Meanwhile space

1. The Meanwhile Space Journey
Eddie Bridgeman, Executive Director
2. Queens Parade, Blue House Yard & Rock
House
3. Practical tips
www.meanwhilespace.com

2009-10: worked with DCLG to
develop the meanwhile lease
2017: Acting as a “short life
developer” – e.g. Blue House
Yard – a 4 year meanwhile use
project
The journey so far…

2009-2010
• Policy
piece
• Tools
• Proof of
concept in
first “single
shop”
2011
• Grow
11,000
network,
provide
advice
through
forum
• Roll out of
single space
model
• Recognition
from Mary
Portas
2015
• Planning Policy
changes to
support
temporary
change of use
• Creating social
impact
• More complex
projects
(housing, hubs -
ecosystems,
mentoring,
consecutive
projects in one
area)
2017
• 200 tenants in 24
spaces
• 130,000 ft2 space
back into use
• Big Issue loan to
develop assets
• Governance and
structural changes
• Sustainability –
revenue model
changed
• Save landlords
£1million rates
• Created 230 jobs
The journey so far…

Models
Delivery frameworks:
 Meanwhile Space led
 Local Authority led
 Central Government led
 Joint venture with
landlord
Revenue models:
 Participation fees
 Rent
 % of project profits
 Contracts/ service
provision
 Grant funding (HCA,
Outer London Fund)
 Crowd funding (Space
Hive)
 Investment (Big Issue
Invest)
Space models:
 Described in next slides

10/07/15
Single spaces – our first shop!

10/07/15
Single space pop ups – arts

Single space pop ups – start ups

Capacity building projects

Ecosystems in an area

Capacity building to sustainability

Blue House Yard – self build

Blue House Yard – visible change

Blue House Yard – flexible use

Planning permission but not enough
money to deliver it

Rock House – mixed community

Rock House – a big learning curve

• Interviews – August
• Deadline for Applications – 2nd February 12:00pm
• Thank you for your interest in living in Rock House. All applications will be assessed by a panel comprising Living Rents (Hastings) Ltd
Directors, the Rock House Facilitator, and a current residential and commercial tenant of Rock House. If you are shortlisted, you will be
invited to workshop before a final selection is made.
• Rock House is the first in what we hope to be a series of buildings offering capped rents in order to safeguard spaces to live in the Town
Centre at an affordable rate. We are assessing each applicant on their need, enthusiasm and contribution to the Rock House community
and the wider area. Please keep this in mind when answering the questions below.
•
• Notes on Rock House residential tenancy
• We are capping rents because we want to create spaces in Hastings Town Centre where people can still afford to live and work in spite
of the anticipated negative effects of gentrification. We are working to secure at least some affordable properties for the long term in
Hastings. It is an experiment: we wish to be transparent about investigating the notion of affordability through the Heart of Hastings
Community Land Trust initiative. (Find out more: https://jesssteele.wordpress.com/2015/10/18/america-ground-pow-wow/)
•
• How the capping works
• The initial rents have been set in line with fair local market rents. These rents will be capped as from January 2017, one year on from
completion of renovation to allow more certainty over the operating costs. After that they will be reviewed each March. Rents will only
ever rise by a maximum of inflation plus 2%, or average Hastings earnings plus 2%, whichever is the higher. We will check various
measures of earnings (median, mid-quartile, 20/30/40 percentile, lower half) with the aim to ensure that our rents remain at 25-40% of
local earnings.

• Timetable
•
• Viewings: 26th, 27th and 29th January 2018
• Deadline for applications: Friday 2nd February 2018, 12pm
• Shortlisted applicants will be contacted on Monday 5th February
• Selection Workshop: Friday 9th February, 7pm – 8.30pm
• Offer to tenant confirmed: Monday 12th February 2018
• Need, enthusiasm and contribution
• Help us understand your need, enthusiasm and contribution by answering the questions below. Try to keep your responses specific and
to the point.
• 1. Need: why do you need a capped rent flat?
• Tell us about where you are living at the moment, and why you want to move.
• Any issues or concerns about your current situation?
• 2. Enthusiasm: why do you want to live in Rock House?
• Tell us how you feel about Hastings, the Rock House neighbourhood, the ethos of the building and the other tenants
• 3. What contributions will you make?
• Rock House depends upon everyone pulling their weight and people working well together. You may have skills that you can bring to the
building and/or the neighbourhood – you might be willing to volunteer your time rather than a specific skill. Tell us about your
experience of working collaboratively with others and what you are willing to contribute to Rock House.

Bigger & longer = more risks
Fire safety
Landlord’s
motivations
Bad debt / court
case!
EPC Grade F and
below
Business rates
strategy
Asbestos &
lightning
conductors
& much more…

Overcoming barriers
Accessing space
• Hit the streets & re visit multiple times
• Speak to local landlords
• Get letters of introduction from
recognised orgs
• Expect it to be a slow process
• Work with larger landlords e.g. local
developers / LA
• Do your own proof of concept projects
to develop track record
• Use the Land registry to find owners
address Make an offer of admin fee
for their cooperation (not a rent for
tax purposes!) This can be based on
empty rates savings
• Use the meanwhile lease
Strategic partnerships and
examples from elsewhere
• What can local councils do to
support meanwhile use ?
• MwS deliver workshops for
council officers
• Tours of other sites to share
operational learning
• Meanwhile Foundation – charity
• Fantasy High Street who
commission meanwhile arts
projects
• Makeshift
• 3 space
• The Green Rooms – Millco
• Meanwhile use rates relief
policies

Making the Collective City
New Approaches &
Challenges for participatory
processes
Emily Berwyn
Meanwhile Space CIC
Thank you!

Meanwhile space

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