Regeneration

The Portas Review has helped give a focus to our high streets in the public eye. The review contains some good suggestions that would make a real impact, while Portas doesn’t shy away from confronting the government’s position, as when advocating a more explicit town centre first policy to be included in the National Planning Policy Framework. More broadly, as Julian Dobson pointed out yesterday, the report recognises the social value of high streets as meeting points and arenas for community activity, as well as their economic function.

We’ve had the one of the warmest autumns on record, yet the chancellor’s autumn statement sent a chill through everyone, particularly those in the public sector.