as well as supporting progress on related sustainable construction issues (e.g. community buildings and village halls);
  • Co-ordinating and expanding a Sustainable Housing Community Network, involving interested individuals, local housing co-operatives and community organisations.
  • Working with a group of skilled 'Associates' (e.g. local architects, builders, construction workers co-ops, etc.), in effect, to form an effective yet informal Marketing Co-operative / Business Network;
  • Establishing a Sustainable Housing Resources Centres, to provide a public resource for information and advice;
  • Establishing a Sustainable Housing Skills Centre, to act as a centre for sustainable housing design, build and fitting out skills that can deliver a range of innovative and affordable sustainable solutions; also a focus for training - potentially to be combined with the Resource Centre.

The Trust's Core Principles

The following Core Principles are fundamental to the Trust's philosophy of sustainability:

  • Simplicity
  • Quality
  • Affordability

The Trust will aim to promote and implement these principles in all its activities.

For more information about how these proposals went from ideas to reality visit The Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development web pages.

STSD - Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development stsd Site Map site map Exemplar Projects exemplar projects Sustainable Links links
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