Start a Local Property Partnership
Local Property Partnerships are a tried-and-tested process to unlock town centre buildings for amazing ideas.
Each Partnership is made up of a local council, community leaders and asset owners. You work together to transform town centres for long-term local benefit. Platform Places convenes and supports you along the way.
How it works
Through our programme of Local Property Partnerships, we help you:
Map underused local assets and develop a vision for your town centre
Lease or purchase buildings and activate them for local benefit – first 1, then 5, then 25 and beyond
Match more asset owners with brilliant local entrepreneurs
Ensure viable business models, with profits reinvested locally
Change the property culture: the Partnership builds a thriving town centre for local benefit, where long-term vacant and overpriced property is no longer acceptable.
Where it’s already working
-
Launched in early 2021, Meanwhile in Oxfordshire is transforming underused space in Oxfordshire’s urban centres, with a view to growing an inclusive economy, amongst other outcomes.
In just 18 months, they’ve secured and refurbished 25+ buildings, and supported 30+ socially-trading organisations (STOs) to access affordable space on a ‘meanwhile’ basis. The programme aims to support 112 STOs in total. -
Historic Coventry Trust was set up in 2011 to become the guardian of the city’s heritage in perpetuity. It’s now responsible for 27 buildings and sites in the city, which were transferred from Coventry City Council. These buildings are now being transformed into affordable housing, workspaces, guesthouses, galleries etc.
-
Our first pilot cohort of Local Property Partnerships is underway! Follow their progress:
We’re now accepting expressions of interest for our second cohort.
Nominate your neighbourhood
Express your interest to start a Local Property Partnership where you are
Our pilot cohort is underway, but we’re accepting expressions of interest for future cohorts. We’ll send you further details and a simple application form, usually within 3 weeks.
We handle your personal data in line with our Privacy Policy.
Tip: Get your council on board!
If you don’t work for a local authority, the best thing to do is to talk to your local councillors. We’ve found it makes things easier to have the council on board from the start.
Use our template email to your councillor(s) (if the template doesn’t open correctly via your email provider, you can copy the content here)
Or send them this webpage, saying why it’s important for your town centre.
Co-founding partners
