Decision details

As part of Margate’s successful Town Investment Plan, the Council will be the Accountable Body for the setting up of a Creative Land Trust (“The Trust”) as part of the Margate Town Deal. An interim Placeholder Board is undertaking the administrative work to set up The Trust and needs a temporary address. It is proposed that the Council office address is used as an interim measure.

A Creative Land Trust is an asset based approach to regeneration. It involves acquiring underused or empty properties through outright purchase of freehold properties or long leases, or through properties gifted or transferred to the Trust by public or private partners. These will then be used as affordable commercial space for creative practitioners and support services.

The Trust in Margate will provide wider benefits to the community by bringing empty properties back into use, generating investment in the town centre and creating jobs and training opportunities.

Margate’s Creative Land Trust will support the broadest range of creative industries including design, music, publishing, architecture, film and video, crafts, visual arts, fashion, TV and radio, advertising, literature, computer games and the performing arts.

That the interim address of the Creative land Trust Placeholder Board is Thanet District Council, Cecil Street, Margate, Kent CT9 1 XZ.

In order to set up the Trust, an interim Board has been established, known as the “Placeholder Board”. The Placeholder Board will undertake the necessary administrative work to set up The Trust.

The work will include signing off the Company Registration, Charity Commission application and setting up the Bank Account. In the interim, all of these documents require an address and it is proposed that this is the Council Offices. The proposal is an interim measure until The Trust is set up, when the address will be amended.

No TDC members or officers sit on the Placeholder Board.

The consultants advising on the set up of The Trust have suggested the Placeholder Board could use their address, but it is felt more appropriate that the Placeholder Board has a connection to Margate.