Re-imagining urban spaces to help revitalise our high streets
This document is aimed at anyone working to improve their high street, town centre or retail area.
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The Portas Review has highlighted the challenge that faces our high streets and town centres. In the light of changing shopping habits, high streets need to evolve to ensure they build on their strengths to offer a viable and exciting alternative to out of town and internet shopping.
Town centres and high streets have buildings and roads, but the spaces in-between are what hold them together as a place - the open spaces, squares, urban green spaces and the network of streets, pavements and pedestrian thoroughfares that knit them together. All too often, these spaces are used as no more than that - thoroughfares - and we start to forget that they can be so much more.
Re-imagining urban spaces to help revitalise our high streets describes the many different ways in which these under-utilised assets can be used imaginatively to revitalise high streets and town centres - increasing high street vitality, attracting footfall and boosting local economies. It is full of inspirational case studies, and signposts some of the key documents, guidance, tools and sources of support that could help local partners re-imagine the urban spaces in their area to help revitalise their local high streets and town centres.
The guide has been developed in partnership with 19 expert organisations.