Breathing new life into the town centre
About Midsteeple Quarter
Midsteeple Quarter is a community benefit society in Dumfries, Scotland, working to reinvigorate the town centre for the benefit of the local community.
In 2012, Dumfries town centre had several buildings that were empty, neglected, and owned by absentee landlords with little interest in the town. Through community ownership, Midsteeple Quarter is helping to bring life back into the town centre by revitalising disused buildings and making them work for the benefit of the community in perpetuity.
How does Midsteeple Quarter make a difference?
At the core of Midsteeple Quarter’s work is making the public spaces and buildings on the local high street better serve the needs of local residents. This takes shape in a variety of ways, including providing affordable housing, offering space for local businesses and entrepreneurs, and serving as a community hub where local people can gather and socialise.
The first building to be renovated – 135-139 High Street – is mixed-use and includes seven flats. These have been hugely popular with over 100 people applying to live there. The flats are assigned through a community allocation policy to ensure they benefit local residents and are primarily aimed at young professionals. Further housing is planned in the other buildings being renovated on the site.
The new flats were assigned through a community allocation policy to ensure that they benefitted local residents.
Photos: Mark Moodycliffe, Managing Director of RH Irving Construction, at one of the new flats (left). Two new flats at Midsteeple Quarter (right). Photos courtesy of Midsteeple Quarter.
Additionally, the developments occurring at Midsteeple Quarter aim to provide space for businesses and professionals through the provision of event spaces and hot-desking facilities. Local businesses and other community groups also host pop-up activities, which are incredibly popular in the run-up to Christmas. Midsteeple Quarter is one of the only spaces in Dumfries that provides this opportunity, and the group is considering the potential of creating an indoor market in one of the upcoming buildings.
How did they do it?
Concerned about the state of Dumfries town centre, local residents initiated a conversation focused on how the high street could be revitalised to benefit the local community. Between 2012 and 2018, the Stove Network, a local arts and community organisation, led an in-depth and collaborative community engagement process. Through this process, it became clear that there was an opportunity to transform a section of Dumfries High Street which was empty and in disrepair, and bring it back into use for the community, including for housing and local businesses.
Between 2012 and 2018, a local arts and community organisation led an in-depth and collaborative community engagement process.
The project aims to revitalise the town centre and bring parts of it into community ownership. It has received significant backing from Dumfries and Galloway Council as well as the Scottish Government. The Stove Network received a £100,000 grant as well as a community asset transfer of 135-139 High Street. This funding was granted to support the development of business plans and to facilitate the establishment of a new community organisation.
In 2018, the Midsteeple Quarter Community Benefit Society was established to advance the programme of development and community ownership, separate from the Stove Network. The community benefit society model was initially chosen to ensure that its work served the interest of the local community. This has potentially limited access to funding compared to being a charity, but the model was well-received by the community. The society is made up of a board of directors, including a representative from Loreburn Community Council. Midsteeple Quarter has around 700 members, and membership is available to all residents in the DR1 and DR2 postcodes for as little as £1.
Photos: Town centre (left). Local shop owner Julie Langlands with customer Andie McDonald in the shop at 109 High Street (right). Photos courtesy of Midsteeple Quarter.
The vision for Midsteeple Quarter was set out in the organisation’s masterplan, adopted into Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Local Development Plan in 2019, and outlines its ambitions for the renovation of eight derelict buildings on the high street over the next 15 years. Since 2018, Midsteeple Quarter has acquired six buildings on the High Street. The buildings were acquired either through funding from external organisations or through community asset transfers from the local council.
Midsteeple Quarter has acquired buildings through funding from external organisations and through community asset transfers from the local council.
What would help unlock Midsteeple Quarter’s potential?
Access to funding is the most significant factor that would enable a community group’s dream for an area to become a reality. Even if you have access to a group of dedicated volunteers, work can’t be done without the funding to purchase resources and equipment.
Applying for funding is often a lengthy and complicated process that requires community groups to navigate several hoops to compete. Simplified and more efficient funding application processes that require less time and resources would be beneficial.
Advice for new community projects
- Learn from other people’s mistakes. This is particularly important when it comes to renovating or retrofitting buildings.
- Seek advice and expertise from other community groups and individuals.
- Try to be as sustainable as possible, but be cautious about using every new technology available; ensure it is suitable for your building and project.
