The Mayor is being urged to provide financial and practical
support to help put local communities and residents at the heart
of high street regeneration, giving people a sense of ownership
over their high street.
The London Assembly Economy, Culture and Skills
Committee that has today published its
report – At a crossroads: London's high streets – which
highlights the challenges and opportunities for London's high
streets to flourish.
The report finds that art, creativity, and heritage can also play
transformative roles in high street revitalisation, with
initiatives such as public art installations and cultural
programming, making high streets more attractive places to spend
time and enhance people's connection to their local
area.
The Committee heard that vacant units
remain an issue for high streets. Temporary use of vacant
properties on the high street have been a popular initiative that
have helped bring a new lease of life to empty units through
temporary occupation by businesses, community groups, or
creatives.
Key recommendations in the report include:
- As part of his new High Streets Fund, the Mayor should
support local community groups to take advantage of the new
powers introduced by High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs) to take
over the leases of vacant units. This should include providing
financial support to community groups to develop viable projects,
to enable them to access vacant units as part of HSRAs.
- To help develop the unique character and heritage of each
high street, the Mayor should develop an Art on the High Street
programme that commissions public art installations, murals and
interactive artworks on high streets in London.
- The Mayor should build on lessons from the Community
Improvement Districts pilot to create an online engagement
platform for local communities to have a say in high street
regeneration projects in London.
- When delivering his new High Streets Fund, the Mayor should
consider the feedback received by the Committee about the onerous
nature of competitive bidding processes for high street projects.
Where possible, he should work in collaboration with all London
boroughs to identify the areas of greatest need when distributing
funding.
AM, Chair of the
London Assembly Economy, Culture and
Skills Committee, said:
“High streets play a pivotal role in creating and maintaining
a sense of community within boroughs here in London. From cafes
and shops, to community centres and sports clubs, high streets
provide essential services and support for
Londoners.
“During our investigation, we heard how meaningful community
engagement is one of the most important factors in ensuring a
dynamic and revitalised high street.
“The Community Improvement Districts pilot - which provided a
new approach for community stakeholders to have more say on the
strategic direction of high streets – found that, through further
work, they would help to mobilise local leadership and engage
with communities in a way that other approaches have not.
“High streets are part of our community, so it is only right
that communities play their part in reimagining high streets for
local needs.
“Improving high streets will entice more people to spend
money in their communities, helping to boost London's economy and
create spaces that are fit for purpose. We urge the Mayor to take
on board our recommendations.”