Building community bonds in a resort economy

A cursory glance at Headingley in north Leeds looks a great place to live: lots of mature trees, stone walls, fine Victorian villas, good public transport links, some excellent restaurants – and just half an hour to some of the loveliest countryside in England.

But all is not what it seems.

Headingley is a complex area. A report by Sheffield Hallam University – Changing UK: The Way We Live Now concluded that Headingley had the highest ‘anomie index’ (effectively, the weakest community bonds) in England.

‘Headingley had the highest ‘anomie index’

(effectively, the weakest community bonds) in England’

The effect of three popular universities in the city and the large student population, has meant that:

• A total 78% of the population of Headingley ward is 16-29 years old – compared to a national figure of 19% in this age group.
• The housing market is dominated by student landlords and houses in multiple occupation, with families unable to afford houses in the area or driven away by the problems associated with a transient population – noise, litter, anti-social behaviour. Seventy-five streets in the Headingley ward are massively dominated by this transient population: one elderly lady who had lived in her street all her married life, was told, when she complained of the noise to her young neighbours, ‘well you shouldn’t live in a student area then!’
• The retail offer in Headingley, formerly a town centre with a thriving range of businesses serving the local community, is now dominated by licensed premises, fast food takeaways, letting agencies, and other businesses catering to the student population
• The area has almost become a ‘resort economy’ – excessively busy and noisy during university term times, and in places almost deserted during their vacations. The ‘resort’ nature of the area has been exacerbated by an increase in destination drinkers – hen and stag parties and a great deal of abusive and anti-social behaviour.

In addition the pattern of commercial property ownership means that small businesses can’t afford the high rents and there is a huge turnover. At present, along Otley road – the main thoroughfare – there are many shops standing empty. This is a dismal and depressing sight.

But because of those fine trees and the fine buildings (Headingley has over 100 listed buildings), the two independent cinemas and growing community networks, there are many people who love it. They are committed to the area and want to see it thrive for all the people who have chosen it as their home – young, old, traditional families and single people. Over the past 10-15 years they have fought back: against still more alcohol licences and against still more large family homes being turned into bedsits. And they have not just got angry, they have got organised.

Headingley Development Trust (HDT) was set up over 10 years ago to channel this energy into enterprise. The main impetus was when a primary school closed and it was feared that it would be turned into flats or demolished.

With the support of its many members and, eventually, Leeds council, the asset was transferred to the community and HDT got hold of the money through loans and grants, but most significantly through a community share issue which raised £100,000. The building was transformed into Headingley Enterprise and Arts Centre (Heart) and is now a space for arts, performance, events, offices, co-working and a cafe.

HDT has acted as a business and project developer, and where appropriate a broker and enabler:

• Headingley Farmers Market – now in its 10^th year, enables the community to connect with and support local producers and provides a monthly focal point in central Headingley and also gave rise to the Fowl Co-op – a community supported agriculture project to buy humanely reared meat at a fair price from a local organic producer, giving her a secure market for her produce.
• Headingley Homes – renting out household properties to long-term tenants, as well as working with Manning Stainton (local estate agents) to promote house sales between and to private buyers
• Café Scientifique – now in its 11^th year
• Films at Heart – providing a film club for Headingley, complementing the programming at Cottage Road Cinema and Hyde Park Picture House (local independent cinemas)
• Headingley community orchard – running since 2010 to establish small community orchards around the area
• Headingley Festival of Ideas – bringing people together to discuss and learn
• Headingley in Bloom – former HDT project, not established by us but supported for 3 years
• Natural Food Store – a separate co-operative business owned by its members, but retaining close links with HDT. Its buyout in October 2007, which was supported by HDT, secured the future of this much-loved local retailer.

All of HDT’s activities are supported and enabled by two underpinning factors:

• A strong membership – perhaps the largest of any development trust in the UK
• The commitment to sustainability and resilience, in financial, social and environmental terms.

But there is still much to be done…

Photo by Haydn Blackey