A partnership between national charity Plunkett UK and housebuilder Thakeham to establish a community-owned shop on a new housing development in West Sussex has been recognised with The King’s Foundation’s Community Award.
Woodgate Community Shop in Pease Pottage is the first community-owned business of its kind on a new-build development and offers a blueprint for bringing community ownership into future housing projects.
It is part of Woodgate, a development of 619 homes delivered by Thakeham in partnership with housing provider Abri. The wider neighbourhood includes a primary school, village green, hospice and community hub, with a café and meeting facilities.
Thakeham built and gifted the shop premises for community use, while Plunkett provided the advice and specialist support to help residents establish and run the business.
Run by staff and volunteers, and opened in May 2024, Woodgate Community Shop is a welcome space at the heart of the community. It serves residents, offering everyday essentials and locally-sourced products, with profits reinvested into the community.
The project forms part of a wider partnership between Plunkett and Thakeham, combining their expertise in community ownership and development to help create thriving, sustainable places.
Harriet English, Plunkett’s Deputy Chief Executive, receives the award from William McCarter, Client Services Director (Rural), Lycetts (left) and Lord Benyon, Englefield Estate (right).
The award was presented as part of The King’s Foundation’s annual ‘Building a Legacy’ event at Englefield Estate in September. The event brought together landowners, housebuilders and industry leaders to share good practice in development and regeneration, recognising projects that are helping to create sustainable communities.
Harriet English, Deputy Chief Executive of Plunkett UK, said: “We’re delighted that our partnership with Thakeham has been recognised by The King’s Foundation.
“Woodgate shows what can be achieved when community ownership is considered from the outset of a new development. By giving residents the opportunity to shape and run a business that meets their needs, we can help create places where people feel connected and have a genuine stake in their future. We hope this encourages more developers to explore the potential of community ownership.”
“Our ambition is to create more than new homes. We want to build places where communities can grow and thrive, with the facilities and opportunities for people to come together.
“Working with Plunkett has helped us put this into practice at Woodgate. By providing the space and supporting residents to establish their own business, we’ve helped create a community facility that local people can shape and take ownership of for the long term. We’re proud to see this partnership recognised.”
Sarah Crush, Social Value Manager at Thakeham
“Woodgate Community Shop is an excellent example of how thoughtful development can lay the foundations for a thriving community. What stood out about the partnership between Plunkett UK and Thakeham was the way it brought together the expertise of a developer and a specialist community ownership organisation, giving residents not just a place to meet, but the opportunity to shape and run a business of their own.
“By embedding community ownership into a new development from the outset, the partnership has created a model with real potential to inspire others. We were very pleased to recognise this work as part of this year’s Building a Legacy Awards hosted by The King’s Foundation, given it chimes with our own ethos to build sustainable communities and transform lives.”
Ben Bolgar, Executive Director for Projects at The King’s Foundation
Plunkett’s Placemaking Strategy
With a 100-year proven track record in placemaking and creating resilient, thriving and inclusive communities, Plunkett is actively exploring partnerships of a similar nature with other leading house developers in other rural settings across the UK whose values and passion for community creation align with theirs.
If you would like to find out more about our work, visit our webpage by clicking the button below and get in touch with our placemaking team.
