Legal structures

A host of legal structures are available to permaculture practitioners who want to formalise their relationship with their work, their property and/or each other. This section explains some of the most useful and widely adopted.

In this category...

Co-operatives

Co-operatives run on a business model that exists to serve the people who use their services (a consumer co-operative), who work there (a worker cooperative), or by the people who live there (a housing co-operative).

Community Interest Companies

A community interest company is a legal structure for social enterprises.

Constituted community groups

A community group which forms to address issues or meet needs arising within the local community will usually draw up a written agreement, a constitution, between the organisation and its members.

Development Trusts

Development trusts are enterprises created by communities to enable sustainable development in their area. They are engaged in the economic, environmental and social regeneration of a local area or a community with a shared interest.