Picture Credit: Cilrath Acre, Narberth
When Finding land and selecting a site we've got some tips and resources to get community projects started.
Get some help from our expert advisors (Wales and Scotland)
Our Community Land Advisory Service (CLAS) can help you find and manage land in Wales and Scotland. CLAS is a one-to-one specialist advice service tailored to your community project. If you're based elsewhere in the UK, you might find the following general advice helpful.
Plan your project
Before you start, think about what the community want for the project or enterprise. There are many different types of community green space projects, from community gardens and wildlife areas to therapeutic gardens or orchards. Projects can also take the shape of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), care farms, play spaces, memorial gardens, or playing fields. The level of ambition will dictate how to go from an idea, to finding land and getting permissions and importantly, how the group or enterprise should set up governance wise.
Our Community Growing Resource Pack has everything community green space projects and enterprises need to know about starting up and taking forward your proposals.
Download the Community Growing Resource Pack >
In Wales, the Welsh Government have also published guidance for allotments and community growers, which Social Farms & Gardens were involved in creating.
Introducing your project to landowners
When searching for land, we recommend keeping it simple when telling landowners about your group and potential project. We've made this easier by creating a template letter.
Landowners will at the very least want to see that a group is constituted, has some aims about what they would like to do on the land and depending on the scale of the growing project a business, management or action plan and insurance. Our Community Land Advisory Services in Wales and Scotland can help if you need support. There are also other agencies such as the Wales Council for Voluntary Action in Wales, the NAVCA in England or the SCVO in Scotland. Please also see our webinar on Governance advice here.
Download template introduction form for your project > (Word doc)
Starting your search for suitable land
Set out some key priorities that the project needs from a site for it to be effective. Here are some helpful tips to think about at the outset:
- If you are growing food the site should not be too shaded, if you need to access the site by car for deliveries etc you should look for somewhere that has a good potential access point and a potential for a small area for parking.
- Consider planning regulations and policy. If the site is outside of a town or village, it may be classed as ‘open countryside’ where planning regulations are more restrictive. You will need to provide good justification for any structures or hardstanding areas, proving that they are essential for the green space project to succeed. Take a look at our Wales planning guidance documents. If a piece of land has protected species present, you will need to enhance their living environment and cause very little disturbance. It is best to seek advice on planning and protected species before proceeding to a Heads of Terms agreement with the landowner. Our CLAS services in Wales and Scotland can tailor advice on this. In the early stages of an idea communities should be flexible and wide-ranging at and avoid being too single minded on one site. A piece of land which seems inappropriate at first may end up being your preferred option. Similarly, land which looks ideal at first glance could have a problem involving significant time or cost or not meet your funders criteria.
- Consider spaces close to the community it is going to serve.
- Think realistically about the level of time and resources the community can provide.
- Start small. Consider managing or improving smaller woodlands/hedgerows/spaces that need a bit of community input and care before moving onto bigger ventures. This can help show the worth of the community and prove abilities.
- Search for vacant sites on the ground or use maps and satellite images on google or other search engines. Use digital tools such as land explorer, or Land Registry (England and Wales). Registers of Scotland or Land Registry Northern Ireland.
- Talk to local people, local businesses, farmers, community hubs, schools, churches and public bodies including the local authority and health board who may all own land in the area but are also valuable potential partners.
- Use social media to ask questions about vacant land in your area. If land doesn't seem to fit the ambitions of the community needs, consider changing the project or enterprise to suit the potential land available. Discuss whether this would still suit the community aspirations and agree potential changes in approach with them.
- Speak to the local ward councillor/s so that you get them on board at an early stage. They can also provide valuable contacts and links into the local authority
- The projects that work the best and longest are the ones that have lots of community backing and willingness to get involved. Projects that don’t have full community engagement and are driven by a small minority tend to have more challenges and often do not succeed.
Explore Community Asset Transfer with your local authority
Local authorities often have land that is not being used, has been underused or is surplus to requirements.
Your local ward member can advise you about who you need to speak to at the local authority and may be helpful in progressing your project.
In Wales and Scotland, our dedicated Community Land Advisory Service can help you find the right people to speak to. As well as the Community Land Advisory Service, our UK-wide Social Farms & Gardens team can put you in touch with a similar project managing local authority land.
Local authorities and public bodies have set procedures for transferring even the smallest of spaces for community management. Some local authorities have Community Asset Transfer officers or departments. It may be helpful to search 'Community Asset Transfer' on your council website to see if they have set procedures to follow and how to contact them.
Consider all permissions and consents
Permissions and consents to consider when choosing a site for your community green space project or enterprise include:
Whether the community wish to buy the land and that they are aware of ALL the landowners and title deeds. Check with Land Registry and/ or seek legal advice.
A lease agreement/ licence or a simple letter of permission from ALL landowners. Please see our page on leases and licences. Be sure to check the title deeds at an early stage at the Land Registry
Planning consents to use or build on land. Please see our planning guidance notes on what needs planning permission and how to go about gaining planning permission. Link. We have advisors in Wales and Scotland that are chartered town planners who can help with this.)
In Wales, developments over 100 sq.m need approval from the local Sustainable Drainage Authority. Alongside Planning permission, it is important to check to see if SUDs approval is needed. Seek professional advice on how the scheme is going to prevent rainwater runoff (from proposed structures and hardstanding areas), going into the public sewer.
Any specific controls on the prospective land, such as listed buildings/ ancient monuments, whether the plot has protected species or is in an area of flood risk. Your local council should be able to help with this. In Wales you can also speak to a CLAS Cymru Advisor.
In most cases, if there is a need to create a new access into a site the new access will need the permission of the highway authority combined with planning permission.
If as part of the community plans, there is a need to take water from a water source you may need a licence from a) Natural Resources Wales b) GOV.uk - Northern Ireland c) GOV.uk - Scotland or d) GOV.uk - England
If there is need to bring electricity onto a new site, consider solar or wind power. Otherwise, you will need to contact the National Grid
Check whether there are utilities underground on any site your community is thinking of growing on or building any type of foundations on. Check with your local council for plans or speak to a local drainage expert.
For sites close to a railway line you will need to consult with Network Rail about your proposals. They have minimum distances for structures near railway lines and they also have also important cables nearby. Check the title deeds on the site and contact Network Rail
If your community want to grow food or have members of the public coming onto what is potentially contaminated land, you will need to consult with the environment protection department at your local council. It is very important to check what previous uses may have been on any site before progressing with any ideas for community projects.
Check if there are protected trees or hedgerows on the site with your local council
If the prospective site is a grassland or meadow check with the Wildlife Trusts or the local council to see if it is protected before committing to a site.
Please note this is not an exhaustive list and it is important to seek qualified advice and always contact the local authority before entering into Heads of Terms about any constraints, planning regulations or previous planning consents on the site. A Land Registry search will also show up any restrictive covenants on the land title. You may need a solicitor to help interpret the consequences of such covenants.
This resource was produced by our Community Land Advisory Service Cymru. We have tried to make it useful for other areas of the UK too. The service offers one-to-one land and planning advice in Wales or Scotland.