MARKET TOWNS AND RURAL CENTRES AS ECONOMIC HUBS

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MARKET TOWNS AND RURAL CENTRES AS ECONOMIC HUBS

• Helen Harris Better Places Team Leader 0116
  3057025

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• Existing provision/position
• Challenges/gaps/opportunities
• Priorities for action/intervention

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What is a Market Town /Rural Centre ?

• Emda definition population under 20,000
• Market charter
• Number of services settlement provides-
• current mapping work/user satisfaction survey

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What is the existing position?

• Town Centre Partnership- Business Driven
• Loughborough, Hinckley, Coalville and Melton
  Mowbray.
• Improvement Partnerships Focus on whole
  community
• Broughton Astley, Lutterworth, Market Harborough,
  Earl Shilton and Ashby.

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What is existing position?

• BID- Business Improvement District
• Hinckley- vote in November-sustainability
• Future- Loughborough and Melton
• Town Centre Action Plans for example Ashby and
  Market Harborough Issues
• environment, community, business, transport

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What is existing position?

• Town Centre Masterplans- site specific
• Focus- Retail Improvements
• -Community uses
• - Leisure
• - Transport interchanges
• - public realm
• Loughborough, Hinckley, Lutterworth, Coalville
• In production- Oadby, Wigston , South Wigston,
  Blaby and Melton

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What is an economic hub?

• Retail Town centre/ out of town
• Employment decline traditional industry
• - Increase in
  service/distribution industries
• Present economic climate- Increase in number of
  vacant units, difficulties in engaging with
  retailers, getting people into town centres from
  employment sites.

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What gaps/opportunities exist in the current
provision in Market Towns?

• Shop front improvement grants
• Living/working over the shop
• Rate relief schemes for new businesses
• Park and ride schemes for businesses on outskirts
  at lunchtimes
• Loyalty cards

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Priorities for action/intervention?