ALT EXAMPLE - MAGAZINE - PORTFOLIO - Flipbook - Página 86
NEWS
MORE MUST BE DONE TO RECOVER
OUR CITY’S DECLINING FOOTFALL
Membership group Developing Consensus is arguing that the reimagination
of our town and city centres is absolutely critical if we’re to recover footfall.
“The current Covid crisis has
accelerated the need for change in many
town and city centres and some tough
choices have to be made - but it also
presents an opportunity to create new,
much more attractive destinations”
argues Neil McMillan, Managing Director
of iMpeC Developments and part of the
‘Enabling Development’ steering group at
Developing Consensus.
The group, which is made up of 100+
development and regeneration specialists,
proposes that an increase in housing,
leisure and recreation spaces is key to
revitalising and future-proong our town
and city centres, delivering more liveable
and vibrant communities.
Neil said: “The retail footprint in many
areas is now too large for what is needed
by the community. It’s clear there needs
to be a dierent mix of interests in our
town and city centres if high streets are to
succeed. Focusing purely on re-energising
retail is now outdated - high streets need
to be about much more than just
shopping.
“The development of more housing
within centres, rebuilding thriving
communities close to our high streets is
essential in transforming the life of our
major town and cities, putting
communities at the heart of our high
streets. The oer within many centres
also needs to be much more attractive –
give people fresh reasons to visit. You just
have to look at the unprecedented use of
parks and green spaces during the Covid
crisis to recognise that spaces for
recreation are highly valued by our
communities.
“These elements such as housing and
leisure can play a critical role in revitalising
centres. Getting the mix of these early
phases of development right is critical,
oering a better quality of experience that
will encourage people to visit and to stay
longer. Increased employment and retail
will follow.”
A raft of grants and government
budget made available over recent years
has helped directly support independent
retailers, sought to bring empty properties
back to life, and has helped drive forward
signicant improvements in the public
realm. While this support has been
welcome for high streets across the UK, it
hasn’t tackled the root cause of why town
centres have been in decline for many
years.
86
Adrian Hill, Partner at Square One Law
and part of the ‘Enabling Development’
group, said: “Local authorities need to
take a long-term view of developing town
and city centres that will thrive for 20, 30
or 40 years to come, developing a positive
vision that will regenerate the heart of
towns, cities and their communities.
Centres must remain relevant to the
communities they serve. The creation of
thriving and attractive destinations that
bring people together delivers positivity
and economic growth. Change of this
scale and speed can only be achieved by
urgently developing a fresh strategic
vision for our town centres.
“Authorities need a fresh approach to
be able to purchase and assemble land
and to do it at pace. Fragmented
ownership of real estate in town centres
has signicantly hindered development
and has been seen as one of the key
barriers to change. A refreshed
willingness to use compulsory purchase
powers, and to use the powers quickly,
coupled with additional funding from the
government, would help local authorities
better build the potential of our town
centres in a more integrated way,
responding to community need, without
reliance on retail.”
The existing compulsory purchase
powers framework, if used properly, can
support eective and ecient urban
regeneration. It aids the assembly of land
for essential infrastructure investment
and future development, and can support
the revitalisation of communities.
“A bold vision to rebuilding town and
city centres and their communities
through innovative development, to
include a mix of residential, leisure and
recreational and culture as the catalyst,
coupled with a renewed willingness to
utilise compulsory purchase powers at
pace must be considered as a route to the
future to help our centres achieve their
economic potential.”
PORTFOLIO MAGAZINE