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💡 About asset development journeys
This page provides an overview of the stages communities pass through on their journeys to developing assets. The accounts are drawn from our engagement with those supporting communities and community asset developers themselves.
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The process by which communities come to control and steward their own assets is complex, iterative, and deeply context dependent. These “asset development journeys” unfold over years and decades, involve many different stakeholders, are rarely straightforward or linear and, in the end, success is by no means guaranteed.
Whilst we can broadly generalise, asset development journeys are always unique to the circumstances, communities and individuals involved. Infrastructure and support must take this into account and seek to be targeted and flexible in its approach.
Across our engagements, we heard that asset development journeys are all too often in response to a threat to a community space. These scenarios can galvanise extraordinary movements for collective action. They can also come with a sense of urgency that can be overwhelming for leaders and, as those supporting communities told us, put asset developers on the back foot from the very beginning. When communities have to react to threats to their assets, they need support, advice and information to help them quickly access information, understand their options and plan their next steps.
Typically, they hear that the council wants to sell the building… the lease has been allowed to expire… they get put on a tenancy at will… and then it’s kind of panic stations.
Proactive beginnings to asset development journeys were described as much less common but, where they are, they help groups to build effective strategy, relationships and local support. Proactive journeys begin through exposure to exemplars elsewhere, the development of strategy through planning, and awareness driven by wider political education.
“I started reading a lot and I understood that land ownership is the thing.”
Pre-development is where asset development work begins to take shape. This happens through feasibility work, relationship-building and exploring options for assets. The stage can be long, resource-intensive and rely on expertise, such as governance, business planning and design. Expertise that’s rarely easy to access for communities. On top of this, we frequently heard that pre-development is deeply underfunded. Without revenue funding, communities rely on people giving their time voluntarily. This pressure can lead to momentum and participation falling away, leading projects to stall.
“Key support around feasibility studies, business planning, architectural drawings…this is often missing… these are critical bits of support required.”
Progress through pre-development can be shaped by hands-on support that helps communities to identify what they need, as well as supporting them to engage with more technical aspects of this stage. Targeted funding to resource the time of those involved and bring in expertise is also a significant enabler. As are intermediaries who can broker relationships between communities, councils and private developers that might take some of the load off community groups and set them up for future success.
The development stage is where demands on technical expertise and financial resources peak. Asset developers must engage in legal negotiations, financial modelling, planning processes and they must raise the funds to finance their project. At the same time, the development stage requires communities to balance timelines and needs of different stakeholders and different parts of the process. These rarely align neatly and delays in one part of the process can undermine the whole project. This period is precarious, especially for groups navigating development for the first time or engaging with partners who hold far more power and technical knowledge.
“Where is the long-term revenue grant money so that your team can stand up for 10 years…or if planning doesn't come through, your team isn't going to collapse as a result.”
Access to finance is fundamental. Successful projects are often built on a mixture of finance including grants, repayable finance, crowdfunding and community shares. The cheaper, more patient, more flexible and simpler the financing arrangements are the better.
Experiences in this stage are also shaped by ongoing relationships. Where councils, funders, developers and communities work together in good faith, engagement is more constructive and projects less precarious. Advisors or peers who can “walk alongside” communities as they navigate technical challenges and moments of uncertainty are needed to support asset developers at this stage too.
Once an asset is acquired or redeveloped, community groups step into a new phase of operating land or property. This stage can require changes in operational practices, new stakeholder relationships to manage and changes in expectations from the community. We heard how asset developers are often not well prepared. Further complicating matters, reserves of energy, funds and goodwill may have been depleted by years of pre-development and development work. Cost-saving measures during development may impact on projected income or costs post-development. Costs, such as insurance, water and electricity can also increase unexpectedly.
“Too often people fixate on the capital to buy it, but then they have a major problem once they’re in because there’s no money to actually run it.”
Organisational capacity, planning and flexible support help groups navigate this stage. Support to build strong leadership and internal practices facilitate organisations to transition to managing new assets. Revenue funding and finance help bridge income gaps and establish sustainable operations. Contact with peers who are ahead in the journeys builds realistic expectations and encourages groups to make effective plans.
Succession is a frequently overlooked stage of asset development journeys, yet it can be one of the most significant in maintaining assets in community control. Many projects are driven for long periods by a small group of highly committed individuals who keep the wheels turning on precarious assets. After many years, the physical condition of assets can fall into decline, leaders can feel unsure of how to step back and new people may not feel there is space to take on responsibility. This creates real risk that community assets, which require new investments of energy and resources but rely on a small number of embattled individuals, fail to navigate transitions.
“We have strong older leadership and it makes it harder for younger people to step into leadership positions”
Successful succession and renewal draws on intentional practices that plan ahead, bring in new individuals, collectivise stewardship. Time and resource poor community organisations require support to create the space and structure for future looking plans. Once plans are made, funding and capacity building support is required to fill identified gaps. We heard how participation pathways allow people - particular young people and those not typically involved - to contribute, build confidence and take on responsibility. Interventions such as apprenticeships, mentoring and shared governance can help to create a pool of new leaders available to an asset and the community behind it.