PASS HOUSING ASSOCIATION ltd.
Registered Charity No. 970913
The Pass Housing Association was set up and is run to provide affordable rented housing for the people of Wootton Fitzpaine.
The Pass Housing Association was founded by Mrs Olive Pass on the death of her husband who owned the Wootton Fitzpaine Estate. The first two Housing Association houses, East Burton Cottages were built in his memory to provide affordable housing and security for elderly people who had worked on the estate; so the original tenants of the Association were mainly elderly people who had spent all their lives working in Wootton Fitzpaine. The Estate was split up at this time and another tenanted cottage was purchased. Under the terms of the Charity, those eligible to apply for houses must have been born in the Parish of Wootton Fitzpaine or have lived or worked in Wootton Fitzpaine or the vicinity for at least five years.
The availability of affordable rented property in the countryside has steadily changed in the fifty years since the Association was formed: now, fewer people are employed on the land and many tied farm cottages have been sold or converted to holiday accommodation to support farm incomes. The number of rented properties has fallen dramatically and it looked as though young people would not be able to afford to live in the village where they were born and brought up. The Pass Housing Association decided to expand by buying property when it came up for sale and then, in 1991, to build two new family houses for eligible persons who wish to remain and work in the village. We now have a village with a much better balance of different ages.
Many tenants work hard for their community, belonging, to various organisations.
As well as building two new houses in 1991, the Association has put in hand a programme of improvements for the housing stock.
Having Trustees who live in the village means that they available to the tenants and can move swiftly if any problems arise.
Hastoe Housing Association was given land to build six new houses in Wootton in 1992. Some are tenanted, some shared equity, all with people from the immediate local area. With these new houses, there are now seventeen affordable homes out of a total of fifty-one properties in the centre of the village.
Directors/Trustees:
Chair
Mr Andrew Stevens, Morcombelake
Mrs Judith Legg, Wootton Fitzpaine
Mr Colin Kennedy, Bristol
Mr Jon Snook, Wootton Fitzpaine
Ms Elizabeth Daros, Blackpool Corner
Mr Daniel Savage, Wootton Fitzpaine
Secretary
Mrs Marion Brooks
Agent
Michael Harris, Seaton. Tel. 01297 24022