Redbridge Council is set to launch a comprehensive health check of its town centres and high streets, a decision made during a recent meeting of the Regeneration and Economic Development Committee.
Councillor Stephen Adams proposed the town centre health check, suggesting it should assess occupancy rates and footfall across all high streets in the borough. This initiative was supported by officers who are developing an economic growth dashboard that will provide data on these key performance indicators. The dashboard will highlight how nine district town centres are performing, including footfall and spend data, and will inform the economic growth strategy, helping to identify areas of need.
Ilford Town Centre currently has a vacancy rate of 17%, which is higher than the 4-14% vacancy rate observed across other town centres in the borough. Councillor Adams noted that while the borough-wide occupancy rate might be better than Ilford's, there could be pockets of need on individual high streets.
Beyond occupancy rates and footfall, the health check will also consider other factors to define a 'healthy' or 'unhealthy' town centre. Discussions touched upon incorporating unique aesthetic designs, shop front uniformity, and wayfinding as elements to improve the public realm and the distinctiveness of town centres.
While specific consequences of the health check were not explicitly detailed, the findings are expected to inform the economic growth strategy and identify needs for individual high streets. Potential interventions for district and town centres, including improvements to the public realm, shop front uniformity, and wayfinding, may be explored based on these findings. The committee's input will be crucial in shaping these strategies and potential actions.
The committee's work plan for the upcoming year will focus on regeneration strategies, concentrating on town centres, high streets, commercial vitality, and implementation approaches. This aligns with the broader framework for regeneration and economic development, which includes priorities such as ensuring economic development, facilitating real placemaking, and building stakeholder and community bonds.
The next meeting is scheduled for October 15, 2026. Further details on the committee's discussions can be found in the Public reports pack for the Regeneration and Economic Development Committee here.
