How community organisations can apply for a lease of youth facilities in Bristol and the places that are available.

Voluntary, community and third sector groups can take on the management of youth facilities on a lease, under our pdf Community Asset Transfer Policy (601 KB)

Lease requirements

If you want to apply for a lease you must demonstrate that the facilities will be:

  • prioritised to benefit children and local young people
  • available to community organisations

Collaboration between interested parties is encouraged.

Panel assessments at both the expression of interest and business plan stages include representatives from the appropriate Neighbourhood Partnership and young people.

Leases have a Service Agreement that will secure the long term benefits of the Community Asset Transfer. This will set out agreed:

  • minimum standards
  • opening hours
  • activities

It will also set out how these points will be measured and monitored.

Facilities that are being considered for community asset transfer

We don't have any facilities available for community asset transfer at the moment. 

Youth and play facilities that have been transferred

Facilities that have already been transferred through the CAT process.

Southmead Adventure Playground

Lease holder: Southmead Development Trust (SDT)
Lease date: March 2019

This adventure playground is locally known as 'The Ranch'. It is now managed by SDT. They will be working in partnership with Bristol Playbus Go to http://bristolplaybus.org/ (opens new window) and Impact Mentoring Go to http://www.impactmentoring.co.uk/ (opens new window) to develop services for children and young people, including offering spaces in the building for hire by other community-based organisations and for children's parties and events. SDT will also manage bookings for the outdoor sports pitches next to the adventure playground.

St Pauls Adventure Playground

Lease holder: APE Project CIC
Lease date: November 2018.

The APE Project and the Childrens Bike Exchange share the site and are developing plans for more and better facilities that are expected in 2019. They also offer spaces in the building for hire by other community-based organisations and for children's parties and events.

Hillfields Youth Centre

Lease holder: Hillfields Family and Community Trust
Lease date: July 2018.

Felix Road Adventure Playground

Lease holder:  Felix Road Adventure Playground Association
Lease date:  September 2016.

Lawrence Weston Youth Centre

Lease holder: Ambition Lawrence Weston
Lease date: December 2015.

The Vench (Lockleaze Youth and Play Space)

Lease holder: Groundwork South
Lease date: September 2015

Groundwork is making spaces in the building available for hire by other community organisations. Learning Partnership West also hosts youth services from The Vench.

Docklands Youth Centre / St Pauls Settlement

Lease holder: Full Circle
Lease date: July 2015

Full Circle is sharing the building with ACE and other, similar organisations. They also offer spaces in the building for hire by other community-based organisations.

Oldbury Court Youth Centre

Lease holder: Oldbury Court Out of School Clubs
Lease date: June 2015

The Club has carried out major renovations and improvements to the building. The facility is available for other community-based activities when not in use by the Club.

The Mill Youth Centre

Lease holder: Empire Fighting Chance
Lease date: October 2014

Empire transformed the property into a community boxing club, after obtaining substantial funding from Sport England.

Southmead Youth Centre

Lease holder: Southmead Development Trust
Lease date: July 2014

The Trust has turned the centre into a thriving 'youth hub' for the local community, also sharing the building with other community-based organisations, including a local boxing club and Learning Partnership West.