CREATING RESILIENT TOWN CENTRES Conference Summary Summer 2015 Future of London is an independent not-for-profit policy network focused on the challenges facing regeneration, housing, infrastructure and economic development practitioners in the Capital. We are a borough-led membership organisation with a number of external partners, which provides top career development, expertled policy research, and topical networking and speaker-led events. Arup is an independent firm of Bilfinger GVA is the UK’s largest Pollard Thomas Edwards specialises in designers, planners, engineers, independent commercial property the creation of new neighbourhoods consultants and technical specialists consultant. Headquartered in London and the revitalisation of old ones. offering a broad range of professional and with 12 offices and 700 fee Their projects embrace the spectrum earners across the UK, Bilfinger GVA of residential development and other services to clients around the world. offers the country’s largest and most essential ingredients which make Headquartered in London since 1946, diverse multidisciplinary property our cities and towns into thriving Arup’s commitment to the city is long- consultancy outside of the capital. and sustainable places: schools and established and the firm continues to nurseries, health and community support research into issues that may centres, shops and workspaces, affect London in the future. places to recreate, exercise and enjoy civic life. “Without [the] political will, this big transformation would not have happened.” Contents - Roger Madelin CBE, Partner, Argent, on King’s Cross INTRODUCTION 1 STRATEGY AND DIRECTION OF TRAVEL 2 DELIVERING LARGE- SCALE CHANGE 3 WORKING WITH COMPLEX PLACES 7 DELIVERY: THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS 12 Future of London BREAKOUT SESSION: 70 Cowcross Street LOCAL ECONOMY 16 London, EC1M 6EJ BREAKOUT SESSION: futureoflondon.org.uk INTEGRATING HOUSING 17 @futureofldn Future of London BREAKOUT SESSION: MANAGEMENT & PARTNERSHIPS 19 © Future of London 2011 Ltd Future of London 2011 Ltd is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. CONCLUSION 20 Registered in England and Wales (Reg. No. 7575624) INTRODUCTION Lisa Taylor conversions, vacant properties • Big projects will only succeed Director, Future of London and space-sharing on high streets. with consistent, brave leadership Participants included decision-makers in decision-making and London’s town centres are key to from across the public, private and investment. supporting its communities, especially third sectors; the event was an as the Capital flexes and shimmies to excellent time to exchange ideas with • Sound partnerships – with the accommodate its growing population. peers, and we hope this summary will private, voluntary and academic Some 54% of London’s total jobs keep the work and the connections sectors and across government are based in or near town centres; live. tiers – are required to deliver they provide services, leisure and effective change, particularly as civic amenities, and will play an Recurring themes included: austerity continues. increasingly important role in meeting • The most successful town centres • Long-term resilience comes from housing need. are true multi-purpose hubs – for understanding users, whether National and local policy recognise working, living, shopping and they’re shoppers, residents, the importance of high streets and playing. workers or traders – and from the town centres that support them, keeping that analysis flexible • Town centres require fit-for- but with threats from online retailing, enough to work as populations purpose approaches: plans demographic change and budget change. differ widely between Croydon, cuts, this is a good time to explore the Barking, Hackney Wick and • Civic assets should be valued emerging practices, relationships and Barking, as they should. and used more for their potential opportunities that will help London’s as catalysts for image and diverse town centres prosper. • As part of that bespoke investment. approach, boroughs and partners Future of London’s June 2015 must balance existing and new: Full presentations for most of the conference, Creating Resilient Town development opportunities, excerpts that follow are available on Centres, followed the natural course including needed new housing, our website. To get a comprehensive of town centre renewal big and should allow for what already feel for priorities, challenges and small, from strategy through delivery works in a place, and sustain approaches, read on… and changing uses to stewardship. uses for existing as well as new Discussion touched on thorny residents problems like office-to-residential All photo credits this page: Marcos Bevilacqua Photography, courtesy GVA CONFERENCE SUMMARY: CREATING RESILIENT TOWN CENTRES 1 STRATEGY AND DIRECTION OF TRAVEL Jerome Frost OBE Global Planning Director and Leader of Consulting (UKMEA), Arup “In a major departure from Forshaw and Abercrombie’s 1943 functional analysis map (Fig. 1) for a zoned London, the role of the town centre has shifted almost entirely from administrative to serving as a ‘living room’ for its catchment area, where shopping and leisure, learning and living have become dominant features. ‘Millennials’ born in the FIG. 1 : SOCIAL & FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS, A.K.A. THE ‘ABERCROMBIE MAP’. 1980s and 1990s are shaping the (1943 COUNTY OF LONDON PLAN) world to suit their needs and lifestyles, and their influence is changing Gerry Hughes trends and external shocks. how town centres are designed and Senior Director and National ”Looking across London and its function. Head of Planning, Development & catchment, a multi-faceted response Regeneration, Bilfinger GVA ”This has given our town centres is needed. Despite their differences, a boost. Urban centres are now “The town centre is not dead. Indeed, all town centres need the capacity to places where people want to spend there is clear evidence that it is change and flex over time. The public their time: both professionally and bouncing back, post-recession. This is sector plays a key role in enabling privately; during the day and in the because we have a natural affinity for cohesion, service provision and long- evenings. Movement patterns are our high streets, beyond their function term planning, but must do so in changing in tune with these lifestyles as shopping destinations. They play a partnership with the private and third and the impact of the internet and key role in social cohesion, sense of sectors; a top-down approach won’t growth in online shopping has further belonging and community well-being. work. reduced the administrative role of ”Local authorities are also central town centres, with community facilities ”Town centres are evolving rapidly, to another principal consideration: and ‘idea stores’ the most visible civic however, in response to technological that management and stewardship function. The emphasis now is on and social change. We need must be considered and budgeted for convenience and leisure. bespoke approaches to address the implications of these changes, from the outset. In turn, stewardship ”Acknowledging these trends taking account of particular local must involve embracing innovation and demands affords different circumstances. and change – in essence, responding perspectives and raises questions to customers. If you get this right, about how we design our cities and ”Now and in future, town centres town centres will work because you where we prioritise. Will Millennials are subject to long- and short-term understand your customer.” want to live in urban extensions, pressures, from local market shifts suburbs or new towns if we build and policy changes to broad systemic, them? Are our urban centre ambitions demographic, cultural and digital big enough to accommodate the growing demand for housing and SHORT TERM MEDIUM TERM commercial space within them? Declining spending power Planning Policy Market confidence TOWN Local Institutional support And are we making best use of Economic distribution CENTRES Alternative trading format the renewed demand to capture HIGH STREETS value and reinvest in town centre infrastructure that is fit for the 21st century?” LONGER TERM ‘Slow Burns’ DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE DIGITALISATION CONVENIENCE CULTURE Aging Internet Sales Ease of access Ethnic diversity Networking Instant availability Polarisation Social Media Move away from one stop shop Leisure demands Localised convenience FIG. 2 :EXTERNAL INFLUENCES ON TOWN CENTRES (ECONOMIC & SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL/BILFINGER GVA) CONFERENCE SUMMARY: 2 CREATING RESILIENT TOWN CENTRES DELIVERING LARGE-SCALE CHANGE CASE: OLD OAK COMMON (66% of Canary Wharf); 24,000 new retail study, investigating the quantity, homes and 52,800 new residents (1.5 location and phasing of retail and Victoria Hills times as many homes as Ebbsfleet); leisure that could be provided without Chief Executive Officer, Old and £7bn per annum GVA added to harming existing centres. Qualitative Oak & Park Royal Development the UK economy. recommendations – including Corporation affordable retail, meanwhile uses, In terms of town centre activity, the and opportunities and challenges for “Above all, we know that a flexible plan is to create a place in Old Oak nearby centres – will inform OPDC’s policy is needed because how we because that’s where most people Local Plan policy. shop now won’t be how we shop in will be spending time, as opposed to 15-20 years’ time. With a 30-year simply interchanging. OPDC sees key project still