Agenda item

(A report by Phil Hughes, Strategic Planning Manager and Simon Wright, Principal Regeneration Officer, in connection with some of the trends that are taking place in the nation's high streets. It makes specific reference to the work carried out by the Local Government Association into high streets, and it recommends the establishment of a working group to explore the issue in greater detail)

Consideration was given to a report which identified some of the trends which were taking place in the nation's high streets.  It made specific reference to the work carried out by the Local Government Association into high streets.  The report also recommended the establishment of a working group to explore the issue in greater detail.

Officers informed members of work which had taken place to transform the Marshall's Yard area of Gainsborough and also progress of the work being undertaken in the Cornhill area in Lincoln.  It was also noted that the Local Government Association had recently produced a toolkit to help local authorities to understand the various steps that they could make in supporting high streets through this period of change.  The toolkit showed that more responsibilities were at a district rather than county level, but it was considered to be a useful description of the issues which needed to be addressed.

Members were also advised that following the preparation of the report, a report known as the Grimsey Review was published which came up with a radical vision for town centres, with a retail core, but also planning for something more comprehensive in terms of becoming community hubs with activities around arts, health and the inclusion of social spaces for music, markets etc., in a similar way to continental Europe.  However, it was noted that UK high streets tended to be very linear, but it was something to be considered in terms of re-engineering town centres.

Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         One member commented that they had recently visited Marshall's Yard in Gainborough and shared that it was wonderful place and it would be good to see a similar scheme in Skegness, or alternatively a number of smaller schemes.

·         It was noted that a lot of the activities to do with high streets were not within the control of the county council.  There were a number of factors which needed addressing including rents charged to high street shops, business rates and the cost of car parking.

·         In terms of the Marshall's Yard development, it was commented that West Lindsey District Council had been very supportive of the proposals.

·         It was suggested that all towns should be looked at, not just those that were working well.

·         It was noted that accessibility was an issue, as using public transport to get into Lincoln sometimes could take a lot longer than driving.

·         It was commented that the Marks & Spencer's Food Hall which had recently opened on Tritton Road in Lincoln was working well.  It was suggested that this was because people could stock up on food without having to negotiate the town centre. 

·         It was commented that there was a danger of town centres becoming 'concrete jungles' such as the potential development at St Marks' in Lincoln, which was proposed to include student accommodation and a hotel.

·         It was noted that market towns had a lot of factors in common such as many had very linear high streets and there would be major infrastructure changes needed to make it a more pleasant shopping experience.

·         It was suggested whether there was a need for some of the shops on high streets to be converted back into houses.  However, it was commented that changes such as these would need a lot of imagination and courage to get the process started.  There was also a need to be realistic about issues like car parking.  It was noted that when there used to be free parking, people going to work would use the free spaces preventing people from using them who were coming into the town centre to shop.

·         There was a need to accept that shopping was changing, and people were looking for a different experience, which was why areas like York and Bicester were surviving.

·         It was commented that Boston was one town which did not have a linear high street.  It  was also noted that the bulk of land in the town was owned by LCC highways.  The authority engaged with Boston Borough Council on maximising the potential of open spaces.

·         One member commented that they were unable to welcome any shopping centre in the centre of Sleaford or the proposed designer outlet village in Grantham as it would be detrimental to Grantham town centre.  However, it was countered that the designer outlet village in Grantham would be a different type of shopping experience and the 3.5million visitors it was expected to attract would have the experience of visiting Grantham.  If only 10% of that number visited the town centre, that would benefit the town's economy.  It was not anticipated that this outlet village would take footfall from Grantham town centre.

·         It was suggested that there was a need to collectively lobby to have rents reduced in the smaller towns.

·         It was commented that the opening of Marks & Spencer's in Skegness had improved foot fall within the town.

·         In relation to bringing entertainment into town centres, it was thought this would be a good idea, however, the costs of closing a road, and the need to submit the requests for road closures in advance tended to prove prohibitive to these types of activities.

·         The Committee was supportive of the suggestion to form a working group to look at these issues further and a number of members volunteered to be part of the working group.  It was noted that all suggestions would be put to the Group Leaders who would appoint members to the working group.

RESOLVED

1.    That the creation of a time limited working group to identify the ways that LCC as an upper tier authority could support high street vitality be approved.

2.    That a report be presented to a future meeting of the Committee which set out the outcomes from the working group and recommendations to be considered by the Executive Councillor for Economy and Place to improve high street vitality.

3.    That Councillors B Adams, Mrs W Bowkett, G E Cullen and B M Dobson be put forward for appointment to the Working Group.