Montagu Evans presents… Town Centres & Repurposing

The vitality and vibrancy of our town centres are based on the ability to create a stable community, one that has ownership of its vision, understands its requirements for housing delivery, employment growth, connectivity and the confidence to embrace its purpose.

As generations change the role of the town centre or high street has become less about shops, and more about place. Council leaders, the community, businesses and private investors all have a role in shaping the future of our towns, although revenue generation and initial capital to invest sits at the heart of every vision. Longer-term placemaking and improved public realm, too, takes substantial time to implement and demonstrate return.

Now, however, we see many examples of private and public partnerships working together, which allow councils to take advantage of access to private sector expertise, understanding lease options, reduction in capital outlay and overall longer-term opportunities. For investors, access to an in-depth understanding of local consumers, constituents and connections vastly improves the ability to identify and exploit huge opportunities.

Town centres play a huge part in addressing wider economic issues and there are many other options at both public and private sectors to help understand positioning, investment and point of differentiation. Advisers who support collaboration when seeking out authentic investment and repurposing propositions will be essential to delivering change in a time when ‘do nothing’ remains the easiest option but the need to act is increasingly pressing.