Communities across England have been granted unprecedented powers to acquire local assets under landmark legislation that came into force this week. The “right of communities to purchase” provisions, part of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, represent what ministers have called as “the biggest transfer of power to our communities in a generation”. The new law allows grassroots organisations to buy community assets such as pubs, libraries and similar venues without competition, provided they can secure funding within a 12-month window. The development comes as groups like Domestic Abuse WA12 in Merseyside aim to realise long-held ambitions to convert abandoned properties into vital community hubs.
A critical juncture for community-led groups
Tony Armstrong, chief executive of Locality, the national network for community-focused groups, has praised the new powers as transformative. “This is a real watershed moment, we are delighted,” he said. The organisation has consistently pushed for greater community control over community resources, recognising that existing “right to bid” schemes have achieved limited success. Under the previous system, which allowed a 6-month funding window, only about 2% of community assets passed into local ownership, largely because groups struggled to secure sufficient funds within the strict deadline. The lengthened one-year window should significantly improve these chances.
However, Armstrong has sounded a note of caution about the new rights’ introduction. Whilst characterising the legislation as “a fantastic new right,” he emphasised that it must be “backed up by clear support and funding access.” His concerns are reinforced by the government’s choice not to continue the £150m Community Ownership Fund, which previously delivered crucial funding to community groups seeking to purchase local assets in danger of closing. Without sustained funding arrangements in place, Armstrong fears that only the most affluent areas will be in a position to exploit their new buying capacity.
- Lengthened 12-month funding period supersedes earlier six-month deadline
- Government did not renew £150m Community Ownership Fund funding programme
- Community groups need dedicated funding and access to resources
- Legislation described as biggest power transfer to communities in generation
From failed bids to new opportunity
For Debbie Taylor and her domestic abuse service, the new community right to buy law represents a vital breakthrough after considerable frustration. Her service, Domestic Abuse WA12, has been attempting to purchase the derelict Ram’s Head pub in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside for nearly three years. When the building went to auction in the past, the group failed to generate enough money within the required timescale, and the pub did not reach its minimum price. Now, with a one-year timeframe to arrange finance, Taylor thinks the group now possesses a genuine opportunity of converting the structure into a community centre.
The extended deadline marks a crucial shift supporting grassroots organisations. Previously, the six-month fundraising window proved impractically brief for most community groups, resulting in the vast majority of assets staying in private ownership or becoming abandoned. Taylor’s experience is far from uncommon; numerous groups across England have watched potential community assets be lost due to financial constraints and time pressures. The recent law offers genuine hope that structures with real community importance can now be preserved and repurposed for community use, rather than abandoned or sold to developers.
The Ram’s Head transformation
The Ram’s Head possesses deep cultural importance for Domestic Abuse WA12 outside of its bricks and mortar. Taylor imagines the pub transforming into a refuge where families in need can obtain wide-ranging help services all in one place. “It’s far more than a building,” she explains. “It’s what it can stand for in the future for us and for the families that we’re supporting. It’s safety, stability, a tomorrow for people in our communities facing no options when they’re in crisis.”
The charity aims to integrate fundraising efforts, charitable grants, and borrowing to secure the property. Beyond providing domestic abuse services, the group aims to extend its food share programme and set up an welcoming community space where individuals can find safety whilst rebuilding their lives. Converting the derelict pub would simultaneously tackle antisocial behaviour blighting the neighbourhood whilst delivering tangible benefits to at-risk residents.
Extended definitions reveal additional potential
The landmark legislation substantially expands what qualifies as a “community asset” eligible for purchase under the revised acquisition scheme. Previously, the scope remained tightly defined, focusing mainly on pubs, libraries, and a limited range of other specified venues. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act markedly extends this reach, recognising that communities need varied facilities to flourish. Market halls, community centres, sports facilities, and cultural venues now fall within the ambit of the legislation, enabling grassroots organisations to secure assets that actively support their specific local needs and priorities.
This broadened definition marks a fundamental change in how decision-makers conceptualise community infrastructure. Rather than applying a centrally-determined catalogue of permissible assets, the new framework enables local groups themselves to identify structures and venues of real local significance. The scope enables bodies to develop unconventional projects tailored to their particular needs and communities. From repurposed industrial buildings operating as arts centres to former school buildings repurposed as training centres, the opportunities now stretch well beyond traditional high street landmarks, creating new possibilities for creative community-led regeneration across England.
Market halls and neighbourhood centres
Market halls occupy a cherished place in English public life, serving as dynamic community hubs where community members, traders, and producers converge. Under the expanded legislation, grassroots organisations can now take ownership of these historically significant buildings, ensuring they continue as accessible community spaces rather than falling victim to conversion or shutdown. Market halls commonly serve as anchors for town centers, generating foot traffic and strengthening social ties. Enabling local ownership safeguards their future as locally governed spaces controlled by local people rather than external commercial operators.
Community hubs likewise gain from the legal expansion, allowing organisations to establish consolidated service centres tackling multiple local needs simultaneously. These multifunctional spaces can house healthcare provision, educational programmes, food assistance schemes, and welfare services under one roof, improving efficiency and accessibility. The legislation acknowledges that contemporary communities require adaptable, purpose-designed facilities capable of responding to changing circumstances and circumstances. Community ownership ensures these hubs continue responsive to local concerns rather than limited by business pressures.
The funding challenge looming
Whilst the new community right to buy legislation represents a watershed moment for grassroots organisations across England, experts warn that legal authority alone will not ensure success without significant funding support. The elimination of the £150m Community Ownership Fund has left community groups confronted with an unpredictable environment, forced to assemble resources from public fundraisers, charitable grants, and bank loans. Tony Armstrong, chief operating officer of Locality, emphasises that the expanded 12-month window to secure funding means little without dedicated support structures and capital availability. Without a designated funding mechanism, only the wealthiest and most resourced communities may realistically achieve control of community properties.
The gap between aspiration and reality looms large for organisations like Domestic Abuse WA12, which spent close to three years attempting to secure the Ram’s Head pub before the new legislation arrived. Local organisations typically lack the monetary reserves and borrowing capacity of property developers, leaving them disadvantaged when bidding for assets. Social housing providers, council bodies, and property investors can mobilise capital far more rapidly and effectively. Policymakers face mounting pressure to establish a replacement funding scheme that actually enables communities to compete fairly in the real estate market, turning the statutory right to buy into tangible community ownership outcomes.
- Set up a specialist national fund supporting acquisition costs for communities and feasibility studies
- Introduce favourable lending programmes offering reduced interest rates to grassroots organisations
- Develop regional hubs providing financial advice and fundraising support to grassroots groups
Establishing permanent community control
The recently introduced community right to buy legislation represents a significant change in how English communities can safeguard their long-term prospects. By providing grassroots organisations a genuine right to acquire local assets—rather than merely the chance to bid—the law acknowledges that community ownership delivers concrete advantages beyond commercial viability. Assets managed by community groups remain rooted in local priorities and values, ensuring they serve residents’ needs rather than shareholders’ interests. This represents a clear departure from the previous model, where even well-meaning bids often failed because community organisations simply could not raise funds quickly enough to keep pace with commercial buyers.
For organisations like Domestic Abuse WA12, the implications are significant. The extended 12-month acquisition window provides breathing room to coordinate fundraising efforts, obtain grant funding, and secure funding without the hectic rush that marked previous efforts. Community ownership also offers stability and permanence; once established, these assets serve as foundations for community provision, protected from the whims of property speculation or commercial changes. As communities across England commence employing these fresh capabilities, the potential arises for a genuine renaissance of locally-controlled spaces—from local halls to neighbourhood centres—that authentically represent and support their neighbourhoods.