Responsible Futures: The Low Carbon Economy

Using land based assets to grow social enterprises

One of a series of briefings produced by Responsible Futures (UK) Ltd to illustrate the contribution it could make to the development and delivery of social enterprise services in the East Midlands

Call to land owners who wish to develop their assets

Responsible Futures can provide sustainable models of land use that also have wider benefits for the community.

You may wish to discuss management and development opportunities with our team of social entrepreneurs at Responsible Futures

Responsible Futures is a new delivery partnership made up of three nationally recognised East Midlands based social enterprises, bringing together extensive and expert sector knowledge.

Utilising a leased or transferred asset, Responsible Futures partners have the expertise, skills and experience necessary to develop, construct and deliver a wide range of innovative and diverse social enterprise businesses that are designed to meet local demands and/or market failure.

Responsible Futures core activities will help stimulate existing social entrepreneurial growth through partnership, with a mission to create social enterprise where none exists and to support existing social enterprises where increased capacity is required.

Responsible Futures supports the transition to a low carbon economy and is able to create employment and skills development opportunities whilst providing social and environmental returns.

Ultimately, if you are willing to consider leasing or transferring an asset to Responsible Futures you will be stimulating new business that supports community ownership and engagement, thereby promoting community cohesion.

We are now seeking potential assets that meet the following requirements:

Forest, Woodland
Including large stands, small pockets, copses and scrub land

Derelict and ‘banked’ land
Including under-used land, ‘problem’ plots, disused airfields etc

Land with poor drainage or liable to flooding
Including low yielding arable and grazing land

Location: Anywhere in the East Midlands.

Size: Any size can be considered. Sites need to be assessed on a case by case basis.

Access & egress: Usually direct road access is required, although it may not always be necessary.

Business design and development – activities, products and services we can deliver: We would expect to maintain or improve the biodiversity of any asset whilst generating renewable energy that may benefit the local community. We are able to consider replicating any of our partners' existing products and services, such as those found at Hill Holt Wood. Similarly we will work with other social enterprises to create new products and services based on local market needs. New businesses could include those that deliver mental and physical health and arts programmes, or woodland, forestry and craft skills. The assets design and the services on offer are likely to supply exciting new services for people with personal budgets.

Client groups we work with: The businesses we develop on the asset will employ and train a wide range of client groups including homeless people, people with learning disabilities, ex offenders, excluded youth, long term unemployed, young unemployed. The client groups we will employ and train can include any group of people who are designated as disadvantaged.

Planning: We need local support but having extensive experience in working with planners, we would be able emphasise potential planning gains.

Social return: We would build in social accounting to any new business development so we could report full triple bottom line value to our partners from the planned activities products and services.