An empty building feels like a pause. No tenants, no complications — just a property sitting quietly while you wait for the right moment.
But that quiet is expensive. And for many asset owners across London, the true cost of vacancy is significantly higher than they realise.
After an initial exemption period, empty commercial properties become liable for full business rates — a substantial ongoing cost with zero income to offset it. Add security patrols, maintenance to prevent dilapidation, and the very real risk of fly-tipping, vandalism, or squatting, and the holding costs compound quickly.
Meanwhile Use: A Smarter Way to Hold
The principle is straightforward: while a building is pending planning, awaiting refurbishment, or between tenants, it can be put to active, legitimate commercial use on a short-term basis. This keeps the building occupied, the rates manageable, and the asset in good condition — without locking the owner into long-term obligations that conflict with future plans.
Done well, meanwhile use doesn’t just reduce costs. It adds value — to the building, the surrounding area, and the landlord’s relationship with the local authority.
How AWP Approaches Meanwhile Space
At the Affordable Workspace Partnership, meanwhile space is one of the core things we do — and we’ve developed a model that works for asset owners as much as for tenants.
We take on redundant, planning-pending, or difficult-to-hold buildings and convert them into affordable, short-term workspaces for London’s creative businesses, makers, and entrepreneurs. The arrangement is designed to be genuinely flexible — on timing, on location, and on the specific needs of the asset owner.
In practical terms, working with AWP on a meanwhile use arrangement means:
Significant rates mitigation. Active, legitimate commercial tenants help landlords reduce or eliminate empty property rates liability — delivering immediate cost savings.
Ongoing maintenance and oversight. Our employed team carries out in-house maintenance, ensuring buildings remain in good condition throughout. You’re not relying on tenants to keep things in order — we do it.
Security through active occupation. A building that’s busy is a far less attractive target for antisocial behaviour. Our model ensures regular presence and genuine community engagement.
Full compliance — no shortcuts. Unlike property guardian schemes, which carry real legal, safety, and reputational risks, AWP works exclusively with commercial tenants. Everything is fully compliant with planning, health and safety, and leasehold obligations.
A positive community story. Meanwhile use through AWP isn’t just cost mitigation — it’s a genuine social contribution. For asset owners with planning applications in progress, a positive local story carries weight.
Meanwhile Use Doesn’t Mean Compromise
Short-term leases, flexible arrangements, and a team that understands the commercial and planning landscape mean the transition back to primary use is smooth. We’re not prescriptive about what we take on — vacant railway arches, office buildings awaiting refurbishment, redundant retail space, development sites between phases. If you have a building that’s expensive to hold, we want to hear from you.
What we offer isn’t a workaround. It’s a professional service that saves asset owners hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, creates something genuinely good for London’s creative community, and leaves buildings in better condition than we found them.
If you have a commercial unit sitting vacant — whether for months or years — we’d welcome a conversation.
