How to revive historic high streets – English Heritage
English Heritage is hoping to boost confidence in the prospects for high streets in England with a new report that says historic town centres can be a key part of creating attractive and viable retail environments, if supported by their local authorities and partners. “Many centres are defined by a distinctive historic character which plays a crucial role in creating an attractive setting for retailing and reinforcing competitive advantage,” the organisation says.
The research, undertaken by Allies and Morrison in conjunction with Strutt & Parker, has looked at the challenges facing historic town centres in the face of changes to our shopping habits. It notes that “we are now witnessing permanent and structural changes to the way we as shoppers behave” with vacancy levels in town centre retail stock up threefold in the past five years and similar declines in footfall in many areas.
The report identifies various case studies across England where innovative approaches have been successful, despite the weak economic conditions. These range from “imaginative reuses of listed market buildings” to the successful integration of new developments “alongside historic character”. They also include cases of town-centre strategies that focus on heritage and local identity. “At a time when people are increasingly looking for a leisure experience rather than simply a range of shops to visit, such an approach can help in creating a greater sense of ‘destination’ and potentially competitive advantage,” the report notes.
The case studies include retail in Rotherham, where footfall rose 6% in a single year after the historic character of the town centre was used as a positive asset and public funds were invested for repairs; Liverpool, where the Liverpool One scheme has created a new town centre alongside the historic centre; the investment in and creative refurbishment of Brixton’s historic market; the repair and adaptation of the market hall in Bolton; the redevelopment of a key town-centre site in Whitstable; and the integration of retail developments in Norwich, Islington and Neston within existing historic core areas “without harming heritage assets”.
The report, which can be read here, includes a range of points on good practice to help produce successful outcomes in retail development, high-street renewal and town-centre management. The research notes that visitors to town centres want a strong leisure offer as well as shopping opportunities, and says that smaller town centres can create a niche experience offering the two that complements mainstream shopping areas. It says “a commitment to architectural excellence and town planning is vital” and adds that adapting existing buildings can offer an excellent opportunity for new town-centre floorspace.
Brian Raggett, partner at Strutt & Parker, who contributed to the report, said new developments needed to be more imaginative in the way in which existing buildings are altered. He said schemes were likely to become smaller in future, at 200,000 sq ft – 300,000 sq ft, and added that “a greater level of change to the layout of a town’s historic fabric may potentially need to be to embraced, following careful consideration and justification, to help secure the benefits of new investment.” All of this would help to prevent further diversion of trade to out-of-town locations.
