MUSE 40: Meanwhile uses - placemaking from day one

Regeneration takes time. The period between concept and delivery may take years, even decades. In that gap, while visions are being shaped and designs drawn up, there remains opportunity.

Temporary uses – known in the industry as meanwhile uses – is an opportunity to start the placemaking journey from day one. Across our 40-year journey as a company, meanwhile uses have been a tool which help us connect with communities, drive growth, and enhance placemaking.

Most of us experienced some form of meanwhile use during the Covid-19 pandemic. Bars, restaurants, and venues, supported by local authorities, sought new outdoor venues where people could meet safely. It has shown how much space remains underutilised in our towns and cities.

For us, however, meanwhile uses are nothing new. They have helped us bring energy and vibrancy to a place and ensure communities are part of the regeneration journey from day one. Such uses can vary hugely, from community fun days, local markets, arts venues, street food, even festivals.

Working alongside our local authority partners, we can curate events which draw people in and encourage them to stay and visit. We can provide a boost to local businesses, show off new parts of our towns and cities, and start to define a place immediately.

In Salford, we’ve engaged the local community with a programme of events ranging from the annual Manchester Duck Race, outdoor fitness classes, Bite Street Food, an Ice-Skating Rink and a celebration of Roald Dahl for World Book Day.

In Chester, we curated the Carriage Shed which is part of City Place, a new business destination. We worked with Makers Market to host quarterly events and engage over 90 local makers and producers. We welcomed 500 people for a summertime music event, Nghtwrk, and hosted a Vegan Festival as well as Christmas carol service. There has been something for the whole community.

Whilst many regeneration opportunities have cherished and vibrant uses which stand to be enhanced by investment, many more are made up of urban wasteland, informal car parks, or derelict buildings.

Before delivery begins, these places can – and should – create value for communities.

In January 2017, the hugely popular Secret Cinema moved into a disused complex of warehouses in Canning Town in London. The location had been empty for five years whilst earmarked for regeneration.

We worked with the GLA and Newham Council to create a vibrant community arts space which went on to sell 74,000 tickets for productions of Moulin Rouge, Blade Runner, and Stranger Things.

That means 74,000 people visited Canning Town who might not have done. Perhaps they went out for dinner, bought a drink, or found a reason to come back again. It benefits the whole local economy and elevates a place before a spade is in the ground.

By investing in meanwhile uses from day one, we can begin to shape a place and drive social value immediately. We can create new jobs and opportunities, support local creatives, or even deliver immediate biodiversity benefits.

Such uses are also opportunities to learn. Our delivery teams and partners can engage with communities in new and intelligent ways. We can better understand the challenges people face and the opportunities they have identified for their neighbourhood.

To support our placemaking approach, we can experiment with new and innovative initiatives and test them in real life alongside the community. There are many examples of temporary uses becoming so popular they are adopted permanently.

Spice and Grind, initially a refurbished horse cart selling coffee to local residents and commuters at New Bailey, Salford became so popular it now has a permanent premises at Eden and is going from strength to strength. It’s a perfect example of meanwhile uses helping define long-term placemaking.

As we look ahead to the next 40 years of Muse, meanwhile uses will be fundamental to our regeneration and placemaking approach.

They are an opportunity to bring the benefits of regeneration forward by creating social and economic value. They also engage communities in a way which shapes the long-term decisions we make.