Platform Places

Buy up empty shops for community use, councils urged Steve Reed, the communities secretary, has told local authorities to use compulsory purchase powers to revive and repurpose vacant high street properties

🔔 From grassroots to government, the message is clear: communities should lead the revival of high street property & councils are key enablers 🔑

CPOs are one possible lever, but we know a growing number of developers & landlords working *with* communities to activate assets for social impact.

Local Property Partnerships: Pilot Programme 2024-2027 — Platform Places Shifting multiple buildings into community use and ownership The National Lottery Community Fund has supported Platform Places and partners with almost £2.5 million over three years — made possible by...

Kindred LCR leads one of the five pilot #LocalPropertyPartnerships (supported by @tnlcommunityfund.org.uk), reimagining underutilised buildings into hubs for socially-trading organisations in Knowsley and St Helens: platformplaces.com/programme

✨ Geographical clusters of socially-trading organisations = greater impact ✨

@kindredlcr.bsky.social's figures speak for themselves. 70% job growth. 420K people supported.

Social investment is powering real change in Liverpool CR. And unlocking buildings, with a place-based approach, is key 🔑

How community property portfolios build local power & wealth Platform Places: Community property portfolios

What shifts when communities own multiple buildings — not just one? 🏘️

“Scaling brings resilience,” says Angie Wright (b inspired, Braunstone). “It brings deeper impact, with an interconnected network of spaces that support each other.”

Explore our new article for #StirToAction ⬇️

Community power on the high street: Taking on buildings for local transformation — Platform Places Highlights & How-tos | 6 months of the Local Property Partnerships pilot (2024-2027)

It’s already planting seeds:

🌱 Housing associations are emerging as strong allies
🌱 Private asset owners are engaging in dialogue
🌱 Councils are supporting in diverse ways

Explore what’s been happening, with practical tips to try in your neighbourhood 💡 ⬇️

3/ 🧵

In 5 neighbourhoods – from Darnall Ward to Wandsworth Town – community leaders are creating Local Property Partnerships to unlock multiple spaces for community use & ownership.

2/ 🧵

"We’ve come together with a deep focus on care and cultural equity, decentralising power and financial flow" - Kisha Bradley, Brightbox

It's not just about bricks and mortar 🧱

Transforming buildings for local benefit is about who's at the table, and how you're working together 🍲

1/ 🧵

It's captured in our most popular e-resource, co-created by the asset owners & socially-trading organisation leaders behind #PlatformPlaces:

🔸Principles for working together

🔸Template Heads of Terms for a social impact agreement, drafted by Shoosmiths

Last year we spotlighted Mayday Saxonvale's inspirational story, when they secured the sale from Somerset Council after a five-year effort: www.platformplaces.com/inspiration/...

Now they've secured £1.2M and are launching a community share offer to take the next steps ✨

Find out more ⬇️

"For property owners, this means thinking beyond yield and asset appreciation," writes our non-exec director and ambassador Ion Fletcher (British Property Federation).

"It means understanding that long-term value depends on local trust, on places people are proud to live and work in."

Read more ⬇️

Government announces bumper £1.5 billion package to restore national pride £1.5 billion will be invested in cultural organisations over a five-year period – turning the corner on underfunding over the last decade and more

Around the UK, communities are reviving historic buildings for social, cultural & community uses, often with climate benefits.

Our friends @archhfund.org.uk have supported this for ⭐ 50 yrs ⭐ & we're delighted to see UK Gov' recognise the importance of this work.

#AHFF50 @memckeague.bsky.social

Join the Team: We’re Hiring a Programme Coordinator - Bedminster Works Are you an organised, community-minded person who loves making things happen? Bedminster Works is looking for a Programme Coordinator to help us move from strategy into practical action as we work to ...

⏰ Application Deadline: 4th February ⏰

Are you an organised, community-minded person who loves making things happen?

Are you connected to Bedminster, Bristol, with a passion for community-led property?

Join #BedminsterWorks as a Programme Coordinator: bedminsterworks.co.uk/news-and-ins...

"I think it’s now fair to call it a movement, or - maybe better - a field of civic renewal."

Thanks for the mention @jamestplunkett.bsky.social @samfr.bsky.social alongside some amazing demonstrators, advocates, programmes & campaigners in the ecosystem of locally-led neighbourhood transformation.

📍 Do you have vacant space for a community organisation? Or introductions and support for funding? 🗺️

Check out our latest round of matchmaking requests from the #PlatformPlaces network ⤵️

For an intro, please send us a private message here or on our webform: platformplaces.com/contact

Who's leading the revitalisation of our high streets? 👀

Across England, pioneers like Nudge Community Builders are showing the way 🌱

Great to see them recognised in the Guardian, with @powertochange.org.uk's research showing deep connection between decline of social infrastructure & polarisation.

If you've got empty / underused spaces available, or need a space for your organisation, let us know for the next Platform Places newsletter! 📨

#PropertyMatchMaking #CommunityPower #HighStreets #TownCentreProperty

📍 Do you have vacant space for a community organisation? Or introductions and support for funding? 🗺️

Check out our latest round of matchmaking requests from the #PlatformPlaces network ⤵️

For an intro, please send us a private message here or on our webform: platformplaces.com/contact

Big River Bakery leads 1 of 5 pilot #LocalPropertyPartnerships (funded by @tnlcommunityfund.org.uk). This is an exciting time to help them grow a new CIC & create a network of interconnected high street spaces for food, arts & start-up businesses.

Find out more: www.vonne.org.uk/vonne-jobs-d... 2/🧵

Are you passionate about community-led development and transforming spaces into useful, affordable and welcoming places?

Want to help shape the future of community buildings in Byker and surrounding areas in Newcastle?

📢 Join the Board of Directors of a new CIC 📢

1/ 🧵

Missions | Mycelial Network

If you're a funder / investor with a mandate to create lasting long-term impact in places, discover more about this movement and drop a line to the Network: www.mycelialnetwork.co.uk/missions

#MycelialNetworkCADs #CommunityAssets #TownCentreProperty #UKHighStreets

But the approach isn't scaling at the pace needed to solve our multiple high street crises 📈

The funding ecosystem needs to be unlocked at scale. As @johnharris1969.bsky.social puts it, this means "philanthropic funding, social investment and public money".

👏 Really looking forward to ongoing collaboration on community-led high streets and #LocalPropertyPartnerships over the next decade for Power to Change.

About | Mycelial Network Right now, the Mycelial Network connects 30+ Community Asset Developers across England – from Sunderland to Plymouth, Coalville to York. We share knowledge and resources, and work together to shape sy...

This looks very mycelial! 🍄 cc #MycelialNetworkCADs mycelialnetwork.co.uk #CommunityAssets

About | Mycelial Network Right now, the Mycelial Network connects 30+ Community Asset Developers across England – from Sunderland to Plymouth, Coalville to York. We share knowledge and resources, and work together to shape sy...

Nudge is part of the 🍄 Mycelial Network of Community Asset Developers 🍄 — a peer solidarity network for organisations across England who are doing this work to create socially and racially just, ecologically resilient places: www.mycelialnetwork.co.uk

Who's leading the revitalisation of our high streets? 👀

Across England, pioneers like Nudge Community Builders are showing the way 🌱

Great to see them recognised in the Guardian, with @powertochange.org.uk's research showing deep connection between decline of social infrastructure & polarisation.

Interesting research that largely mirrors our findings last year in 'Shuttered front'. We found that Reform overperformed in local elections in places suffering high street decline.

Read the breakdown: www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and...
And the report: www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and...

#CommunityBusinessWeek, so we're spotlighting innovative thinkers in our recent essay collection:
💡Bex (@platformplaces.bsky.social) has a vision for how community-led spaces can transform neighbourhoods, her essay looks at what it will take, and what's up for grabs if we get there.
buff.ly/DYqnRzw

Celebrating ten years backing community business | Power to Change We know community business works to create thriving places. We have seen and evidenced it over the last decade. We also know there is so much more they can do. This year we have been reflecting, celebrating, and looking to the future. With the right conditions, community businesses can help build an economy that works for people and the planet, give communities a greater say in the decisions that affect them, and support people to make meaningful connections within a community they can rely on. 📺Explore more from our campaign: https://www.powertochange.org.uk/celebrating-ten-years/ 🌟Special thanks to our community business contributors and their teams and community members for being part of this short film: Deana Bamford and Ian Wilson, Coalville C.A.N. https://coalvillecan.coop/pages/about-coalville-can Afzal Hussain, Witton Lodge, Birmingham: https://www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and-ideas/case-studies/witton-lodge-community-association/ Jane & Brian Dawe, SAFE Regeneration, Bootle: https://www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and-ideas/news-and-events/safe-regeneration/ Craig Pennington and Christopher Torpey, Future Yard, Liverpool: https://www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and-ideas/case-studies/future-yard/ 📚 You can read our essay collection 'From the ground up: Community business and Britain’s next decade': https://www.powertochange.org.uk/evidence-and-ideas/research-and-reports/from-the-ground-up-community-business-and-britains-next-decade/ Follow us on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/powertochange.org.uk Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/9480564/

As we come to the end of our 10th year, we're looking to a future that's community-led - where community businesses build economies that work for people & planet & support people to make connections in a community they can rely on.
📺 Our new film brings this ambition to life: bit.ly/44BfuSi

Promotional image for Community Business Week 2025, featuring a smiling individual with glasses and colorful geometric shapes in the background. Text reads 'Support the spaces that support you' and dates are from 29 November to 5 December, with logos for Community Business and Power to Change displayed.

#CommunityBusinessWeek kickstarts this weekend on #SmallBusinessSaturday🎉 Download our free toolkit packed with posters, social templates, and press release tips to help you shout about your community business or one you love 👇 https://www.powertochange.org.uk/what-we-do/community-business-week/

How can we protect, strengthen and revitalise these democratic, member-led spaces?

Through:

🔸 practical support for clubs

🔸 peer-learning summits, solidarity and study visits

🔸 urgent assistance for clubs at risk

🔸 better policy, training and funding for the sector

2/ 🧵