The LPIP Hub “Communities in their Places” evidence review shows that while communities are central to addressing local economic, social and environmental challenges, their ability to do so varies widely depending on policy frameworks, resources and local capacity.
It highlights that “community” is a complex, overlapping concept, but strong social networks, infrastructure and trust are key to effective place-based action.
Across the UK, different governance models shape engagement – ranging from flexible approaches in England to more structured, rights-based systems in Scotland, embedding of engagement in values of equality and collaboration in Wales and statutory collaboration in Northern Ireland.
The review finds that successful interventions require long-term investment, strong partnerships, community-led participation and supportive national frameworks, while community businesses and participatory approaches (e.g. citizens’ assemblies) can drive inclusive growth and innovation.
Ultimately, empowered communities are essential for sustainable local change, but achieving this depends on sustained funding, capacity building, and genuinely inclusive engagement.
“Drawing on UK and international examples, it identifies effective approaches to drive economic, social, and environmental progress, and concludes with reflections and provocations to guide future exploration. Overall, the review demonstrates why strong, empowered communities are essential for driving positive place-based change.”
Dr Abigail Taylor, Dr Konstantinos Kollydas and Professor Anne Green
Achieving sustained change in communities requires more than short-term interventions – it generally necessitates a long-term commitment to building and maintaining local capacity. Key aspects include investing in the skills, relationships, and infrastructure that enable communities to shape their own futures.
Meet the authors
Dr Abigail Taylor
Abigail is a Research Fellow at City-REDI. Abigail is a Co-Investigator on the Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub and leads the Communities in Their Places and Place Leadership themes. Abigail previously completed an 18-month 50% secondment to the Industrial Strategy Council. Abigail has managed research for a range of organisations, including the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and the Youth Futures Foundation.
Dr Konstantinos Kollydas
Kostas Kollydas is a Research Fellow who joined City-REDI in May 2021 and leads the Skills theme for the Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub. As an applied economist, his research spans skills, labour economics, and the economics of education. In the “Skills and labour market” research theme of WMREDI, he explored interregional mobility patterns among recent graduates based on their socio-demographic characteristics and higher education-related factors.
Additionally, during his 50% secondment with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (2022-2023), he led analysis and co-authored reports for the “R&D Workforce and Skills” project.
Visit Kostas’ research profile
Professor Anne Green
Anne is Professor of Regional Economic Development at the University of Birmingham, Co-Director of City-REDI and a Co-Investigator on the Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub. Anne Green has a background of working in multi-disciplinary research centres in universities. She has substantial experience in leading and working on projects on regional economic development issues and on the geography of employment and skills. She is a mixed-methods researcher with degrees in geography and a strong record of raising funds for impactful policy-relevant applied research and stakeholder engagement.