Guidance for assets of community value

Read this guidance on how to apply to officially register a community place as an ‘asset of community value’ which should help to protect it from sale, or contact us for support on completing your application.

What are assets of community value?

Assets of community value (ACVs) were introduced by the Localism Act 2011. They enable any building, community place or land to be officially registered as one if it benefits the local community, either now or in the future. This can include cultural, recreational and sporting activities.

Being officially registered provides some protection to the community asset when the owner wants to sell it. Being registered means the owner must notify residents about their intention to sell the community asset, and must wait six months before they can sell it.

Communities have the opportunity to bid for the asset during this period – and can access a range of funding either within their community or from external funds.

Why register assets of community value?

As well as delaying, and potentially blocking, sales of community places, we also want to use this process to send a message to the council and commissioners about how much the people of Birmingham care about the places in their city and community.

As a first step, we are using savebirmingham.org to help the residents of Birmingham show which community places matter to them.

But nominating a community place on savebirmingham.org isn’t enough. To be officially registered, community groups or residents need to apply directly to Birmingham City Council (see next section).

How can I register an asset of community value?

Broadly, community groups with a local interest, or 21 residents, can apply to register an asset of community value.

They must apply to Birmingham City Council – you can download the application form from their website. Once they have received an application, they have eight weeks to approve or reject it.

We want to make it as easy as possible for community groups to use this process. Please see guidance from our partners Birmingham Community Matters, who can also offer advice and support for community groups.

If you are not part of a community group, you can submit an application with the help of 20 other residents (so 21 individuals in total). We’re hoping to use our website to help match residents – alternatively speak to your friends, family and networks!

What happens next?

Good question! We’re still working on it, but we want to help community groups and residents to come up with community-based or co-operative solutions.

This could include ‘community asset transfers’ where residents start running the community place while Birmingham City Council continues to own it. Other ways could see communities raise funds to buy the asset or convert it into other forms of co-operative or mutuals.

How can I find out more or get more help?

As well as resources from Birmingham Community Matters, you can also check out the ‘Keep it in the Community’ platform which includes national resources from our friends at Plunkett Foundation, Locality and Power to Change.