A Pembrokeshire chapel, which will hopefully be sold for community housing, could set the precedent for further projects and help towards relieving the county’s housing crisis.
The plan is to buy Brynmyrnach chapel, Hermon, for conversion into a new community asset with two flats for local people on the first floor and a community heritage centre on the ground floor.
The chapel elders have decided to sell the village centre chapel, as repairs to the roof and walls would be a considerable sum but they are adamant that the building needs to be retained for community and local housing needs.
The target sum needed to be raised is £50,000. So far, a sum of £38,000 has been secured from people near and far.
“This could be an option for so many communities where chapels and churches are closing,” said Cris Tomos of PLANED who is spearheading the project.
"The new Heritage and Housing Trust would be a community benefit society and limited company,” said Cris.
“Local people would be the shareholders in this cooperative housing venture that will have a local letting policy allowing affordable housing for local families and couples, this could be a blueprint for other communities to take on the chapels and churches that are closing."
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The project has seen 19 peer to peer community lenders to date who have all invested for 36 months and have a guaranteed return of 1.75% per annum on the investment to help purchase the chapel.
“To date we have seen locals and people from Milford Haven, Saundersfoot and Carmarthen supporting us with community loans,” said Cris.
“We are now seeking a final six investors to reach the target of 25 people to put in £2,000 each, that will then allow us to match the funding required to purchase and start developing the old chapel for local housing and a heritage centre." The next public meeting is on Sunday July 17 at 3pm in Brynmyrnach chapel- SA36 0DX.
Anyone who wishes to know more can attend, along with those who have invested in the project.
For more information contact Cris on 07974099738, email cristomos831@gmail.com. Or visit www.facebook.com/hermonhousing.
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