47. Heanor’s Future High Streets Fund economic case development

The Future High Streets Fund will support and fund local areas’ plans to make their high streets and town centres fit for the future. Kada were commissioned by BDP alongside property specialists, cost consultants and transport planners to advise on developing the economic case.

We worked with the team to develop an overarching business and economic case for the project and assessed the economic effects by quantifying local labour market supply impacts informed by our understanding of the area and by green book guidance.

Kada played a key role in advising on digital technologies for the project and the application, development and implementation of smart city technologies. To inform the master plan, Kada prepared a socio-economic review and an analysis of business and enterprise. As part of the consortium’s public engagement activities, the Kada team spoke to local residents and sites about the options for the town.  We enjoyed working with many different disciplines on a shared vision for the area and at the time of writing await the results of the application with interest.  This was an intellectually demanding study requiring considerable flexibility and teamwork, as well as refining the strategy to consider the implications of Covid-19.

The client was happy with BDP’s leadership of the project and the quality of the support they received. We were delighted to see that during the Christmas break (2020) Heanor were awarded £8.5 million from the Future High Streets Fund to help realise their plans.

On behalf of Amber Valley, we would like to express grateful thanks to you all, for your hard work and expertise throughout the process and ensuring that we compiled a robust application, providing us with the best possible business case to aim to secure funding for the town. You have all been very professional and worked with us through challenging circumstances. I know that the changes to the extended project timeline and supplementary requirement to respond to the Covid situation has been protracted and I appreciate your continued support and maintaining your service and good humour throughout. Please pass on my thanks to your teams.

-Joanne Bamford (Growth & Town Centres Manager, Landscapes, Growth & Community Safety, Amber Valley Borough Council).

Need help with your high street? Struggling to monitor your high street performance? Do get in touch at karl.dalgleish@kadaresearch.co.uk