‘Meanwhile use’ is the temporary occupation of empty or under-used buildings and land. Property owners allow community groups, artists, or small businesses to use these spaces on a short-term basis. This keeps a site vibrant while landlords search for permanent commercial tenants. It transforms empty spaces into assets instead of blights. The community gets affordable and useable spaces using flexible short-term meanwhile leases which can last from a few days to several years. Risks and public expectations are carefully managed through extensive communication and engagement.
In June 2025 Dundee Civic Trust published a discussion document which proposed a new approach to the Central Waterfront Masterplan, focusing strictly on the key plots in this area, and their surrounding roads. The aim was to support Dundee City Council and other interested parties in the development of these empty plots by suggesting alternative uses and a possible funding model that may allow these uses to be brought into the Masterplan area. One alternative is to create a programme of ‘meanwhile’ uses for the seven empty sites that currently blight this area, until more permanent development solutions are found.
This policy paper (click here for link) sets out proposals for meanwhile use in Dundee, given that this is an immediate need in order to address the current blight caused by the hoardings of these seven empty sites.
