Town centres fit for 21st century

Dec 1 2009 by Alison Lowson, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

THE need to make our town centres relevant and fit for the 21st century was one of the main messages delivered to delegates at this year's Vital and Vibrant Town Centres conference, held at Perth Concert Hall.

In today’s very different economic and urban climate, where growth is no longer taken for granted, the financial services sector is in crisis and consumer confidence dented, opportunities to develop and re-invigorate town centres must be seized and taken advantage of.

During his keynote speech, MSP Alex Neil, Minister for Housing and Communities, highlighted the success of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund, which has encouraged creativity at the local level and provoked a fundamental rethink about the role of town centres in the modern world.

He identified three key trends that will help boost the long-term sustainability of town centres.

These were: 1 reversing the trend of encouraging people to move out of urban centres and instead encouraging mixed tenure housing in town centres; 2 managing retail capacity and converting excess retail space to housing and office space; 3 improving the quality of retail and product offer to include perhaps a broad range of eating out, cultural, leisure and sport facilities to encourage people to spend time in our town centres.

In combination, these things will help to sustain communities and build ties to town centres.

Mr Neil added he had been impressed by the “vibrancy and creativity” of the proposals put forward for the Town Centre Regeneration Fund so far.

Alf Young, chair of RiversideInverclyde, focused on the current economic picture and emphasised the importance of looking at the bigger picture and asking what town centres are for and how they can become new, more relevant places.

During the day other speakers raised questions about the current retail climate and what is likely to happen in the coming years, the need to consider specific development solutions that suit a particular town and make the most of existing assets, the importance of engaging with local communities and how to brand and market or ‘rediscover’ your town.

Chuck Dalldorf, Regional Public Affairs Manager, League of California Cities, spoke about his experiences in California and how so many of the issues, struggles and ideas about how to build a better future are the same on both sides of the Atlantic.

He said that Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and tax increment financing (TIF’s) have been instrumental in delivering change and progress in California and these are tools that we can also make more use of – the key is becoming much more active in the development of and regeneration of our town centres.

Ian Davison Porter, Project Director, Business Improvement Districts Scotland and hosts of the event, added: “Town centres are key to the local economy, employment and are home to many of the independent businesses in Scotland, as well as being the social and business centres for local communities.

“I would like to think that today’s conference has both informed and contributed to the growing debate on town centres in Scotland.”