Commercial property experts at Colliers International’s Bristol office have backed TV retailing guru Mary Portas’ plans to set up ’Town Teams’ in a bid to halt the decline of Britain’s High Streets.
The government has accepted a set of recommendations from Mary Portas covering the creation of Town Teams, the need to put town centres first when considering planning issues and the importance of affordable parking.
Planning specialist James Edwards said a dynamic Town Team could play a crucial role in reinvigorating struggling High Streets.
He said: “It is essential that the composition of the Town Teams proposed by Mary Portas is reflective of the specific town centre needs and the direction that the town wishes to go.
“It is also important that property and planning professionals are fully utilised within the Town Teams alongside the local councillors, landlords and business owners who would bring in-depth knowledge of their particular patch.
“We have a wealth of trained specialists with a full understanding of the dynamics of towns, planning and the commercial property market who must be considered an essential component in a Town Team as a means of striking the right balance for each respective town centre.
“The key to their success will be the ability to take a joined-up approach which takes full account of the relevant development management issues or local retail trends.
“With dedicated teams covering every specialisation, we are ideally placed to offer expert support and advice to maximise the Town Team’s commercial effectiveness.”
James Edwards’ comments follow the Government’s announcement that it had accepted “virtually all” the recommendations contained in Mary Portas’ report on how to enhance High Streets.
Among schemes to be adopted is a new £10m innovation fund, a national Markets Day to be held on Saturday June 23 to encourage visitors to town centres, a £1m future High Street fund and a further £500,000 fund to help towns access loans.
James Edwards said: “The rise of out of town retail and leisure facilities, with better access and free parking combined with the boom in internet shopping has fundamentally changed consumer attitudes and hit our High Streets hard.
“Local councillors, landlords and business owners will have first hand knowledge of their own High Street but it is essential they harness the sort of expertise we have across all fields from rents and rates to retail and regeneration.
“Town Teams will have to be dynamic and can’t just sit around a table. They must identify goals and targets and utilise the necessary expert advice in achieving them.”
