Historic Towns Forum

The demand for expansion of the retail offer in many historic towns, in order to remain competitive and economically viable, has created a challenge for those wishing to protect and enhance local distinctiveness.

The more recent economic downturn offers a chance to reflect on the best way forward in this dilemma.

The economic downturn offers breathing space for Local Authorites and developers to reflect on the direction of retail development in historic towns. At York on 23-24 September leading experts from both private and public sectors offered new information on retail development. View the report.

Breakfast in Bath on 12 March 2009 was a chance for Members and non-members in the SW region to network and to learn about the Cabot Circus and Southgate developments in Bristol and Bath.

HTF partner John Lewis Partnership hosted a seminar on 2 April 'New retail opportunities: the key to regeneration in town centres?' - at the Leckford Estate in Hampshire which brought together an invited audience of representatives from local authorities in the south west to discuss the policy implications of new Planning Policy Statements 4 / 6 - expected 'soon'.

Further projects are expected to be confirmed later in 2009.

'Focus on Retail' was launched in March 2008 at a conference held in Exeter - 'Retail development in historic towns: case study Princesshay'.

Previously conferences were held in Bristol (2007) looking at the Cabot Circus and in Birmingham (2005) exploring the Bull Ring development and the issues surrounding retail-led regeneration.

'Retail Development in Historic Areas' was published in 2005 in partnership with English Heritage.