Blending Commercial and Residential Meanwhile Use

Meanwhile Space CIC

www.meanwhilespace.com

www.meanwhilespace.com

In the intervening time; while something else is waiting to happen

meanwhile is realising the opportunities vacant spaces present to manage transition and change

meanwhile…?

What does that look like?

LibrariesGalleriesPop-up shops WorkspacesGrowing spacesKitchensMuseumsSchoolsSkills swappingBike repairFestival officesTheatresCinemasUrban farms

The end result…?

Meanwhile Space utilise vacant space to…

Give new enterprise a chance

Improve a local environment

Nurture a sense of place

Support and engage communities of interest

Provide high profile activity

An efficient use of otherwise wasted resource.

Meanwhile, in Wembley

Feb-Sept 12•collaboration with Locality & BiTC•existing and future large-scale development for the area. •catalyst for activity •handbook for occupants and strategy for officers

To August 13•expanding the work already underway•occupy more spaces•develop a comprehensive mechanism for increasing self-employment and creating jobs through empty space

Meanwhile, in Wembley

• Lots of underused space• Large scale not human

scale• Opportunities for

entrepreneurialism• Hard to reach

communities, transience• Undergoing massive

change

The Coming Soon Club

To build intrigue, capacity and engage with the public:•350+ members•Varied ideas - Milliner, Boxing club, Theatre, Tutoring ESOL•Creating the capacity and appetite •Skills and know-how developed•Action plan/empty space strategy•Workbook for occupants•Network of ideas created

Meanwhile, in Wembley

Meanwhile, in Wembley

Windows of Opportunity, Hidden Secrets, Freedom Oppression, Fix my PC

Wembley Enterprise Model

Wembley Enterprise Model

Wembley Enterprise Model

Summary of Risks

• Securing a suitable building• Concept: developing USP• Income from tenants:

demand, tangible offer• Timescales: premises,

planning, contrators• Creating a self-financing

model, match funding, or what else?

The sustainability challenge

• Space is at a premium to live, not just work• Can we package an offer to provide both• Where can we find resi space and work

space• Are the kind of spaces available where we

can fulfill mission of live and work space• High streets, large civic buildings,

secondary locations (sometimes primary locations in a challenged area)

• Flats above shops, what’s the biggie

Blending the proposal

• Mix residential and commercial• Use Resi income to subsidise

meanwhile space• Link affordable live space to

affordable work space in allocations policy

• Managed premises with support• Clever ideas for longer term

capture of value from business creation....one step at a time!

The biggie!! Same problems as normal

• Landlord acquisition• Landlord negotiation• Speed to deal with landlords• Picky planners! • Designing in access• Better standards of space

• Owner optimism and dodgy valuations! Landlords of a certain type

Dover and out

Owner charity, seeking best value, offer kept changing, scheme planned on different scenarios, all stacked up, then.....get used to it.

The Margate’s open

Not high street, better space mix, no split ownership, values manageable, area potential, occupier potential.....gain credibility to tackle high street properties, where conditions right. Perhaps resi space not all on site, or accumulate extra space above other commercial space. How else make it work

The Catford is out of the bag

Scale, single landlord, mixed use development. Mixed use, mixed income streams. Local authority owned and maintained. Design sensitive, found right partner understoof what we do and budget available. Commissioned scoping report – established as valued partner. Proposal of commercial start up space, studios, cafe, pop-up hotel [maybe], office space, ground level public access (important to understand landlords requirements) and 8 live/work, 16 resi units all affordable rate

Learned so far

•Understand landlord motivations and commercial situation•Be credible – know what your talking about, the arrangements, the risks•Be quick – money, permissions, feasibility•Have options, don’t be held to ransom, be decisive•Get good support at local level and professional level•Know the end product, just housing or more?