The Great Northern is a six-hectare leisure and retail site in the centre of Manchester with a public square, Victorian warehouse and 1990’s leisure complex. Managed by Trilogy Real Estate since 2015, community engagement with over 1000 participants has taken place over 7 years in workshops, surveys or 1-1 interviews.

Who is on the project team? 

Forever Manchester.

Describe the context of the community engagement. Why did the engagement take place?

The Great Northern is a six-hectare leisure and retail site in the centre of Manchester. The site runs along Deansgate – beginning with a public square and Victorian warehouse – with a 1990’s leisure complex addition. The Great Northern has been managed by Trilogy since 2015. Over these seven years, understanding how the site is used, and what Mancunians want from it, has been a core approach. Consultation has consistent – with over 1000 participants in workshops, surveys or 1-1 interviews – with locals asking for a greener public realm, a “village-y” feel and community focussed facilities. 

The feedback gathered shaped the site’s annual Place Strategy, resulting in new free-to-use facilities: a giant sandpit and playhouse; forest school inspired play sessions; a pop-up adventure playground; growing spaces and a pilot community gardening project. The work also created spaces for people to meet and support each other. These include: a community library; more growing spaces on the Mews; an indoor play and lounge for families with young children; and a meeting room and kitchenette. These in turn are supported by two part time staff: a Play Facilitator and a Head Gardener.

This way of working could be summed up as ‘listen and respond’. However, by 2021, post pandemic, it became clear that a different approach was needed to forge a deeper connection between local people and the new community facilities onsite. Consequently, Trilogy partnered with Forever Manchester, to take an innovative approach to their community engagement work: Asset Based Community Development.

Tell us what you did, and how you did it. What was your approach in talking to the community?

Asset Based Community Development is a body of work that focuses on identifying the positive assets in a given area. It then maps the strengths, opportunities, interests, and skills of people in a community, as well as the physical assets. Then it looks at supporting these strengths to through linking people together or signposting to resources. It contrasts with conventional community development, which tends to focus on a community’s deprivation and problems. 

This is how the approach has worked in practice: Since April 2022, Trilogy has employed with an experienced ABCD Community Builder from Forever Manchester (Lisa) onsite, one day a week. She bases herself in bumping grounds including a pop up van, the Book Nook and in the Square where she can engage with people - to create an interactive ‘asset map’. This map includes physical assets, (spaces, resources etc) and “soft” assets such as people’s skills and interests. Looking for synergetic opportunities, Lisa creates a database that shows the new activities people want to see. She then connects people together based on shared interests, encouraging them to use community facilities and businesses onsite, build new relationships and support each other to bring their ideas to life. The project augments face to face contact with local people with active use of local forums and social media. 

Additionally, Lisa asks people what they like about the area and what is missing locally. This is replicated on our website and led to a “join in” section as another means of engagement.

How were the results of the community engagement incorporated into decision making? Have you continued the conversation? Will the community stay involved?

We believe that engagement and consultation should not just be about planning applications. While some consultation provided feedback for our redevelopment plans, it largely informed the ongoing management of the site– creating the connected community we need to help shape the future development of the site. For us the ABCD approach ensures there is continued dialogue and shared decision making with local people and continue to underpin our strategy going forward. 

Through ABCD, new projects have flourished, and importantly have been set up and delivered by and for local people. They include: a Christmas wreath making; a support group for single parents; a group for men’s mental health. Some of these activities are now a weekly fixture. In each case, Lisa works with the organiser to connect people with similar interests together and provides up to £400 seed money for the project to get started. By working closely with the people involved, a lot of the barriers to applying for funding are removed, and the community is able to organise the activities that it actually wants. This activity has enabled us to test the need for facilities such as the Village Hall, which are now included as a firm element of the redevelopment plans. 

Following the success of the first nine months, Trilogy has committed to working with Forever Manchester for another year, enabling the relationship between the Great Northern and the Manchester community to continue. Lisa, as our Community Builder, is now a core part of the site team.

Describe your environmental or social impacts and your sustainability approach. 

This type of community work is typical in deprived areas, but Trilogy wanted to pioneer it in this environment knowing that city centre residents are affected by issues including hidden poverty and mental health issues. 

May Molteno, Trilogy says: “We understand that connected communities are thriving communities – and we want to demonstrate the impact this type of work can have in any community. ABCD brings people together and enables self-help at a grassroots level.”

The map is also a way for Primary Care staff to engage with individuals about their needs and connect them with community groups, instead of prescribing medication.

In addition, partnering with a local charity like Forever Manchester is part of Trilogy’s social value strategy – as the charity supports community activity across Greater Manchester, the conurbations where our staff and customers and their families and friends live.

•“I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to know that there is a big corporation with genuine soul and compassion for the city centre”

Jamie - Men’s Support Group

•“You had me at “free” and “crafts”. Living in the city is so expensive. I work, then mostly sit indoors so I don’t spend money. I miss being creative and meeting other people like me.” Local Resident

The ABCD approach has now become core to Trilogy’s theory of change – managing assets to support the creation of stronger, more connected and engaged communities. Trilogy teams at its other UK assets have now also been trained in Community Building.