Community engagement
We breathe new life into old buildings, and create new ones that people will enjoy living, working and relaxing in, so we would never undertake a major development without first listening to those likely to use it or be affected by it.
The challenge
Everybody has a view on the impact of a building. We understand that it needs to be fit for purpose and also enhance the community but acknowledge that you can't please everyone. We need to take a long-term view and take into account the shorter-term concerns of our stakeholders.
Working with others
Residents can have concerns about disruption from building works or restrictions on parking or access, but we take all views on board through active engagement programmes. We hold exhibitions and public meetings, liaise with local councils and survey the people visiting our properties. And on a day-to-day basis, visitors to our shopping centres can also visit our customer service desks and provide feedback online. We then try to address the feedback we receive appropriately and proactively.
To maintain credibility as a trusted advisor and partner, we also participate in key conferences and debates, and engage with governments and regulators through industry-wide bodies. Members of our team regularly speak at third-party events and we play active roles within the British Property Federation (BPF), the British Council for Offices (BCO), the British Council for Shopping Centres (BCSC), Better Buildings Partnership, London First and the Green Building Council.
Case study
Victoria transformation
Victoria is one of London's busiest transport interchanges, used by 115 million passengers a year, and has often been regarded as the gateway to the capital, as opposed to a destination in its own right. As a significant property owner and one of SW1's largest landlords, with flagship premises such as Cardinal Place exemplifying the transformation now taking place across Victoria, Land Securities helped to establish the Partnership and support its development as a Business Improvement District (BID). We remain a major voluntary contributor and are represented on the Board.
The Victoria BID brings business together to work as a collective, helping to shape and influence the urban context, bringing positive change and creating a sense of place for Victoria. Over the next five years, the Victoria BID will invest £7.8 million on a range of projects, driving a powerful agenda to develop an identity for Victoria as a vibrant business and cultural destination. As one of central London's largest BIDs, Victoria will add significant benefit to the locality and complement our public-service providers that are helping to position Victoria as a successful economic quarter of Westminster. This will be delivered through five core objectives:
- develop a high-quality public realm and an improved transport interchange capable of handling increasing numbers of travellers
- develop a premier retail and business district to promote business relocation and retention
- promote social and economic benefits created through the regeneration of the area
- work towards a sustainable and green environment
- promote Victoria as a safe, convenient and attractive destination for employees, residents and visitors alike.
A sense of place
We feel strongly that our developments should improve the public space and create a sense of place and community so we design our schemes to be attractive, accessible and welcoming. Our New Street Square development, for instance, brings together a vibrant mix of innovative office space, shops and restaurants around a public square and in winning the New City Architecture Award 2009, the successful use of sculpture, lighting and artwork to create a sense of place was singled out for praise. The judges described the development, which also won a 2009 RIBA Award and was also highly commended at the 2009 Building and Construction Industry Awards, as "providing huge added value to its area", and "a very welcome addition to the City of London".
Judges at the 2010 MIPIM Architectural Review Future Projects Awards were equally complimentary about One New Change, selecting it as the winner in both the 'Overall' and 'Mixed Use' categories. They praised the refreshing approach of the design and described it as "an inspiring landmark that will create a new era in the life of the City". The shopping and leisure destination, set to open in late 2010, is another prime example of our ongoing commitment to great design in London.
Through our well-established public art strategy, we also invest in innovative art and design. This not only enhances our assets but also supports local artists such as Ron Haselden, the creator of "Day and Night, Night and Day", an interactive neon public art installation at New Street Square. We continue to sponsor exhibitions at the SW1 Gallery and will have supported specific events in six of our shopping centres by March 2010.
Endowment funds
During 2009, our London Portfolio was the founding donor of two charitable endowment funds: the Westminster Fund and the Kent Link Fund (see case study below). They are a new collaborative approach to supporting charitable and community goals, which bring together companies, individuals and the public sector, all making contributions to join funds to create a legacy that will support future needs.
Case study
Long-term endowment funds
The sheer size of our regeneration initiatives and the degree of public involvement require a structured approach to our charitable giving, and with long-term endowment funding, where the money to be spent comes from the interest accrued from investing the initial sum raised, a greater impact can be achieved over a longer period.
For example, in collaboration with the Capital Community Foundation, we have launched the Westminster Fund, an innovative new way to fund local community groups, charities and social enterprises in Westminster. Land Securities, as the founding member, will donate £150,000 over two years, which will receive 100% matched funding from The Office of The Third Sectors Grass Roots Grants, realising a total capital fund of £300,000.
The Kent Link Fund, launched in October 2009, mirrors the Westminster Fund. Building upon our ongoing commitment to North Kent, where our 1,000-acre Ebbsfleet Valley development will play a significant part in the regeneration of the area, it will bring new homes, jobs and commercial benefits to Dartford and Gravesham. An investment of £50,000 over two years with 50% matched funding will realise a total capital fund of £75,000.
Our initial focus will be to grow both funds so that in future years, the interest pays for an increasing amount of charitable activity, leaving the capital untouched. A grants panel will then make recommendations for awards to local initiatives.
Charitable donations and grant giving
The London Portfolio's Capital Commitment Fund (CCF) awards, totalling £75,000, helped 12 community groups and projects in Southwark, Hackney, Camden, Tower Hamlets and Islington to run youth outreach programmes, pre-employment workshops, and IT and life skills training, during the year. We will continue to develop the CCF and distribute the funds raised to help in three key areas: education and employability, young people, with an emphasis on those not in employment, education or training (NEETs), and housing and homelessness.
In 2009/10, our London portfolio made contributions to charities, community groups and good causes worth £50,000. Recipients ranged from the Centrepoint hostel for London's homeless through to support for the Variety Club of Great Britain and the Walk to Cure Diabetes.
Case study
Cooking and life skills
St Andrew's Youth Club in Victoria, the oldest youth club in the world, can now equip more young people across Westminster with essential cooking and life skills, thanks to a £5,000 donation from Land Securities.
As well as teaching children how to cook tasty, nutritious meals, the club's youth workers use the cookery class as a way to engage young people on a range of other important issues, from body image and weight to bullying and street crime.
This is the second year we have supported St Andrew's and this latest grant will fund cooking equipment, ingredients and tuition for the project.
"The future of London is not just about bricks and mortar. We have a responsibility to contribute to the social fabric of this city, not just the physical environment. The St Andrew's cookery project makes such a difference to lives of young people in Westminster and is exactly the kind of initiative that Land Securities is proud to support."
Jack Lawrence, Community Liaison Officer, Land Securities – London
Case studies
Raising our game
Did you know... that in 2009, we introduced the Great British Summer, an exciting programme of sports screenings, including Wimbledon and The Ashes, to our key London developments in Victoria, Holborn and Southwark? Complete with caravans, bunting and deck chairs, the events created a slice of the British summer for office workers, local residents and tourists. This year's events will feature screenings of Wimbledon, key cricket fixtures and other activities.
Something for everyone
Did you know... that St David's in Cardiff has a well-established, multi-faceted community engagement programme? It includes a mentoring programme for Year 11 students from the Bishop of Llandaff School; the sponsorship of Artes Mundi, an international arts prize; a leaflet encouraging pupils to consider chartered surveying as a career; Media4Schools, a media training scheme for local students; and a local community fund that supports local groups and charities.
Watch this space
Did you know... that the Land Securities Studio Award helps to address the loss of creative talent due to a lack of affordable studio space in London? The award provides three emerging artists with a £5,000 bursary, rent-free studio space for a year and a public exhibition of their work. In June 2009, an exhibition at the SW1 Gallery in Cardinal Place showcased our 2008 winners' work.
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£150,000
Donation to the Westminster Fund over two years
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£285,000
London Portfolio contributions to charities and community groups, 2009/10
Let it be
Did you know... that we offer specially reduced rent and flexible letting agreements to charitable organisations in London? For example, charitable lets at Elliott House in south-west London have been arranged for child mobility charity Whizz Kidz, the National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy and the administrative offices of Passage 2000, a homeless hostel in Victoria.