A public meeting has been held to introduce the Community Land Trust (CLT) scheme to residents in the borough of Great Yarmouth.

CLTs are designed for communities to get together to develop and manage new affordable homes where they live with assets owned by the community.

About 30 people from the southern villages area of the borough attended the first open meeting to explore the possibility of having a CLT with the primary aim of providing affordable housing for the local community.

The meeting was held at New Road Sports and Leisure Centre in Belton.

It was decided there would be two CLTs, one for Hopton and one for Burgh Castle and Belton.

The meeting was led by borough councillor Adrian Myers and also attending were councillor Andy Grant and Debbie Wooldridge from Community Land Trust East and who has set up 225 trusts nationally, some of which are with up to 600 properties and some only have a few.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council has put £650,000 towards the start of CLTs and at the meeting it was explained there are other 'pots' of funding to be investigated once a scheme is in place.

Mr Grant said: 'The meeting was a great start to a process of creating a CLT. There is a lot to do, but I'm looking forward to working with local people to create either one or several trusts which can create genuinely affordable and local housing for our communities.

'I would like to thank everyone who came and encourage any residents who were unable to attend but would like to get involved to get in contact with me on 07754512152.'

It was confirmed CLTs could be set up with a no right to buy clause to keep properties available for both young and old who cannot afford what property is available locally.

At the end of the meeting around six to eight people left their names to be contacted about joining a committee.

The scheme is being looked at for residents in Belton, Hopton, Bradwell, Burgh Castle, Fritton and St Olaves.

It was explained there could either be one overriding CLT for the southern villages or separate ones for any combination of the parishes, six to 12 trustees would be needed to start a scheme.