Managing land for the common good – a U.K. perspective

Gestione sostenibile dei beni comuni e rigenerazione territoriale - esperienze nel

Regno UnitoMark Walton

November / Novembre 2014

Agenda• UK context

• Shared Assets – about our approach– Social enterprise management– Commons governance– Creative engagement

• Examples & case studies– Woodland / Farming / Public open space

• Business models– Capital / Revenue

Introductions

Shared Assets

We help landowners and community enterprises work together to transform under managed land into productive community spaces.

We support community management of woodlands, waterways, green spaces and coastal areas.

UK context: political & financial

• Smaller government• Austerity• Selling of public assets (buildings & land)• Localism• Devolution• Community rights– Community Right to Bid– Community Right to Challenge– Neighbourhood Planning

UK context: demand

• Increasing demand for land• Groups and use of land often informal• A range:– Traditional “friends of groups”– Enterprising, values-driven groups – People wanting to meet their own needs – Unorthodox groups

• Alternative currencies• Cooperative and ‘commons’ approaches

Shared Assets approach

Social enterprise management

Commons-based governance

Commons based governance

Commons = resource + community + social rules

• Clearly defined boundaries • Rules adapted to local conditions• Those using the resource participate in decision-making• Effective, accountable • Sanctions for those who violate community rules• Cheap and easy to access conflict resolution

Creative engagement

Creative engagement

Opportunities

Employment

Training

Improved environment

Reinvestment

Renewable resources

Community engagement

Social connections

Under managed liabilities Productive assets

Challenges

Contested spaces

Privatisation of public assets

Commercialisation of nature

Creating successful business models

Examples & Case Studies

• Woodland management• Food and farming• Parks and open spaces

Woodland management

• Woodland is largest single state-owned landholding• Managed by the Forestry Commission

• In England: – 258,000 ha– 2% of the land area – 18% of all woodland– 1500 sites

Woodland management• 2010

Government attempted to sell of a large part of the public forest estate

Woodland social enterprise• 60 woodland social enterprises in England (2013)• 41 (68%) formed since 2010• Small organisations

< 5 staff

< 250 ha woodland

< €65,000 / year turnover

• Insecure tenure> 50% have an informal agreement with owner< 30% own the land they work on

• Wide range of activities- education / health / creating products / woodfuel etc

Hill Holt Wood, Newark

• 2 sites (30 ha) / 20 staff• Owned by the organisation• €1.2M / year turnover• Services:– Training & education– Conferences / weddings etc– Green space management– Sustainable architecture– Wood products

Chiltern Rangers, High Wycombe• 14 sites (3-16 ha) / 2 staff• Owned by the local authority• Organisation ‘spun out’ of the local

authority Woodland Service• €240,000 / year turnover• Services:– Training and education– Woodland management off site– Corporate team building activities

Food and farming• Community food sector in the UK has a combined

annual turnover of > €90M (2012 research)– Mainly from retail - community shops and markets– Only about €4.2M from farms / producers

• Small organisations– Median turnover €18,000 / year

• Over 60% established in 3 years prior to 2012• About 60% have paid staff– Making Local Food Work

- €10.2M support programme 2007-2012

Organic Lea, London• Started as an allotment site and

market stall in 2001• Cropshare scheme enables growers

to sell surplus produce• 2010 secured 10 year lease on

disused local authority plant nursery with glasshouses

• Provide training, sell produce, seeking more land for new growers, establishing cooperative marketing

Bosavern Farm, Cornwall

• 13 ha farm / 2 staff• Purchased in 2014 from local

authority• Sell produce• Hold community events• Developing farm buildings for

education and economic development

Ecological Land Coop• Purchase agricultural land• Secure planning permission• Sell sites to sustainable growers• Can sell a site with planning

permission for €86,000– Similar smallholding with a house can

cost up to €600,00– Typical annual net profit for organic

smallholders is €17,000

• Leases prevent sale for profit

Parks and public open spaces

• Under investment and decline in parks 1980s & 90s• Investment of €840M from 2000-10 – mainly capital• Current cuts to public finances risk new decline• Few existing examples but a lot of interest in

developing new models– NESTA – Rethinking Parks – 11 projects over 2 years– Cabinet Office – Delivering Differently

Heeley Park, Sheffield• Community organisation

established in 1996 to create new public park on derelict land

• 3.5 ha• Land owned by local authority

- 125 year lease

• Raised €1.2M since 1997• Income from events and activities• Exploring potential for

membership / subscription income

Bloomsbury, London• 9 squares in central London• Managed by local authority• Cost of maintenance €550,000 / year• Exploring potential to create new

income from:- a levy on local businesses / residents- events- voluntary donation

• 2% levy on business rates would raise > €1M / year• Potential for new ‘area wide’ governance arrangements

Kirklees, Yorkshire

• New developments create new open spaces

• Either:- developers provide one-off payment to Council, or- residents pay a ‘ground-rent’ that pays for a private contractor

• Exploring potential for new social enterprise to manage new open spaces

Mile End Park, London

• Regenerated area of East London

• Income earning assets built into the park

• Generates 50% of annual budget from buildings within the park

Business models

Capital / set up•Grants•Crowdfunding•Community Shares•Membership / subscriptions•Loans (commercial banks or social investment)

Business modelsRevenue / day to day•Community supported / cropshares•Sale of goods•Sale of services– Health / Education

•Diversification– Renewable energy / Tourism

•Capturing value– Local levies / Ground rents

•Balancing assets– Buildings / other sites that will generate income

Business models

Reducing costs•Volunteers – community and corporate•Reducing costs of land / housing•Cooperative / collaborative approaches– Marketing– Distribution– Equipment

• Local context– What is different?– What is the same?

• Existing activity– What is already happening?– Who, what, where?

• What are the local opportunities for the development of land based social enterprise?

• What are the challenges / barriers?

• What actions are needed to enable something to develop?– Short, medium & long term?

• What resources are available?– People, money, skills & knowledge, land

Contact

mark@sharedassets.org.uk

@shared_assets

www.sharedassets.org.uk

Mark Walton