The People & Places Partnership is working with North Herts Council and Hitchin BID in planning for recovery in Hitchin town centre, post-pandemic. This page provides access to up-to-date resources created as part of this work, as well as links to related guidance.
Engaging with local stakeholders
The process began in February 2022 through engagement with key local business and community stakeholders, alongside a review of existing strategies for Hitchin town centre. Such stakeholder engagement is central in planning for the recovery in Hitchin town centre.
The work in Hitchin is part of a wider approach to planning the recovery of neighbouring towns in North Herts including Baldock, Letchworth Garden City and Royston too. Key local partners include Hitchin BID, the Hitchin Initiative, Hertfordshire County Council and Hertfordshire LEP. This short video gives a summary of the processes involved in planning North Herts’ town centre recovery.
The next step was the creation and publication of town centre businesses’ and users’ surveys. This helps understand the perceptions and priorities of these two key stakeholder groups.
Analysis of the survey findings alongside a study of the town’s business mix has now been completed will be shared shortly with key local groups. This will help determine possible steps for a partnership approach for planning the recovery of Hitchin town centre and its longer-term revitalisation. This summary video shares the initial findings and next steps in planning for the short-term recovery and long-term revitalisation of Hitchin town centre.
National guidance on town centre recovery
This work in Hitchin is using the approach developed by People & Places for the Local Government Association’s revitalising town centres toolkit. This toolkit includes practical guidance on post-COVID 19 recovery planning including a case study on People & Places’ support for reopening & revitalising Selby town centre and reopening East Suffolk’s towns.
For up-to-date information on how town partnerships can respond to the COVID-19 crisis, keep an eye the beyond COVID-19 page of this web site.
