The Meanwhile Project

The Meanwhile Project has been set up following the launch of 'Looking after our town centres' on 14 April 2009 including the empty shops revival plan to prevent high street decline.

Development Trusts Association is leading the Meanwhile Project as part of its wider Advancing Assets for Communities programme supported by the department for Communities and Local Government (CLG)

The Meanwhile Project is currently in the first phase of work to explore, develop, and test meanwhile approaches in several towns throughout the country, gathering information about who is already doing what, and developing the meanwhile lease document prior to more formal pilots and wider promotion later this year. Meanwhile Space CIC are providing project support.

We believe that… empty properties spoil town centres, destroy economic and social value. Vibrant community uses will benefit existing shops, as well as the wider town centre, through increased footfall, bringing life back to the high street and making better use of resources overall.

We can make it easier for all involved, through a simplified legal instrument (the ‘meanwhile lease’), to be used either directly between the owner and the community occupier, or via an intermediary, such as a local authority or a local charity.