This document provides a brief history of community asset activism and ownership in the UK. It discusses how communities have historically fought against the enclosure of common lands by wealthy landowners. It then outlines some contemporary routes for communities to acquire assets, such as asset transfer, right to buy/bid, and compulsory purchase. Examples of successful community asset acquisitions are also mentioned, showing another potential history of community ownership over important resources and infrastructure.

1. Digital Assets, Enterprise &
Civic Engineers
Annemarie Naylor
Director

2. The Agrarian & Industrial Economy…
Land
Labour
Capital
Enterpris
e

3. A Brief History of Community
Asset Activism & Ownership
The Permanent Culture Now website and content by Stephen Jones,
Michael Thomas

4. The law locks up the man or woman
Who steals the goose from off the common
But leaves the greater villain loose
Who steals the common from off the goose.
The law demands that we atone
When we take things we do not own
But leaves the lords and ladies fine
Who take things that are yours and mine.
The law locks up the man or woman
Who steals the goose from off the common
And geese will still a common lack
Till they go and steal it back.
17th century protest against English enclosure

5. Why Community Ownership?

6. Contemporary Routes to Asset
Acquisition in the UK
Asset Transfer
Right to Buy & Bid
Right to Reclaim Land
Right to Build
Compulsory Purchase for Communities

7. Cannock Chase
HospitalPhoto by Geoff Pick
The Geograph Project.

8. 8
Hastings
The People’s Pier
Aspex Design
Dean Thorpe

9. Dover People’s Port
Photo by Tom Corser
www.tomcorser.com

10. Our Humber Bridge
By freefotouk
Freefoto.com

11. Another History of Community Asset
Activism & Ownership?

12. The Knowledge Economy
Fibre & Wireless Spectrum
Automation
Server Farms, Data &
NASDAQ
Algorithms

16. www.commonfutures.eu
@commonfutrs