Retail-led Regeneration

Since 2002, Business in the Community has worked with Government and a group of national retailers and developers to investigate the role of retail investment as a catalyst for regeneration. This has been pursued through a commercially-driven strategy to increase investment in England's most deprived communities.

The initial phase of work on under-served markets from 2002 to 2007 was inspired by practical experience form the United States, in particular drawing on cases in Harlem, and the UK, as well as research that commercial success for private investors can exist alongside wider regeneration goals.

The project involved investors, developers and retailers in four pilot areas and the first successful store - Tesco regeneration store in Failsworth, Oldham - opened in June 2007 and employed 75 previously unemployed local residents.  

From 2007 to 2008, activity focused on disseminating knowledge gained from the initial phase of work, engaging with planners at a local and national level. Information on the workshops can be found on the National Retail Planning Forum website.

Under-served Markets: Retail and Regeneration was launched as a how-to guide for practitioners, the aim being to showcase the practical guidance developed through the project to both public and private sector planning practitioners, landowners, developers, retailers and their consultants.

The main themes of the guide, are:

• How retail investment in deprived areas can be encouraged.
• How the planning system can be used to plan for and facilitate such investment
• How the positive benefits of such investment – employment, business support and community regeneration – can be maximised for local stakeholders.

Sponsors have included the Communities and Local Government (formerly Office of the Deputy Prime Minister), Liberty International, Lloyds TSB, King Sturge, Experian, The Boston Consulting Group, BCSC, Segro, Sainsburys, Ikea, English Partnerships, Next, B&Q, National Retail Planning Forum, Tesco, Land Securities, Capital and Regional, Accessible Retail, and the Institute for Retail Studies at the University of Stirling.

Retail-led regeneration: why it matters for our communities 

On Wednesday 14 January 2009, DTZ, BCSC and Business in the Community published the report Retail-led Regeneration: Why it matters to our communities.

The research was conducted by global real estate advisor DTZ and identifies the wider benefits of retail developments including economic growth such as job creation and opportunity, but also quality of life factors such as improved public space and neighbourhood areas, new housing, increased civic pride and community cohesion.

The research focuses on the impact of five retail schemes including: Byron Place and Dalton Park in East Durham; Glasgow Fort; The Centre Feltham in Hounslow, London; and the Bullring, the Mailbox and Castle Vale in Birmingham.

According to the report, the best way to improve social impact is for local authorities and developers to work in partnership to implement specific strategies on maximising employment training opportunities for disadvantaged people, providing support for existing business and addressing relevant social issues such as health and crime.

The report concludes that for developers, there is a clear commercial benefit in taking social impact into account and that six key factors will maximise the return and make the difference for local communities in retail-led development:

• Attract a good range and quality of retailers
• Have a plan for your partnership – this should be simple and clear
• Keep lines of communication open and build trust
• Provide fit-for-purpose urban design
• Give high priority on sustainability and viability
• Add value by going beyond the minimum requirements and regulations