Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Housing Minister Grant Shapps has announced
the twelve winning towns of the first round of the 'Portas Pilot'
competition to revitalise Britain's high streets. The winning
bids each receive part of the £1.2million of funding set aside as
well as support from the Department for Communities and Local
Government and Mary Portas herself. The long awaited Portas
Pilot announcement was a key recommendation in retail guru Mary
Portas' Government backed review of the high street
Liz Peace, chief executive of the British Property
Federation, said: "Landlords are as committed as
anyone to finding a solution to our struggling high streets and
creating vibrant town centres, and we welcome the announcement of
the twelve Portas Pilots.
"Landlords are experts in the fields of property management
and place making. They have a wealth of professional experience
that the Pilots can access. We want to give this positive
initiative the best possible chance of success and breathe life
into struggling high streets."
The twelve winning towns are: Bedford (Bedfordshire), Croydon
(Greater London), Dartford (Kent), Bedminster
(Bristol), Liskeard, (Cornwall), Margate (Kent), Market
Rasen (Lincolnshire), Nelson (Lancashire), Newbiggin by the
Sea (Northumberland), Stockport (Greater Manchester), Stockton on
Tees (Teeside) and Wolverhampton (West Midlands).
Given the success of the competition, the Department hopes to
announce a second round of 12 more winners in July, with the
Greater London Authority funding a further three.
Further details of the Portas Pilot Mentoring Scheme can be
found here.