Call for vibrant spaces to secure retail’s future
Recent headlines stating that the equivalent of one shop per day closes on Scotland’s high streets made for grim reading.
Unsurprisingly the fashion industry saw the highest number of outlets close in 2016, with banks not far behind.
The common theme is the rise of the internet – people can easily manage money or access thousands of items of clothing from their phone – and e-commerce now accounts for 14.5 per cent of total retail sales.
It is clear that traditional high streets and shopping centres need to respond to the threat from the internet if they are to survive in the long term.
By placing less of a focus on pure retailing and offering something that online services will never be able to replicate, a number of developments have created an experience where people can shop, eat, drink and enjoy something recreational, attracting customers away from tablets and into town.
Examples can be found up and down Scotland. The Edinburgh St James redevelopment is the most high profile and will feature residential units, a hotel and a cinema among other attractions.
In Glasgow, the Buchanan Quarter mixes retail with residential flats, and the recently approved St Enoch Centre reconfiguration provides for a cinema and additional food and drink outlets.
A planning application to provide a boutique cinema at Princes Square is pending while plans to transform Sauchiehall Street have been given the go-ahead.
GVA is currently involved in proposals seeking approval for the redevelopment of part of the Bon Accord Centre in Aberdeen.
This should improve connectivity between the centre and George Street, and become a catalyst to reinvigorate that area of the city.
Aberdeen’s Union Square is also looking to undergo an expansion to allow for an additional hotel, expanded cinema and more food outlets.
Mixing uses like this is in line with Scottish planning policy and its “town centre first” approach.
It stands to reason that the more people you have visiting, living and working in an area, the more economically prosperous it will be.
But city centre developments also face competition from outof-town retail parks.
These tend to be easily accessible by car, benefit from free parking and feature modern, shopper-friendly layouts.
City centres, in contrast, can require considerable investment to upgrade existing spaces.
Such sites are often within multiple ownership, subject to heritage constraints, or are hindered by servicing and access challenges.
These factors can impact on viability, overly complicate and ultimately derail development aspirations in urban areas, even with the support of local planning authorities.
Such issues make the prioritisation of town-centre-first development even more important.
While older buildings in town centres may make them a challenge to develop, the historic and social fabric of the built environment in these areas cannot be matched by most out-oftown sites.
Ideally, town centre developments should offer convenient and sustainable access to surrounding streets. They should play to the strengths of being in the middle of a busy area with a broader variety of smaller, independent retailers and restaurants not found in out-of-town destinations.
Developments that create vibrant spaces in city centres and give adjacent streets a shot in the arm are key to ensuring the longevity of in-town shopping and high streets across the country. Chris Miller is an associate in planning, development and regeneration at GVA, Glasgow