Reviving Satellite Towns: Unleashing Untapped Potential

In May, Paul delivered a thought-provoking talk for the RTPI North West, focusing on reviving town centres through innovative strategies like placemaking, unlocking heritage sites and event-led regeneration. While city-centric regeneration projects often steal the spotlight, satellite towns possess untapped potential for revitalisation and can be just as, if not more, exciting than their city centre counterparts.

One of the key advantages of regenerating towns is the ability to respond directly to the needs of local communities. By deeply understanding the social fabric of the area, architects and planners can devise tailored architectural solutions that address the specific requirements of the community. This approach ensures that the regeneration efforts remain relevant and meaningful, ultimately fostering a sense of ownership and pride among the locals.

However, viability can be a significant hurdle due to comparatively lower property values. To overcome this challenge, grant funding, such as the National Lottery Heritage Fund, plays a crucial role in bridging the viability gap. At Kelsall Architects we have helped a number of clients access such funding, guiding them through the application process to successful delivery.

Reviving these satellite towns presents a wealth of exciting opportunities, breathes new life into communities and celebrate what makes the Town unique. The three main takeaway’s from Paul’s talk were:

Understand what is unique about a town centre and use that as a driver for regeneration Stockport’s Old Town, which was previously a forgotten part of the town centre, now serves as a catalyst for regeneration as this is actually the part of Stockport that makes it unique. A lot of Britain’s town centres have a 1960’s shopping centre (Stockport does too), but not many have a 15th Century market place, one of the oldest market charters in the UK, or the musical heritage. This makes Stockport stand out and this is what regeneration should celebrate.
Delivery of regeneration schemes is just as important as the initial vision - Continuous momentum and quality in development reinforce positive progress and inspire confidence among developers, ensuring ongoing investment and improvement. Each key scheme delivered should push the bar higher in terms of quality, sustainability and offering.
Curate a programme of building uses to compliment each other - Understanding the town's history and culture, such as Stockport's Underbanks or the Marketplace, enables the creation of bespoke programmes and suitable building uses that meet community needs and contribute to the area's vitality.

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Reviving Our Town Centres