Planning in Practice: High Street Retrofit
Hannah David (Chair) – Planning Futures; Cllr Steve Curran (Leader, LB Hounslow); Preston Benson (Founder, Really Local Group); Deborah Efemini (DECK Social/LB Lewisham)
The future of the high street has been a matter of concern for built environment stakeholders for some time. Changing patterns of consumption and work have undermined the traditional function of the high street as a retail destination, and reduced demand has led to increased levels of vacancy within our town centres. In many areas, this poses a threat, not only to local economies, but to the
overall quality of the urban environment.
As these trends have been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a broad consensus amongst built environment stakeholders that the high street stands in need of reinvention. However, a one-size-fits-all approach to solving the problems of our high streets is unlikely to be effective. High streets are embedded within local urban forms and have complex interrelationships with local communities and economies.
This event, the latest in our CPD series, will explore how planners and developers can develop high street and town-centre regeneration strategies that build on local strengths and character, and work with existing urban forms.
It will consider:
• How to work with communities to develop plans and schemes that draw on local need and existing strengths.
• How the existing urban form can be adapted and retrofitted to accommodate new functions for existing town centres.
The panel for this event will comprise three innovators within the field of high street and town centre regeneration, who will share their expertise and practical experience in delivering successful high street interventions