Sparks Bristol’s Post

https://lnkd.in/e7UP93Qe The Built Environment Committee has published its report, ‘High Streets: Life beyond retail?’, following its inquiry into high streets in towns and small cities. The report re-confirms what we have known for some time, including that dominance of retail on high streets is something of the past. Whilst shopping will still be a key feature, there is greater demand and opportunity for restaurants and leisure activities, as well as for more public services, such as health centres and libraries, in town centres. What communities want and what can be sustained on the high street is constantly evolving, so a fixed vision and monolithic approach to their future should be avoided. 

Very much enjoyed leading this with workshop with Vicky on behalf of Urban&Civic, discussing how New Towns can better integrate non-residential uses. Successful new settlements are contingent upon the provision of high quality homes alongside essential social and cultural infrastructure. Too often, recent attempts at building at scale have focused on the latter, neglecting the former. Its absolutely crucial the next generation of New Towns get this right, if we are serious about creating enduring places of quality, rather than sprawling housing estates. We've compiled a short report that leverages our experience in the sector, identifying common pitfalls alongside potential solutions critical to delivering genuinely mixed use places. Looking forward to sharing more details next week.

Last week was a big week for high streets with the conclusion of the High Streets Task Force (HSTF) and the publication of the Lords Report. Amongst some, there was mock disappointment that a question mark had been added after retail but that aside the report was seen as reflecting the key learnings and research from HSTF and the wide range of people and organisations who gave evidence. For us, the more interesting points were: - High street reinvention is a team effort and not down to one person or organisation alone. We spend a lot of time on projects trying to ensure that the local authority is not holding responsibility for all of the project – actions needs to be allocated to many - New approaches/buildings/offers need to be embraced by local people rather than forced on them whether that's via consultation, engagement or more informally asking what they think. - Markets and events are great options for experimentation alongside pop-up, meanwhile etc - Amenities are important – parks, toilets, parking. Parking is so emotive and needs to be in the right place for those who need it whether that’s people with access needs, workers or deliveries but we also need a more mature debate on free parking and parking in front of every shop not being the magic formula that will “save the high street” - Make everyone feel safe and welcome across the day and evening (and ensure they can get home) which takes in lighting, transport (and amenities for late night workers) and much more It’s not a one size fits all approach and many places do not need another report; they need help to mobilise and make change happen. We hope that the HSTF and Lords reports help to convey this. If you'd like to discuss how to bring change to your town centre or implement any of the recommended approaches across the two reports, contact us for a chat. #highstreets #activation #animation #towncentres #industryreports https://lnkd.in/gRfJ7DiY

How to deliver successful town centres in new settlements? It's a huge challenge (especially when you consider the fact that high streets in well-established existing places are already struggling) and an important topic as we explore the next generation of New Towns. We've brought together a summary of the common issues and potential solutions, combining: our real world experience working on garden communities and new settlements; the findings of "High Street: How our town centres can bounce back from the retail crisis" co-authored by our Director Vicky Payne; and our own internal research. This short report will be released in the next few weeks. Jas and Vicky were pleased to give a sneak preview to Urban&Civic on Tuesday, workshopping ideas with teams from Waterbeach and Alconbury Weald. We'll be sharing the report via social media, but please comment below if this is of particular interest and we'll drop you a link via DM when it is released so you don't miss it.

The Built Environment Committee has published its report, ‘High Streets: Life beyond retail?’, following its inquiry into high streets in towns and small cities #smallbusiness #SMEs #ukhousing #ukproperty #markettraders

It's hard to find time to consolidate learning on a particular topic as a consultant. But it felt essential for us to make time to bring together the insights we have gained about getting town centres to work in new settlements. It's hard, but it's not impossible. In the next week or so we'll be launching a short report outlining our understanding of the common issues and potential solutions. We hope it will be useful!

Places and Spaces Reinvented: The Future of Our Towns, High Streets, and Shopping Centres 💡   Whatever Government is in power by the end of this week they can take heart from the fact that a renewed sense of optimism is returning to the UK's urban renewal community.  According to the latest research by Lambert Smith Hampton and Revo there are significant plans for investment and development over the next 5 years in some of our town centres and high streets; but the challenge for a new Government is that more is needed to help deliver their long-term sustainable regeneration.    Read more here > https://lnkd.in/ejs6z8Ns   Or download the report in full here > https://lnkd.in/evjs7Qih   For more information or to arrange a one-to-one discussion to review the report in further detail, please contact Vivienne King or Dr. Steve Norris.   #Research #HighStreets #Towns #TownCentres #ShoppingCentres #PlacesandSpaces

Streets are the basic building block of cities.

Let’s talk about streets. On the timescale of buildings, streets are nearly eternal. London’s street network, for instance, has endured for over 2,000 years, while it’s rare to find a building still in use that’s even half that age. Once a new street is built, it rarely changes. This is partly because streets house vital infrastructure, but more importantly, they become ingrained as part of the public realm. However, the way we use streets evolves. Many inner-city streets existed long before cars and have adapted as our modes of travel changed. Now, we’re in a new era of transformation, reimagining streets for more people friendly uses. (Check out the latest guidance from Active Travel England for some great insights on this!) We’re currently adding components for streets in Blocktype, starting with four types: - Mews - Narrow residential street - Wide residential street - High Street Are we missing anything? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Places and Spaces Reinvented: what is the future for our towns, high streets and shopping centres? Whatever Government is in power by the end of this week they can take heart from the fact that a renewed sense of optimism is returning to the UK's urban renewal community. According to the latest research by Lambert Smith Hampton and Revo - Retail. Property. Community., there are significant plans for investment and development over the next 5 years in some of our town centres and high streets; but the challenge for a new Government is that more is needed to help deliver their long-term sustainable regeneration. The LSH/Revo report provides some new ideas on how we can all address these challenges. Read more here > https://bit.ly/4eGa77T Or download the report in full here > https://bit.ly/3zszJoB For more information or to arrange a one-to-one discussion to review the report in further detail, please contact Dr. Steve Norris or Vivienne King. #Research #HighStreets #Towns #TownCentres #ShoppingCentres