Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will provide an update to applicants who successfully submitted a stage one bid to the Community Ownership Fund on the next stage of the process.

Applicants to the Community Ownership Fund (COF) were required to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) form and have this approved as a first stage before being able to submit a full application in the next available round of the fund.

The last bidding window Round 4.1 closed on 10 April 2024.

Communities will rightly be seeking clarity regarding the future of the Community Ownership Fund.

We recognise uncertainty is challenging for groups seeking to save vital community assets; the Government is carefully considering all available options and will confirm plans in due course.