Places for People delivers over £36,000 of community investment and improvements in Thanet

Creating great places means more than building homes. That’s why Places for People (PfP), the UK’s leading social enterprise, has delivered £36,829 of community investment and improvements across Thanet in the last nine months, supporting local organisations, schools and projects that improve wellbeing, build skills and help people thrive.

By investing in initiatives shaped by local needs, PfP’s social value work goes beyond bricks and mortar, focusing instead on the long‑term social, economic and environmental benefits that make communities stronger and more resilient.

PfP is currently delivering two developments in the area – Hartsdown Gardens in Margate, and St Catherine’s Grange in Ramsgate – providing a mix of open market sale and affordable homes for local people.

Alongside new housing, PfP continues to invest in community projects and initiatives to make a genuine and lasting difference to the lives of residents and neighbours.

One of the latest PfP funded initiatives currently underway is The Garden Gate Project in Cliftonville, Margate, a long-established and award-winning therapeutic community garden supporting adults with learning disabilities and people experiencing mental health challenges.

PfP’s £2000 funding is helping the organisation to develop a cut flower service, running from April to October, with flowers grown, arranged and delivered by participants, volunteers and staff. The project provides meaningful activity, improves wellbeing and employability skills, strengthens community connections and supports the organisation’s long term sustainability. 

Nicola Bale, Regional Development Director at Places for People, said: “Our focus at PfP is on creating thriving communities. As well as building much needed affordable homes, our social value work is about delivering real, meaningful impact for the people who live in and around our developments – whether that’s improving wellbeing, building skills, enhancing safety or supporting local schools.

“We’re proud to work alongside local partners and our supply chain to make a difference that’s felt long after construction finishes, and we remain committed to investing in the communities where we build.”

PfP has recently approved £1500 funding for Sea Sense for Schools, a preventative sea safety education programme delivered by Tidal Compass through its Tide School initiative. Launching in June, the programme will deliver school assemblies and interactive workshops at two local schools near PfP developments – provisionally Garlinge Primary School and Newington Community Primary School.

Using the Tide School Method, pupils learn how to understand tides, winds, waves and rip currents, with learning reinforced through a free digital Book of Tides shared with families and the wider community. The initiative aims to build confidence, reduce risk and improve long term safety in coastal communities.

William Thomson, Head of Tide School, said: “Coastal communities like Thanet have the sea at the heart of everyday life, so helping children understand how it behaves is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to keep families safe. We’re hugely grateful to Places for People for funding Sea Sense for Schools locally, giving pupils practical knowledge about tides, winds, waves and rip currents that they can carry with them for life.”

PfP also works closely with its supply chain to maximise social value locally and ensure investment stays within the community.

In September 2025, groundworks contractor Houlihan, delivered improvements to the allotment area at Royal Harbour Academy in Margate as part of their social value commitment. The upgraded space – valued at £22,329 – is now being used by students, more than 60% of whom are disadvantaged, for Level 1 horticulture training and enrichment activities.

Peter Sexton, Community Engagement Officer from the Royal Harbour Academy said: “It has been a transformational change and is a fantastic working space for our students. As soon as the work was finished, we had a stream of students eager to start working on the allotment site and a gardening club ready to plant veg and add fruit trees to the Orchard. The first growing season provided an abundance of fruit and vegetables including a variety of squash, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, carrots and onions. Thank you so much for the amazing generosity of Houlihan and the fantastic work the team did."

Earlier this year, contractor Coinford completed approximately £11,000 of improvement works to create new outdoor seating and green spaces for students at Hartsdown Academy in Margate. The works included levelling and turfing an unused area to create a dedicated space for Year 7 pupils, helping new starters feel more comfortable as they transition into secondary school.

Phase 1 of Hartsdown Gardens will deliver 140 new homes, and the first customers were welcomed in December 2025. Future phases will deliver a further 312 homes.

At St Catherine’s Grange, Phase 1 includes 233 affordable homes, with customers moved in from March 2025, and a further 74 affordable homes launching in Phase 2 later this year. Here, PfP will provide 214 more affordable homes than were approved under the original planning permission through a Strategic Partnership with Homes England under the Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP).