If you are looking to play a part in revitalising your neighbourhood, town or city centre, there are two salient principles that you need to have in mind from the outset. They are demonstrated in this tale of revitalising two towns in North Tyneside. Based on two underlying principles ONE: It is an often-said truism,…
What will be the impact on local empowerment and support for growth, fromdevolution’s different paces in different places. Specifically, in my role as Director at People & Places, I wanted to understand the implications for influencing place-based policy and support for delivering growth through local government reorganisation and devolution via a new layer of strategic…
All in the same boat and rowing in the same direction; pick your nautical metaphors for creating a place partnership behind a plan. Our prognosis, backed by experience and evidence, is that the towns and cities that progress beyond expectations over the next decade, will be those with an action-oriented partnership behind an evidence-based plan.…
It was a great opportunity for me to be asked the address the role of parking in welcoming places by the organisers of the North East Parking Show. From many of years of encouraging greater collaboration between parking and place managers, I still perceive a gap in the understanding between these two sectors, despite their…
This Best Practice Guide to Place Visioning was written for by Katie Norman of the Design Council for the High Streets Task Force and published in 2024. Introduction to place visioning The guide describes a place vision as a galvanising resource that describes the future aspirations for a specific location. It sets-out how it captures the…
How can stakeholders in your town or city work together in preparing for a decade of progress? A big part of our work at the People & Places Partnership, is helping local councils, communities and business to come together to turn-around town and city centres. Here we look at the ways ministers’ comments to last…
A comprehensive biennial study published last week provides a key focus for understanding city centre active travel trends and how we can boost opportunities for people to visit and enjoy the U.K. and Ireland’s High Streets. The UK Walking and Cycling Index aggregated report was published by Sustrans at the end of March. It helps inform…
The People & Places Partnership has been working with Buckingham Town Council and local partners in planning for a revitalised Buckingham town centre. This page provides access to up-to-date resources created as part of this work, as well as links to related guidance. The aim of the town centre study was to: update 2016 Retail…
With the Autumn Statement’s confirmation of the Shared Prosperity Fund go-ahead, we take a fresh look at the opportunity it provides to help shape our town and city centres. Shared Prosperity budget At the time of its Spring 2022 announcement, it was promised that the Shared Prosperity Fund would provide £2.6 billion of new funding…
The People & Places Partnership is working with North Herts Council and Baldock Events Forum in planning for recovery in Baldock 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…