Government High Streets Task Force supporting town regeneration plans

11 July 2023

Tamworth Borough Council welcomed representatives from the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities High Streets Task Force for an ‘Unlocking Your Place Potential’ visit on Tuesday 4 July, where key town centre stakeholders joined together to discuss the town centre regeneration and redevelopment plans.

The visit was led by Graham Soult, High Streets Specialist Expert, a Fellow of the Institute of Place Management and who runs Gateshead-based Retail Consultancy, CannyInsights.com and a local man who grew up in Tamworth.

The Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities have commissioned specialist experts in partnership with a number of organisations, to identify 42 areas of specialism to help support local high streets.

A morning workshop took place, followed by a tour of the town and a look at the latest regeneration projects about to commence.

Due to levels of inequality, and the impact of covid, Tamworth is one of 68 high streets chosen by Government as a town to benefit from special expertise to support plans to transform its high street.

This expertise was a recommendation of the government’s High Street 2030 Review, which called for additional capacity to support local authorities in transforming their high streets.

Describing the event, Graham Soult said: “A very productive day with Tamworth’s High Streets Task Force and Unlocking Your Place Potential workshop in Tamworth.

“We discussed many great ideas with so much passion for place from the local representatives who attended, and an informative Tamworth Borough Council presentation.

“It was a pleasure to meet a diverse mix of attendees, including representatives from the library, college, heritage attractions, shopping centre, business, civic society, community, and a major commercial property landlord, alongside those from the council itself.

“We followed up the workshop with a useful town tour. I know Tamworth pretty well given that I grew up here and it's where my mum still is; but it was still very productive to see and hear about what is happening in the town from other people's perspectives.”

Councillor Paul Turner, Leader of Tamworth Borough Council, said: “As we take steps forward with our plans for our town centre, it was great to talk with our High Streets Task Force and hear the great ideas and feedback about our regeneration ambitions.

“Our plans are bold as we strive for a town centre fit for the future. Work behind the scenes getting us to this point has been extensive, and it is so good to see our plans begin to take shape on the ground.

“We welcome the advice and support from high streets task force and look forward to working with them in the future to help further shape our plans to develop a town centre that meets the needs of businesses, residents and visitors now and into the future.”

Notes:

Transforming Tamworth is series of projects worth over £21million to regenerate the town centre into the busy, thriving heart of the community, delivering:

• Middle Entry renovations which will see some vacant units demolished to be replaced by a new flexible, multi-use building for independent small businesses.
• Restoration and refurbishment of the historic vacant properties on Market Street (opposite Peel Café) and creating a wider footbridge into the castle grounds.
• Restoration and refurbishment of the late 18th century former Peel Café, bringing a historic building back into use in a way that enhances its original Georgian features.
• A new Enterprise Centre in the original 19th Century former Co-operative building on Colehill.
• Public realm works that will link all the projects together.

Additionally, South Staffordshire College is also building a new college facility replacing the demolished 1960s part of the Co-operative Building, which delivers a combined investment of over £40million in Tamworth town centre.

More information about the Future High Streets Fund is available online.