Frank Tough’s Post

High streets are complicated places and the ground is shifting underneath them. Long-term vacancy remains a problem for many. So what should we be doing? Holly Lewis writes for The Guardian on emerging new approaches. Against a generally gloomy backdrop, a report published at the end of November by the House of Lords’ built environment committee makes for refreshing reading, opening with evidence of “an optimistic and flourishing future” for our high streets. The report is also honest about the scale of the problem. Our research for the Greater London Authority has documented that high streets are particularly important places for vulnerable people in society, so supporting them to overcome persistent vacancy is vital work. Investment in our high streets is investment in our communities. With the right overlapping of funding and need, they make for great places to tackle two issues with the same pound. If we’re smart about it, high streets can be at the core of the brighter future that we’re all searching for. #highstreets #adaptivestrategies #missions https://lnkd.in/ehvjwbhW

Great to read this on the value of a vibrant high street. I've recently moved to Margate and one of my favourite facts about the town is that as recently as 2012 the high street vacancy rate was 36.5%. Now, in 2024, it is all the way down to 14.6%! (Yes, I am that kind of researcher that looked up these stats... https://lnkd.in/eSr9vqSe). This matters because it means there are more places to go out and be social, more reasons to be out in public, more opportunities to meet new people, and more people employed. High street vacancies are a key indicator of the health of the public social life of an area – and more places should be paying attention to orgs like We Made That trying to create positive change.

As a consultancy that has supported many clients over the years who operate in the retail and leisure sectors and on the High Street, Planning Potential has keenly followed occupier trends, as well as economic and planning policies designed to stimulate footfall and the vitality of the UK’s town centres. In our latest article, Rob Scadding considers the new Labour government's lack of mention of high streets, town centres, retail, or the night-time economy in their recent 15-chapter consultation document on a new NPPF and what it could mean for future high street projects. Discover how the changes (or lack thereof) in planning policy might impact your business or development, and how we can assist you. Read the full article here https://lnkd.in/erxaj2Vi #highstreets #towncentres #NPPF #UrbanPlanning #PlanningReform #planning

I'm always interested in reflections on high streets, especially when they come from lovely people that I've had the pleasure of working with throughout the years. Holly Lewis' reflections resonate deeply with the discussions that Roland Karthaus, Tanushree Agarwal and I had as part of the Homes England Learning Programme on town centre regeneration. One of the key questions that came up time and time again was: what is the future of the high street and what uses have done better in recent years? To me, it feels like perhaps we need to reframe that thinking slightly. High streets have always been more than just places to shop—they’re cultural and social hubs, anchors of local identity. If we want them to thrive, we need to reimagine their purpose and strengthen their capacity to serve as vibrant community spaces. As someone who has dedicated over a decade to working on high streets and town centres, I really agree with Holly's emphasis on local partnerships as the key to truly shaping the function that high streets should protect moving forward: spaces where communities can come together. But, fixing our high streets isn’t just about addressing what’s wrong; it’s about fostering long-term resilience. This means creating a vision for high streets that aligns with what people value and need, and ensuring they remain accessible, affordable, and adaptable. Achieving this requires a collaborative approach where landlords, businesses, and the community at large are actively involved in their evolution and decision-making. Giving more agency and powers to local authorities and communities is a brilliant step in their direction. #highstreets #regeneration

Thrive Living is set to kick off construction early this year on a groundbreaking 800-unit affordable-housing complex situated above a Costco store in South Los Angeles' Baldwin Village - a neighborhood with a poverty rate that is more than double the national average. This innovative development will feature amenities like a rooftop pool and fitness center, with 184 units reserved for low-income households. This marks the first U.S. residential project to integrate a Costco. The rent from Costco will enable Thrive to reduce its dependency on government subsidies. If successful, Thrive's founder, Ben Shaoul, envisions replicating this model to help address the affordable housing crisis. The project is targeted for completion by 2027 and may pave the way for similar future initiatives. #Costco #ThriveLiving #HousingCrisis #HousingSolutions #CommunityImpact #InnovativeHousing #AffordableHousing

If it all goes to plan, Los Angeles will be testing a new solution to the housing crisis: stacking 800 apartments, including 184 for low-income households, on top of a Costco. Thrive Living’s $425 million project in Baldwin Village, complete with a rooftop pool, plans to rely on Costco’s rent instead of government subsidies to make affordable housing profitable. If successful, this model could help reshape urban housing development, combining housing with big-box retail to maximize land use and streamline costs. According to the article, Costco approached Thrive. https://lnkd.in/evu49CKY

Here are some reasons you might want to buy one of our recently listed Lewisham homes or consider listing your property with us maximise its sale price: Unbeatable Transport Connections: Lewisham’s Zone 2 location offers unbeatable commuter access. In just 12 minutes, you can be at London Bridge or Canary Wharf, with prices for a 1-bedroom flat averaging around £300,000; well below the London average! Whether you’re working in the city or beyond, this is convenience at its best. We currently have some exciting homes listed with us. Dm me to find out more. Thriving Local Scene: Lewisham isn’t just a place to live; it’s a place to thrive. With an impressive 15% increase in property values over the past year (Rightmove), the area has become a hotspot for first-time buyers and young professionals. The vibrant high street, popping local cafes, and creative spaces make it a dynamic choice for those looking to immerse themselves in the culture of south-east London. Regeneration Boom = Future Potential: Lewisham’s future is bright, with over £1 billion invested into local regeneration projects, including new homes, office spaces, and improved public transport. The average house price here has risen by 20% over the last 5 years (Zoopla), with plenty more growth expected as the area continues to develop. This is the perfect time to buy before prices surge even more. If you are thinking about buying, Lewisham just makes sense. We currently have some exciting homes listed with us. Dm me to find out more. Tyron Ash International Real Estate #LewishamRealEstate #HomeBuyingLewisham #LewishamHomes #LewishamProperty #LewishamEstateAgent #LewishamForSale #LewishamHousingMarket #PropertyInvestmentLewisham #PropertyInvestors

▶️ "Investment in our high streets is investment in our communities" ◀️ Check out Holly Lewis (We Made That)'s article for The Guardian on how transforming vacant buildings can turn high streets into hubs for health, education and sustainability — and where government might best focus its efforts and spending. How to start making this happen where you are? As Holly puts it, "This will require convening partners who may not usually work together – health services with market traders or universities with shop landlords – in a place-based model, where differences between groups who may not be used to joining forces are overcome for the sake of a shared location." 🪄 Long-term change and vibrancy will only happen if partners like councils, asset owners and community leaders collaborate, to unlock buildings for amazing ideas that meet local needs (what we call #LocalPropertyPartnerships) 🏘️ https://lnkd.in/ehvjwbhW Mark Robinson Ion Fletcher Naomi Rubbra Frances Northrop Rebecca Trevalyan Amanprit Arnold

Here's a great example of how #HybridWorking can solve three problems at once... 🏢 Surrey County Council has embraced hybrid working and as a result have reduced their portfolio of buildings into four regional hubs 🏠 This created a vacancy in the historic County Hall in Kingston, which has been sold to create 292 new homes in Kingston including affordable housing 👏 Great example of how local authorities are getting creative with unused assets in their portfolio - especially when it helps tackle the housing shortage in the community ✅ Surrey CC teams benefit from the flexibility of hybrid working, at a reduced cost for the local taxpayer... and the community gets much-needed housing 💭 What do you think? Have you seen any similar case studies in your area of office to residential repurposing? #MagnetsNotMandates #HybridWorking HubStar https://lnkd.in/eYY4NTXR

There really is no worse use of land than parking! Especially considering a lot of it sits empty most of the time. With the ongoing housing crisis, we should be actively looking at what parking can be transformed into housing! Not only will this provide critically needed housing, but it will provide customers to struggling commercial/retail centers. #parking #redevelopment #retail #commercial #housing #housingcrisis #housingforall