By Arron Breedon
There’s big news for local councils, and the general public alike! On Friday (25th September), Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick announced that 101 towns across England will be receiving a combined total of £80 million for high street regeneration, designed to improve the areas and encourage more regular visitors.
These city centres, which include Newcastle-under-Lyme, Crawley, and Burton-on-Trent will split the total sum, receiving between £500,000 and £1 million each to boost their public areas, including increased space for pop-ups, pedestrianisation, and creating green spaces. This decision is valuable in aiding recovery from the restrictions that coronavirus has placed on the high street.
Additionally, with town centres struggling over the increased use of online shopping, it is vital architecture and planning is at the forefront of bringing these locations back into style. These unprecedented times we find ourselves in have irreversibly altered people’s needs and expectations about what a high street needs to offer them. By consulting architects and planners, business owners can maximise the potential of their sites, and their unique needs can be met to create bespoke spaces that entice and support customers and local residents back to the high street..
The value of this plan being released by the government so soon after their ‘Build Build Build’ initiative can be enhanced by great architecture. The combination of excellent architectural interest and flexible planning approaches could bring the vitality back to the town centre.
We hope Local Councils engage with architects to assist in bringing the most out of their Town Centres for all to enjoy.