The Hastings Commons ecosystem

Hastings Commons is an ecosystem of like-minded charities, community organisations and social entrepreneurs who work together to tackle urban decay and to implement regeneration from the ‘bottom up’ through sustained community engagement. Hastings Commons is both a place and a concept.

Commoners (the community of tenants, team and trustees) support the ‘common ground resources’ (the buildings) through ‘commoning' – stepping up to take action together. This is a pioneering approach to community-led regeneration, DIY style.

What we now call Hastings Commons has come about organically over the past 10 years. From October 2021, the trustees and directors of the core organisations – Heart of Hastings CLT, White Rock Neighbourhood Ventures, Leisure & Learning, and Project Art Works – began to meet monthly as a ‘superboard’. Jess Steele then took on the role of CEO and the ecosystem was simplified with ‘Hastings Commons’ as the overarching brand.

You can see the Community Engagement in White Rock 2006-23 report for an overview of the sustained engagement over many years."


Key Organisations

Hastings Commons Community Land Trust is owned by our members and led by the community around us. It is the democracy and engagement part of Hastings Commons, working to build a strong organisation ready for the long-term responsibility of holding community assets in perpetuity. Previously known as Heart of Hastings Community Land Trust, it is committed to providing affordable spaces with security of tenure, forever.

Hastings Commons Neighbourhood Ventures is a locally rooted social enterprise developer.

Previously known as White Rock Neighbourhood Ventures, it is the part of Hastings Commons that transforms difficult and derelict buildings into capped-rent homes and workspaces. With a focus on acquisition, financing, renovations, leasing, business management, tenant support and commercial operations, it is one third owned by Hastings Commons Community Land Trust.

Hastings Commons isn’t just about the buildings. It’s about creating positive ways for people to live and work that enable them to thrive. We design and develop our indoor and outdoor spaces to work hard for the people using them to achieve the highest possible social impact.

Hastings Commons Leisure and Learning is a charity established in 2019 to activate and animate spaces in the Hastings Commons with programmes designed for public benefit, including community capacity building, inclusive leisure, wellbeing and education.

Living Rents are the housing company for Hastings Commons, offering stable rents based on 1/3 of median local income rising only with inflation. Living Rents is currently becoming a Registered Provider (a mini housing association).


About us, our structure & governance

Financial information, management & oversight

Our funding

Public Meetings