At Common Places we make things happen.

Whether working in partnership with communities, Social Enterprises, local authorities or businesses we get to the bottom of an issue or problem and then work with our clients to resolve it. We take our work beyond being consultants or contractors; we work with our clients to produce the outcomes that they want.

Our greatest satisfaction comes from becoming a partner with our client; looking at the problem or issue and coming up with the best options to sort it out. This often means sitting with a client who, perhaps, at the beginning only has a thought or idea.  We listen carefully and then discuss with them ways that this might come to fruition.  If it will cost money to bring the idea together, then we will work in partnership to identify the investment or funding required and make it happen.

The work we do often means engaging with the whole of the local community, setting out a plan of action, managing projects, doing business plans, working out how to make organisations viable and sustainable (financially and through how they run themselves).

All of these things can be complicated and, sometimes, take a high level of expertise to achieve. But at the heart of it lies the community (whether people, business or communities of interest). What they want is often simple (money, perhaps or having a say in their community) and we aim to keep it to those simple principles.  We can help to cut through the complexity and make a difference.

To show our commitment to delivering projects that we believe in, Common Places is a Registered Social Enterprise; profits being reinvested to further our Social Objectives.

The partnership was set up by four practitioners in April 2008, each partner having many years experience of Community-led planning, Community Regeneration and Social Enterprise, both in the UK and internationally.  Associates have since been added, specialising in land use planning, so important at present with the development of Neighbourhood Plans, Business Management, Community Development, facilitation, mentoring, training and finance. Having such a dynamic team of individuals allows the creation of bespoke teams to undertake an array of projects and programmes designed around the need of the client.

Common Places work with an array of organisations; local organisations/groups, Social enterprises, public bodies, Local Authorities and private companies.  We often work in close teams; drawing on specialist skills required for the job at hand (we always look to the best people for the specific job).  However, we can also draw in further professional expertise, such as architects, to assist with the successful development of projects.  Recent contracts have ranged geographically from Community facilitation in Penzance, as part of the team developing a Framework Plan (linking land use planning to Community Planning) to Community Development work in Papua New Guinea.  Teams have also been working across England, particularly, assisting local groups take on the responsibility of important local assets made available by public bodies, such as the Old Hospital in Minehead; contract managing and developing local projects, such as through the South West of England Empowerment Works Programme; and helping communities develop community-led plans, such as the recent one in Newquay or the many others across the South West of England.  The team also contains four qualified funding advisors as well as containing a high level of financial expertise from the private and social enterprise sector.

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