More than 45,000 homes could be delivered by developing vacant town centre space, according to a new report by Turley.
The new homes could be delivered by converting existing vacant space in UK town and city centres, according to Making Sense of Mixed-Use Town Centres, a new report by planning and development consultancy Turley.
The report says town centres need to embrace mixed-use development to thrive in the future – and that there is currently eight million sq m of unused floorspace across the UK’s urban centres.
As part of a mixed-use strategy that would see 35 per cent of vacant space apportioned to residential development, the report says more than 45,000 homes could be delivered.
Speaking about the report’s findings, Richard Laming, Senior Director, Head of Economics, at Turley said: “Securing the future of our town centres is a critical national issue – and one that is rightly getting a lot of attention. Our report is an attempt to put forward a positive vision for the future amidst the negativity that currently dominates the conversation. This starts with debunking the myth that the high street is dead – far from it – and goes on to suggest a five-point approach to planning for a brighter, mixed-use future for town centres.”
One of the report’s co-authors and Director in Turley’s planning team, Paul Keywood added: “Adopting this approach can deliver much needed housing, help turn around the fortunes of places that are currently struggling and ensure successful urban centres continue to perform. Contrary to popular belief, high street retail has a crucial part to play in shaping this future.”
The report says consideration should also be given to the heritage of an area and the quality of public realm available. A whole-place approach focussed on creating centres that attract people to them is outlined as a key facet of successful regeneration.
