Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what financial support is available to help councils provide ‘meanwhile use’ for the benefit of the community, especially young people, and vacant properties within city or town centres or villages.

Meanwhile use can help maintain footfall on high streets while providing opportunities for creative use of space that would otherwise be empty between tenancies or before redevelopment. There is no dedicated fund for meanwhile use but local authorities have broad powers to subsidise such schemes, and areas receiving funding through the Pride in Place programme could use some of it to support meanwhile use.