Neighbourhood Health Hubs and a range of other public and private health services could prove to be the keys to high street and town centre regeneration, according to Radix Big Tent.
The influential think tank behind the Kate Barker-led Housing Commission – which helped shape many of the DHCLG’s housing delivery policies – will launch a new project to bring community health on to the UK’s high streets, both to improve public health and act as a catalyst for regeneration.
Sponsored by engineering, architecture, planning and environmental consulting group Sidara, independent national law firm Stevens & Bolton, and architects James Totty Partnership, the Health on the High Street Commission will launch on the 19th May to coincide with this year’s UKREiiF.
The cross-sector Commission is setting out to identify practical steps to unblock the planning, financial and cultural obstacles to high street regeneration through health; not to produce another glossy vision document.
The commission will be chaired by author, designer and place-strategist, Professor Ibrahim Ibrahim of Sidara’s Portland Design, with the independent commission comprising experts from investment, planning, place-making, national and local government, and public and private health care.
Commissioners include crossbench peer, Lord (Andrew) Mawson, the driver behind the trail-blazing Bromley-by-Bow Health Partnership, and Michael Brown, the chief architect of the ground-breaking Barnsley Health Hub, which has seen outpatient services relocated to the town centre Alhambra shopping centre.
The Commission plans to report within twelve months. In addition to conducting desk research and commissioning original research, the commissioners are eager to hear evidence from and learn from successful examples of delivering health on the high street across the country.
Announcing the Commission’s launch, Radix Big Tent Chief Executive, Ben Rich, says:
“There is widespread political agreement that putting health services at the heart of communities is a good idea. And yet, despite this consensus, progress is glacial.
“Why? Because the system designed to deliver this is stuck in neutral. Speaking with senior leaders from the NHS and private health providers, local government, private investment and regeneration, what becomes clear is that there is not a lack of ambition, but a wall of institutional and systemic inertia that prevents change. The purpose of this commission is to identify and produce policies to remove the friction points that stall delivery.”
Professor Ibrahim Ibrahim added: “The focus of the commission is less about the details of the healthcare provision and more about its halo effect, and how it can drive social and commercial value in our high streets and shopping centres.”
Andrew Steele, Partner at Stevens & Bolton, said:
“Healthcare is increasingly recognised as a powerful anchor for town centre regeneration and is a great opportunity to repurpose existing retail space as well as diversify our high streets with long-term, resilient assets.
We’re proud to be supporting the Commission as it works to identify practical solutions that can support the long-term health of our high streets, turning policies into progress.”
