Platform Places
Platform Places is a UK not-for-profit social enterprise, founded in 2022 and now a subsidiary of Footwork Trust, that convenes councils, community leaders, and asset owners to form Local Property Partnerships unlocking town centre buildings for community benefit across five pilot neighbourhoods in England.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Platform Places does
Platform Places is a UK not-for-profit social enterprise, founded in 2022, that convenes local authorities, community leaders, and property asset owners to form Local Property Partnerships aimed at shifting underused town centre buildings into long-term community ownership or use. The organisation operates a programme — not a software product — built around a partnership facilitation methodology: identifying neighbourhoods, assembling the right mix of stakeholders (councils, community organisations, funders, and asset owners), brokering relationships, and supporting the legal and financial structuring of community-led real estate transactions. As of July 2025, Platform Places Ltd is a subsidiary of registered charity Footwork Trust, combining two teams into one of six staff while preserving distinct brands and boards in a 'civic partnership' structure.
The organisation's core offering is the Local Property Partnerships programme, currently running as a £2.5 million, three-year pilot (2024-2027) funded by The National Lottery Community Fund across five pilot neighbourhoods in England: Bedminster (Bristol), Byker (Newcastle), Darnall Ward (Sheffield), Knowsley and St Helens (Liverpool City Region), and Wandsworth Town (London). The pilot targets shifting 15 buildings into long-term local ownership. Platform Places supplements the programme with a Toolkit for Community Asset Developers (open-source templates, guides, and an interactive Legal Powers Quiz), a Social Impact Agreement template used to structure community value leases, and the Mycelial Network of Community Asset Developers. Co-founding sector partners — High Streets Task Force, Power to Change, British Property Federation, New Local, Radix, and Shoosmiths — provide institutional credibility and network reach.
The business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than commercially priced. Platform Places does not charge councils, community organisations, or asset owners for its convening services. Primary funding is the £2.5M National Lottery Community Fund grant, supplemented by seed funding from Legal & General for the Wandsworth phase and co-funding from the Mayor of London and UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Notable ecosystem signals include a 10-year social value lease brokered in May 2025 between Wandsworth Town Property Partnership and developer ARC LRE Ltd for the former Salvation Army building at 9 Ram Street, with community café space operated by social enterprise Feel Good Bakery. The organisation is headquartered at 7-9 Woodbridge Street, London, and is led by co-founders Frances Northrop and Rebecca Trevalyan.
Platform Places firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Platform Places
- Legal name
- Platform Places Ltd
- Website
- https://platformplaces.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Platform Places is a UK not-for-profit social enterprise, founded in 2022 and now a subsidiary of Footwork Trust, that convenes councils, community leaders, and asset owners to form Local Property Partnerships unlocking town centre buildings for community benefit across five pilot neighbourhoods in England.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Platform Places industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Property Partnerships and Community-Led Regeneration
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Federated Giving Organizations (e.g., United Way-type) (BPAGAKAG)
Keywords
Where Platform Places is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Platform Places business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- National Lottery Community Fund: Platform Places and partners received £2.5 million over three years from The National Lottery Community Fund to enable communities to come together and secure long-term spaces through the Local Property Partnerships pilot programme (2024-2027).
- Corporate Funding (Legal & General): Legal & General has seed funded the Wandsworth Town Property Partnership phase.
- Government Funding: Wandsworth Town Property Partnership received part-funding from the Mayor of London and UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, as part of the Mayor of London's work to support more mission-driven property management.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Platform Places product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Platform Places convenes councils, community leaders and asset owners to form Local Property Partnerships that unlock town centre buildings for community benefit, including affordable housing, arts venues, community spaces, urban farms and co-working spaces. It delivers this through a structured programme framework, free open-source toolkits and templates, peer networks, matchmaking between asset owners and community occupiers, and educational workshops. The organisation is a not-for-profit social enterprise and subsidiary of charity Footwork Trust, funded primarily by a £2.5 million grant from The National Lottery Community Fund.
Product overview
Platform Places is a social enterprise that operates primarily through its core Local Property Partnerships programme, which convenes councils, community leaders, and asset owners to unlock town centre buildings for community benefit. The offering includes open-source resources via the Toolkit for Community Asset Developers (featuring templates, guides, interviews with experienced developers, and the Legal Powers Quiz), peer networking through the Mycelial Network, and educational workshops. They also provide a Social Impact Agreement template for structuring community value leases between asset owners and community organisations. The platform does not offer a traditional software product but rather facilitates partnerships, provides knowledge resources, and connects stakeholders through their network and matchmaker initiative.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Local Property Partnerships Programme Core programme that convenes councils, community leaders and asset owners to form Local Property Partnerships that unlock town centre buildings for community benefit, including affordable housing, arts venues, community spaces, urban farms and co-working spaces.
- Toolkit for Community Asset Developers Free open-source knowledge resource providing templates, guides, interviews and case studies to help community organisations and councils unlock buildings for local benefit.
- Social Impact Agreement Template (Head of Terms) Template Head of Terms for social impact agreements (or social value leases) used between asset owners and community organisations to enable community use of buildings.
- Mycelial Network Self-governing peer solidarity network for Community Asset Developers — locally-led organisations taking on buildings and spaces to transform neighbourhoods for social justice and climate resilience. Co-facilitated by Footwork and Platform Places.
- Matchmaker Initiative Service that connects asset owners with community organisations needing space, facilitating introductions on fairer terms for long-term community occupancy.
- E-Workshop: How to Start a Local Property Partnership Free online practical workshop that teaches community and council leaders how to start a Local Property Partnership, drawing on pilot programme experience.
Quantifiable outcome
- £2.5 million pilot programme launched, demonstrating that communities, councils, and asset owners can unlock spaces and funds together
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Platform Places
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Platform Places technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Platform Places partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Footwork TrustcoreAs of July 2025, Footwork and Platform Places are formally integrating, with Platform Places Ltd now a subsidiary of charity Footwork Trust. This is described as a 'civic partnership' with collaboration as equals—keeping distinct brands and key programmes as two legal entities with separate Boards. The integration enables shared advisory group, senior leaders, office, and pooled resources. 'People and Place' remains rooted in Footwork while 'Local Property Partnerships' continue through Platform Places.
- ARC LRE LtdminorLocal developer that entered into an innovative 10-year social value lease with Wandsworth Town Property Partnership for the former Salvation Army building at 9 Ram Street. ARC LRE is supporting the venture with tiered, discounted rent to enable sustainable growth and social impact.
- Regenerate (Feel Good Bakery)minorSocial enterprise from youth charity Regenerate working with Wandsworth Town Property Partnership and ARC LRE to codesign and operate the community café and space at Ram Street, providing employment skills training for local young people.
- Architectural Heritage FundminorNational delivery partner for the Local Property Partnerships programme, providing expertise on heritage property and community asset development.
- Social Investment BusinessminorNational delivery partner for the Local Property Partnerships programme, providing social investment expertise and network connections.
- High Streets Task ForcecoreCo-founding partner of Platform Places. High Streets Task Force provides strategic support and credibility to the national movement, helping to convene councils and shape high street policy.
- Power to ChangecoreCo-founding partner of Platform Places. Power to Change is a charitable trust supporting community businesses in England, providing funding, research, and network support for community-led property initiatives.
- British Property FederationcoreCo-founding partner of Platform Places. British Property Federation represents property owners and investors, bringing private sector perspective to the partnership model.
- New LocalcoreCo-founding partner of Platform Places. New Local is a think tank focused on local governance and community power, contributing policy expertise and network connections.
- RadixcoreCo-founding partner of Platform Places. Radix is a think tank that published the 'A Platform for Places' policy report which formed the basis for Platform Places' approach.
- ShoosmithscoreCo-founding partner of Platform Places. Shoosmiths is a law firm providing legal expertise for property and partnership matters.
- Mycelial NetworkminorA self-governing peer solidarity network for Community Asset Developers (locally-led organisations that take on buildings and spaces to transform their neighbourhoods). Platform Places co-facilitates and supports the Mycelial Network alongside Footwork.
- Transformation by DesignminorWandsworth-based consultancy commissioned to deliver the Wandsworth Town Property Partnership work.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Platform Places competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- New Local: Co-founding partner of Platform Places and a think tank focused on local governance, community power and the future of local public services — comparable as a network organisation serving councils and community leaders with policy influence.
- Architectural Heritage Fund: National delivery partner for the Local Property Partnerships programme, providing grants and advice for the reuse of historic buildings for community benefit — comparable mission around community-led property development and heritage asset transfer.
- Footwork Trust: Registered charity that Platform Places formally integrated with in July 2025 as a 'civic partnership'; runs the People and Place programme for community innovators and shares offices, advisory group and networks with Platform Places.
- Big Local: National Lottery Community Fund programme giving £1M+ each to 150 local communities to bring about lasting change — comparable as a Lottery-funded, place-based community empowerment programme with similar funder and target audience.
- Power to Change: Co-founding partner of Platform Places and an independent charitable trust that funds and supports community businesses across England — directly comparable as a grantmaker enabling community-led property and enterprise, with overlapping networks and mission.
- Locality: UK membership organisation supporting community-led organisations with housing, asset development and neighbourhood regeneration — closely comparable mission around community asset transfer and local property partnerships, serving similar council and community leader customers.
- High Streets Task Force: Co-founding partner of Platform Places and an expert body supporting councils and places to tackle high street challenges — directly comparable as a high street-focused convener working with local authorities on place-making and regeneration.
Broad incumbents
- British Property Federation: Co-founding partner of Platform Places and the trade association for UK property owners and investors — comparable as a representative body for asset owners relevant to high street property activation, though operating at industry-wide rather than community level.
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation: Larger UK charitable foundation funding research, policy and practice on housing and poverty — broader portfolio but overlapping interest in community-led housing, place-based regeneration and affordable community spaces.
Emerging players
- Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES): Think tank and consultancy focused on local economic strategies, community wealth building and progressive local economies — partially comparable as a policy/practice organisation serving councils and place-based initiatives.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Platform Places social profiles
Digital presencePlatform Places financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Platform Places leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Platform Places funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Platform Places M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Platform Places
What does Platform Places do?
Platform Places convenes councils, community leaders and asset owners to form Local Property Partnerships that unlock town centre buildings for community benefit, including affordable housing, arts venues, community spaces, urban farms and co-working spaces. It delivers this through a structured programme framework, free open-source toolkits and templates, peer networks, matchmaking between asset owners and community occupiers, and educational workshops. The organisation is a not-for-profit social enterprise and subsidiary of charity Footwork Trust, funded primarily by a £2.5 million grant from The National Lottery Community Fund.
Is Platform Places a public or private company?
Platform Places is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Platform Places founded?
Platform Places was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Platform Places based?
Platform Places is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Platform Places make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. National Lottery Community Fund is the primary driver. The others are corporate Funding (Legal & General) and government Funding.
Who are Platform Places's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are New Local, Architectural Heritage Fund, Footwork Trust, Big Local, Power to Change, Locality and High Streets Task Force. Broad incumbents are British Property Federation and Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Platform Places have an API?
No public API is recorded for Platform Places.
What industry is Platform Places in?
Platform Places's product category is Community Property Partnerships and Community-Led Regeneration. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAC, Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts), with a secondary code of BPAGAKAO, Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders. Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 8300.