We're just getting started. We don't have a formal structure yet but we do have a strong conviction: collective ownership is possible, it's working elsewhere, and it's exactly what Brighton and Hove needs more of.
Did you know that 92% of land in England is privately owned? We don't think that's okay. It hasn't always been that way. In the grand scheme of human history private ownership is relatively new. People used to have access to communal land to meet, grow food, and, let's be real, to have a good time. And they used to all share in what it provided.
We believe that it's time to make the commons a reality again. We also believe that it can be fun.
We do have some idea what we're doing: we're plugged into the network of communities across the UK who are doing similar things and we want to accelerate the movement of collective ownership as a way to build resilience for what's ahead.
But the whole point of this is that it's something we do together. We want to get out of the echo chamber and into real life: make sure we're gathering voices and ideas from across the community. So please, join us and join in!
of land in England is privately owned
people own Fordhall Farm in Shropshire
buildings Hastings Commons has brought into community ownership
Register your interest and we'll keep you in the loop about meetings, decisions, and the community share offer when it launches.
Get involved