Group Projects – Working with Others
A local authority responds to initiatives developed by private groups, charitable foundations or housing associations and seeks to support them where it can by helping them find land, providing planning and strategic policy guidance and introducing them to sources of finance or expertise to ensure their proposals can be viably developed.
Phases
Initiation
- Take calls from groups
- Match them with demand
- Make introductions
Planning, design & finance
- Work with the group
- Drum up political support
- Ask about their team and finance – offer guidance
- Offer them a room to meet in
Ground works
- Identify suitable land or refurb opportunities
Home build
- Groups build out sites
People
Briefing Notes
Engage
Talk to the groups in your area, or those on your Register. Understand their objectives.Planning
Be willing to spend time with groups that are newly formed so they understand the practical, financial and technical issues they will have to negotiate. Use the planning system to identify land that would be well suited to Groups.Click here to view >Support
Build support for group projects with colleagues and local politicians.Land
There are many ways you may be able to help a group find a site.Finance
Help groups apply for Government loans, or introduce them to other funding possibilities.Monitoring
The Group is responsible for the building work, though you may still have to provide advice.Monitoring
The Group is responsible for the building work, though you may still have to provide advice.Pros/Cons
PROS
- Does not require up-front financial investment – just your time
CONS
- Groups really struggle to get projects off the ground if there is no real site available, and many get disillusioned and give up
Notes
ADAPTING THIS APPROACH
In the UK, up to now, this has been the main way groups have been ‘supported’ by councils. But the reality is that a high proportion of groups fail, and this is not a very practical way of getting them to the build stage. If you really want to help groups look at initiating these projects yourself by identifying and allocating land specifically for them.FURTHER INFORMATION
You may also be interested in how councils can directly facilitate opportunities for groups – see Briefing Note Help and support for groups and Model Group Projects - Council Initiated.Case Studies
The model above is generic. In reality every project is different and you may find these Case Studies useful reference points.
