Four Greens Community Trust Business Plan (FGCT)

Four Greens Community Trust Business Plan (FGCT)

“Helping People, changing lives”

Four Greens Community Trust (FGCT) was formed in October 2014 to meet the Cooperative Councils objective to “begin the process of creating a community economic development trust in the north of the city”. FGCT covers the areas of Ernesettle, Whitleigh, Honicknowle, and Manadon where the Council identified 10 property assets which they could endow to establish FGCT. It is a key component of Plymouth City Council’s approach to give people greater control over their lives, the services they receive, and amenities they use.

Vision

In partnership, we will create a robust local economy within a high quality environment that improves the health of our community and encourages a sense of pride, ownership and aspiration.

Mission

Our Mission is to enable the community we serve to become empowered to create

Prosperity
Opportunities and activities that promote improved health and well being
A safe and appealing place to live and work
A thriving, active, informed and aspirational community that celebrates its heritage and culture

Objectives

Develop sustainable local assets that benefit the community we serve
Create employment and volunteering opportunities for our community
Improve the local environment
Develop sustainable activities and services that improve the health and wellbeing of our community

Assets and Options

Current Projects

Whitleigh Hub building – a 9 year vacant former nursing home has been converted into a community facility that is providing health and community services in addition to small business start-up units. Funding was provided by Plymouth City Council and the refurbishment project took 9 months to complete opening in August 2016. Current tenants include Barnardo’s, Livewell and Memory Matters. With the potential for working with other health providers, alongside information, advice and guidance, we are working on a collaborative social prescription model within our locality. Current community activities include fitness sessions, family learning opportunities such as Cooking on a Budget, job clubs and drop in sessions for the local community
Solar farm Ernesettle – in partnership with Plymouth Energy Community Renewals (PECR) an 18 acre 4.1MW solar farm has been created on contaminated land in an MOD blast zone using Pfalz as contractors. The farm produced electricity on the 25.3.2016 achieving the enhanced grid payment prior to the 31.3.2016 cut off. It provides FGCT with a land rental return of £18k pa RPI linked and the community and investors with a share option investment in the farm
Ernesettle Community allotment – a parcel of land has been identified for a resident led community food growing project with £16k of funding raised from grants and crowdfunding donations with PCC section 106 and Plutus Community Infrastructure Levy as match. Clearing and construction work has created individual plots and a communal growing area. A formal opening and celebration took place in June 2016. The project is entirely community run, with a management committee made up of local residents.

Asset Assessment

Income

The current assets pledged to FGCT by PCC have been assessed individually by the PCC officers and the board and an asset income assessment document is produced and updated quarterly to provide a snap shot of the current position for the board. Total rental income from assets in addition to those identified above include:-

Motocross track Ernesettle – much improved track from working with Solar farm contractors to utilise waste soil from build, generating £1960 pa (14 events @ £140)
Tractor Shed Ernesettle – rented to B&H Scaffolding, good tenant with potential currently @ £6000pa
Grazing land Ernesettle- a field of around nine acres rented @ £1000 pa (£100/acre)
Old University Sports Hall Ernesettle – subject to an indoor moto cross pre planning application which should generate £6000 pa rental from Dec 2017

At April 2016 total rental income for FGCT was c£28k pa but this will rise substantially through the year as the Whitleigh Hub building is occupied by tenants. The financial projections attached provide further information on these expectations

Other Assets Review

An assessment of FGCT assets is being conducted regularly via the quarterly review and to identify new assets that may enable the trust to move forward with income generating projects to make FGCT viable for the future, which has to be our initial priority over the next 3 years. This includes other land and buildings in the FGCT area. We do aim to combine this with other neighbourhood projects such as the community allotment in Ernesettle, but we will seek to undertake these on a cash neutral basis.

At present we have 4 assets that we would consider exchanging for others within the PCC portfolio that we consider may have better potential, and which we are actively exploring. These are:-

Woodland Fort Honicknowle
The Scout hut and land Ernesettle
Part Whitleigh Green, Whitleigh
Honicknowle Tip

Housing

There is suitable housing land within the FGCT area, and we are aware there is a shortage of affordable housing. We are actively exploring asset opportunities to provide self-build and custom build schemes, and co-housing options to deliver environmentally friendly low cost housing schemes to the FGCT community. We anticipate these projects would need to be in conjunction with commercial partners such as PCH or other housing associations. Such schemes are part of asset swap discussions with PCC.

Outdoor Health and Leisure

We have a number of underutilised green spaces within the FGCT area that could be opened up to provide better public access for leisure purposes. We are aware there is a programme to improve the national cycle network in the North of the city and we believe there may be an opportunity to create a spur from this project. It would run west through the valley connecting Whitleigh, Honicknowle and Ernesettle to Ernesettle creek and south to the A38 Honicknowle bridge, which is part of the current network plans. This could link to the development of Knowle Battery outlined above. We will seek grant funding to see if we can progress this further as it would encourage exercise, better communication and leisure options across the FGCT area. It would be used by both cyclists and pedestrians opening up and connecting these areas for both locals and visitors. Part of this green space has also been identified by Active Communities as a priority for improvement, so by working together we have more options for match funding and combining resources.

Indoor Health & Leisure

The FGCT board recognise there is a shortage of some indoor health and leisure facilities within the FGCT area and we will support any viable initiatives from other organisations to improve the offering within the community. This is part of our aim to improve the well-being of the community working with partners such as PCC and the YMCA. Grant funders such as Sport England, Big Lottery and other commissioning bodies may be funding options, although ongoing sustainability of such projects so they are not grant dependent can be a problem.

Community Business

We are actively looking to utilise our assets to work with and establish community businesses. FGCT have been closely involved canvasing and engaging with the community in the creation of the solar farm on contaminated blast zone land at Ernesettle alongside Plymouth Energy Community Renewable (PECR) which will provide electricity for c 1000 homes in the area. Other examples of community projects that we are exploring include a community brewery, educational and training kitchen, market garden and shop, cycle maintenance in conjunction with the cycle route. We anticipate these projects will only reach fruition partnering existing or new enterprises with viable business plans not wholly reliant on FGCT’s limited capital.

Community Based Services

The new hub in Whitleigh provides a golden opportunity for partnership work between the community and service providers. We are actively looking to utilise the hub, that became operational in August 2016, to provide a new social prescription model in conjunction with local doctors, partners and the community to meet the strategic priorities of health and wellbeing and supporting people to become economically active. The model intends to provide a joined up service to deliver family and health services, remove barriers to economic activity, finance and debt advice, housing and community support. The partners will be seeking grant and financial support to move this project forward over the next three years, with a view to future sustainability.

Resources

FGCT have a board of 10 directors consisting of 8 local stakeholders, 2 local councillors and potentially 3 co-optees with relevant skills and experience to help FGCT grow. The board is supported by 0.6 members of PCC. The current memberships of around 170 individuals vote the board in annually on a 3 year rolling basis. Individual board members provide their support on an unpaid basis:-

Summary

The FGCT board’s priority is to create a sustainable co-operative community interest company business model during the next 3 years. We will set targets, monitor progress and take corrective action where needed. Our intention is to create a strong FGCT identity with community support that will raise the profile of these neighbourhoods and make them destinations where people want to live, work and visit.