High Street Regeneration
Why Now?
We urgently need to address the current decline of the High Street.
As well as a poor retail choice, with 11 charity shops, numerous empty stores and struggling enterprise, an aura of decline is conveyed by boarded up facades and random street clutter. Traffic dominates pedestrians and generates pollution.
We must build on recent improvements including re-landscaping of the churchyard, removal of railings and renovations of shop-fronts. The Spires precinct improvements and the arrival of brands like Carluccio’s and H&M.
We must take up the offer by Transport for London (TfL) to fund pavement widening and upgrading of the public domain.
How?
We have looked at, and learned from, many successful town centre improvements in and around London including: Richmond, Wandsworth, Camden Town, Shepherds Bush, Walworth, Wimbledon, Harlesden, Bromley and St Albans.
Features that we wish to adopt in our own High Street include:
- Wider pavements, at least on the west side, creating space free from advertising and clutter for social interaction, seats, café tables and perhaps a street market.
- Trees, preferably planted in the ground to complete the ‘green chain’ from Barnet Hill to Hadley Green and, additionally, to absorb vehicle emissions.
- Attractive paving and street furniture.
- Enhanced safety for pedestrians, wheel-chair users, buggies, cyclists and those with sensory or mental impairment.
- Improved traffic flow leading to reduced air pollution.
- Some parking and loading bays retained.
How you can help
We must regenerate our town centre, otherwise it will die.
The Council has drafted a scheme and is currently consulting local groups. It proposes to consult the public in early 2018, when you will have the opportunity to say yes or no to it.
Every email and letter will count.
Whether you like the design proposals or not, it is very important that express your opinion in writing.
More information may be found at: https://engage.barnet.gov.uk
Make your comments to: consultation@barnet.gov.uk