Creating a ‘forward framework’ for Leiston town centre
Chris Wade, Director aka @man about towns
www.people-places.net/revitalising-leiston-town-centre/ Creating a ‘Forward Framework’
Forward Framework • key stakeholders • getting organised • action planning • delivery & funds Help & guidance
https://people-places.net/creating-a-forward-framework-for- town-centre-revitalisation/ Looking after the ‘heart’ of our town Led by East Suffolk Council with the People & Places Partnership in association with Leiston Business Association Leiston Town Council, Leiston Community Land Trust and Leiston Together.
New LGA resources Re-opening town centres
https://people-places.net/re-opening-town-centres/ 1a. How significant an impact do you think the COVID-19 crisis has had on such perceptions and priorities about using Leiston centre?
1b. Do we need to learn more about this? Understanding town trends
Gathering Creating Turning evidence partnerships around towns • survey • engaging • planning • analysis • organising • delivery • influence Gathering & sharing evidence
Baseline survey • Stakeholder engagement • 12 key performance indicators (KPIs) • Town centre metrics • Business confidence • User’s (on-street & on-line) • Digital development • 238 town centre users • 50 businesses (68%) • Detailed & summary reports • East Suffolk comparisons https://eastsuffolkmeansbusiness.co.uk/business- support/resources/town-centre-support/ Turning-around turnover
Projected change in turnover in next 12 months 50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0% Increase Stay the same Decrease National East Suffolk Leiston Businesses’ likes
Businesses' likes
Local customers Physical appearance Tourist customers Cafes/pubs/restaurants Car parking Public transport Affordable housing Footfall
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% Leiston National Customers’ likes
Customer likes
Convenience
Ease of walking
Customer service
Access to services
Health services
Access to ATM
Safety
Car parking
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Leiston National An East Suffolk perspective
Customers' Negative Perceptions (Retail) 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Retail offer - Retail offer - Independent National Value for Customer Markets groceries clothes, gifts shops chains money service
Aldeburgh Beccles Bungay Framlingham
Halesworth Leiston Saxmundham Southwold
Wickham Market Woodbridge East Suffolk Average An East Suffolk perspective
Customers' Negative Perceptions (Services) 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Pubs/ bars Cafes/ restaurants Access to services Leisure facilities Cultural activities/event Aldeburgh Beccles Bungay Framlingham Halesworth Leiston Saxmundham Southwold Wickham Market Woodbridge East Suffolk Average Creating partnerships
Gathering Creating Turning evidence partnerships around towns • survey • engaging • planning • analysis • organising • delivery • influence From evidence to engagement
Building a ‘town team’ ➢ Raise awareness of survey ➢ Organise any volunteers ➢ Publish findings ➢ Arrange stakeholder events ➢ Create working groups ➢ Develop projects to meet needs ➢ Produce action plan ➢ Establish team/partnership ‘how’ to get organised & deliver: folk, form, finances & forward framework Putting a partnership in place Co-ordination & communication link
• small & hands-on in supporting role • coordinating across organisations, working groups & projects • coordinating fund raising & finances Co-ordination & • communicating progress to communication partners, stakeholders & community • comprising district, town council, Leiston Together & business group • monthly, virtual catch-ups
2. What are your thoughts on this coordinating group’s composition? Turning around towns
Gathering Creating Turning evidence partnerships around towns • survey • engaging • planning • analysis • organising • delivery • influence Creating a ‘Forward Framework’
https://people-places.net/creating-a-forward-framework-for- town-centre-revitalisation/
✓ FOUNDATION; evidence & objectives FUNCTION Reviewing ✓ parking, travel & access ✓ planning & property ✓ streetscape & public realm your ✓ business support ✓ place marketing & branding ✓ digital technology & data town’s ✓ FORM; governance & influence FOLK ✓ community engagement & checklist coordination ✓ roles & capacity ✓ FUNDING; finances & investment ✓ FORWARD PLANNING; strategy & plans
Coordinated across East Suffolk
https://eastsuffolkmeansbusiness.co.uk/town-centre-support/ Theme 1: Growth, active travel & streetscape enhancement Coordinated & outcome-led project planning Progressive planning
Planning & property: Are there robust town-centre-first policies, master-planning, priorities coordinated with landlords? Ambitiouscentre businesses policy context and landlords?the could transformtown thecentre? town centre ✓ There are robust town-centre-first policies and proactive approaches for enhancing the role of multi-functional places ✓ The Neighbourhood Plan supplements this policies for constructing 390 new homes, streetscape enhancement and the creation of a focal, mixed-use development ✓ Businesses are negative about competition from out-of-town (50%) though less concerned about local rents & rates (27%).
➢ Next steps >>>>> outcomes >>>>> measures of success Looking good
Streetscape & public realm: Has a funding strategy & streetscape & public realm improvement plan been agreed? Needwith an to understandingimprove appearance of ‘connected alongside value’? its functionality. ✓ Leiston has the most negative responses amongst East Suffolk towns for appearance (45%) & cleanliness (21%) ✓ Convenience (85%) & ease of walking (80%) are perceived positively. ✓ Town centre footfall in Leiston is about 41% of expected levels and there is a marked decline across the town centre. ✓ Leiston scores moderately for wellbeing relating to ‘place’. ➢ Next steps >>>>> outcomes >>>>> measures of success Let’s get physical: working group
• devising, managing & delivering action plan of physical change • commissioning further research Growth, active • over-seeing project delivery travel & • comprising county, district, town streetscape council, CLT, community & special interest groups • updating coordinating group • quarterly meetings 3. What are your thoughts on the role & representation of this working group? Theme 2: Identity, diversity & digital Creating a modern mix
Business support: Is there tailored training & a strategy to enhance the mix/quality of retail, services, hospitality & leisure? Addingbusinesses to everyday based on shops current & servicesprovision, to trendswiden andappeal knowledge ✓of 24%competing of businesses centres expect? a continued decline in turnover ✓ Leiston is amongst the top two most negatively perceived East Suffolk towns for every aspect of retail offer ✓ Customers’ overwhelming priority is to improve business mix ✓ Leiston is one of the local towns most positively perceived for the availability of services
➢ Next steps >>>>> outcomes >>>>> measures of success Customer perceptions Developing digital (customers)
Wi-Fi coverage
Digital phone network
Targeted marketing
Online sales
Social media
Websites
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 1 (not useful) 2 3 4 5 (very useful) Feeling promotional: working group
• devising, managing & delivering action plan to boost identity Identity, • over-seeing delivery of branding, diversification promotion, events & digital & digital • comprising district, Leiston development Together, business group, events • updating coordinating group • quarterly meetings
4a. Any thoughts on role & representation? 4b. Where do we find the young, new blood?! Future Leiston mood board
5. What words & images would you add to a “future Leiston mood board” ? Creating a ‘Forward Framework’
Forward Framework • key stakeholders • getting organised • action planning • delivery & funds Help & guidance
www.people-places.net/revitalising-leiston-town-centre/