"The Cube team has really played to its strengths in helping us take our neighbourhood plan from an aspiration to a full delivery plan. They’ve brought together key partners, stakeholders and combined it with their construction expertise to assemble the right people, in the right place, at the right time with the right approach."
Chair of the Local Community Land Trust
Developing a delivery plan
A former mining town in South Yorkshire had suffered from a lack of investment and new homes that had been built were not affordable to local residents. The town council and a collective of local volunteers, senior experts in their own fields, had spent many years researching living standards, housing conditions and ways to address disparity between the existing community and newcomers to the town. They had formed an outline neighbourhood plan for the regeneration of the area, yet lacked the wider skills and expertise to take it further.
The group knew what they wanted to do next and had the desire to make it happen, but had no expertise in masterplanning, the development process or raising finance. Which is where Cube could help.
Addressing wider challenges
There were several key challenges to address throughout, including:
- Managing expectations of the local community and town council
- Lack of knowledge and expertise
- Assessing feasibility
- Managing multiple stakeholders
- Delivering different priorities
- Legal and jurisdiction constraints of different councils
- Accessing funding
Cube acted as an impartial and objective sounding board for the group to help overcome the challenges and take practical, proactive steps to create opportunities.
Finding out feasibility
A detailed review of the local regeneration plan was necessary to ensure it was compatible with the wider local authority masterplan and prioritised community aspirations.
Cube assessed the ambitious regeneration project, carrying out a feasibility study at a practical level.
The initial aspiration was to deliver a leisure centre to address health and wellbeing issues. Following consultations with the Town Council and CLT to define wider objectives, Cube started looking at a whole solution and used the process as an opportunity to attract investment.
Cube co-ordinated stakeholder relationships among the town, and borough councils and various local groups to understand what was possible and to include everyone in the opportunity.
Assembling construction experts
Cube brought together a multi-disciplinary team that quickly engaged with stakeholders to better understand their needs and to identify and clarify the various options available.
A visioning workshop led by architects GT3 defined the sites available for redevelopment / regeneration, confirmed ownership and facilitated the potential next steps in the process.
A brief was produced for use as a point of reference throughout to ensure that what ultimately is delivered is reflective of the original objectives – to improve the health and wellbeing of the community through the regeneration of the area. Regeneration will include improved housing and sport and leisure facilities that is affordable for local residents. A full report of the findings including costed options, properly informed any recommendations.
Engagement and buy-in from all stakeholders made sure that the project moved forward with clarity, conviction and momentum.
Delivering tangible results
Cube effectively brought individual teams together and managed the relationships, programme and deliverables to the point that a Regeneration Partnership was formed as a legal entity. This provides the vehicle to be able to procure services, secure investment and sell land as required.
The partnership will now work together:
- As an equal Investment Partnership LLP between the local Community Land Trust and regeneration partners with Cube providing independent stakeholder management, liaison and support with coordination activities.
- To source grant funding to modernise existing homes, such as green homes grants, dealing directly or with other partners.
- To develop sites for housing and infrastructure, including affordable options, with the support of grant provision.
- To enhance the local area by installing urgently needed community assets.
- Investing in undevelopable land to create energy producing/carbon saving/cash generating assets such as battery storage, solar PV and wind.
- Creating jobs, training and driving local economic spend.
- To bring in private investment to increase the ambition for change.