All across our beautiful city, buildings and spaces have been kept empty for too long; places which once rang out with laughter, where people made friends, consoled each other, ate, drank, fell in love, and bought clothes for special occasions.

These are places where children bought toys with their pocket money or had parties for their birthdays; and where music, shows, films and plays kept people entertained and created precious memories.

Some of these places remain, and some new spaces have opened, but our city is a shadow of its former self.

We are led to believe this is due to a lack of ideas or money, and that we should continue to trust estate agents and landlords as the ‘specialists’ who understand the ‘property market’.

We don’t agree, and that’s why we established the People’s Property Portfolio.

A People’s Land Bank is our proposed solution; a collection of buildings in Bradford City Centre brought into community ownership through a community benefit society.

These buildings would have a multitude of uses that meet the needs of local people for work, play, goods and services.

By holding more than one building, we can start to work cooperatively, providing opportunities for collaboration, new businesses and community spaces for all.

Together these buildings would help to create footfall across the City, and would also aim to work in partnership with other buildings such as the library, Alhambra, Odeon, St George’s Hall, Bread + Roses, and the new Darley Street Market.

We can create a support network leading to even more community-led or public ownership of buildings in the City. This in turn will in turn create benefits for all, and breathe life back into our beautiful city.