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, builds networks and helps secure funds according to need.
How it works
Most Local Property Partnerships aim to unlock affordable, secure spaces for local community businesses — and to reshape the property system long term.
Through our programme, 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.
Our cohort is full at the moment (follow their stories here), but you can get started without Platform Places. This approach is open-source and part of a wider movement. Discover the key ingredients of a Local Property Partnership and have a go yourself.
Where it’s already working
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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.
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Marking a different approach to development — for the community by the community — Hastings Commons takes derelict and difficult buildings into community custody, transforming them into affordable homes, social spaces, and workspaces, open to all.
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Our pilot programme of Local Property Partnerships is underway in:
Byker and surrounding areas, Newcastle
Darnall Ward, Sheffield;
Knowsley and St Helens, Liverpool City Region
Follow their progress, tips and learnings
With thanks to funding from The National Lottery Community Fund.
Nominate your neighbourhood
Express your interest to start a Local Property Partnership where you are
Our pilot cohort of partnerships is underway. We hope to be able to run future cohorts; express your interest to hear if/when the opportunity is available and to hear about open-source resources and learning events.
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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
