From meanwhile uses to long-term vision: What makes a mixed-use site thrive?

What makes a site truly mixed-use? How important is the role of meanwhile use in achieving this on a large scale, and what role does community engagement play in overall success? 

Christopher Ware, managing director at Conygar, the developer behind The Island Quarter (TIQ), recently joined a panel at London Build 2025 to discuss ‘Under one roof: creating flexible mixed-use spaces for work, live and play’ and explored what this meant in reality at TIQ. 

The role of meanwhile versus permanent use 

Meanwhile uses are valuable for activating a site early, generating interest, and starting to build footfall. When it comes to generating a masterplan for a mixed-use development, where there are a complex mix of intended outcomes, it’s often the case that some meanwhile use is inevitable to make the plans viable and gain early public backing.

However, there’s also a real benefit in establishing a permanent space from the outset, something that can grow with the wider development and set the tone or benchmark for what’s coming next. The ideal scenario is a mix – meanwhile activity to keep things lively and flexible, alongside a permanent anchor that provides continuity and identity.

Importance of stakeholder involvement

For The Island Quarter, stakeholder engagement is, and always has been, essential. We took a comprehensive and collaborative approach to the initial engagement activity, bringing partners, local authorities, and community groups onboard early in the process.

It’s a site that people have a real interest in and want to see developed for the benefit of the region, so we know how it is to bring people on that journey with us.

Our initial stakeholder engagement helped shape the vision, smooth the planning pathway, and ensure the meanwhile and permanent plans aligned with wider expectations and needs. To date, we’ve engaged more than 150 individuals across 13 sessions, representing more than 45 organisations closely affiliated with communities across Nottingham.

Striking the balance with commercial viability

The focus should always be on what will encourage people to return repeatedly, not just visit once. A strong programme is key to this at mixed-use sites as it allowed people to invest in a variety of offerings not just recongise a space for one thing – that’s how it becomes commercially viable.

We’ve found that seasonal attractions like Christmas markets, summer concerts and aligning with big sporting events have proven very effective at The Island Quarter. The goal is to create a place people naturally think of for food, entertainment, and socialising, not just one occasion.

Commercial viability also comes from investing in your local audience. Our team is integrated into the Nottingham and wider East Midlands community, so they can provide an offering that’s actually wanted. We’ve worked hard to understand local behaviours, market gaps, and what will genuinely resonate with audiences. At The Island Quarter, the success has come from delivering something distinctive compared with other Nottingham venues, giving people a real reason to choose the site.

However, feasibility is equally important. A recurring challenge is aligning operational needs with the ambition for events and activity on the site. It’s about choosing the right events for the right audiences and making sure they’re viable from a staffing, logistics, and commercial perspective. There’s always a balance to strike between maximising revenue and doing what’s best for the community, brand, and long-term vision for the site. Finding that “sweet spot” is an ongoing learning process.

Gaining traction as a mixed-use location 

For the Island Quarter, most external organisations now approach the team directly, which shows the site’s growing reputation. However, this wasn’t the case at the beginning. The early events were harder to secure and there was more proactive outreach involved. As momentum grew and successful events built credibility, more well-known partners and organisers started coming forward.

This is a place we’ve worked hard to get to at The Island Quarter, but it’s not easy to build your credibility as a mixed-use location. Consistency, delivering what you’ve said you will and constant community engagement are essential.

Succeeding as a mixed-use development is challenging but with the right input from the community you’re wanting to engage, a flexible approach to space use and a balance of ambition versus feasibility, it is possible to create a thriving community to live, work and play.