Behind every building, every plot of land, every neighbourhood — there's a story of ownership. We uncover who holds the keys to our city.
The buildings don't change. The streets look the same. But the money — the rent, the profit, the value — it all flows out. Your town becomes someone else's investment portfolio.
Money earned here, spent here, stays here.
Same buildings. But the money rises out and never returns.
Your town, quantified and traded.
When a landlord in London owns 200 homes in your town, the rent doesn't buy bread at the local bakery. It buys shares in a fund. It pays dividends to someone who has never walked your high street. The town doesn't die from invasion — it dies from extraction.
At every step, value leaves your town. The rent paid by a local shopkeeper ends up as a number on a stock exchange. Nothing comes back.
pounds of rent paid in our town leaves the local economy entirely — goes to offshore accounts, pension funds, or stock portfolios
estimated annual rent extraction — money that could be circulating in local shops, schools, and services instead
of the largest landlords' profits are reinvested back into the town they own property in — zero local return
The concentration of property ownership in our town is staggering. Here's what the data reveals.
These are the entities that shape our town's future — often from boardrooms far away.
Government-owned property empire controlling 342 buildings across the town centre and waterfront.
Private equity firm based in London. Owns 248 properties, including most of the high street retail units.
Offshore trust with mysterious beneficiaries. Controls 181 properties worth an estimated 680 million.
Every coloured building represents a different owner. The patchwork tells the story.
Only 11% of town centre properties are owned by people who actually live here.
Change starts with awareness. Here's how you can make a difference.
Use the Land Registry and Freedom of Information requests to uncover who owns what in your neighbourhood.
Start ResearchingShare our findings with your community. The more people know, the harder it is to hide.
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