Agenda item

[Report of the Interim Director for Housing, Regeneration and Planning. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Strategic Regeneration.]

A Strategy for Tottenham High Road" (2019-29) promotes enhancement the High Road between Seven Sisters and Bruce Grove, including Tottenham Green / High Cross.  It is made up of an extensive programme of project ideas, responding to consultation feedback and research, focussing on a small number of 'major' projects for the next three years.  Approval sought to enter into grant agreement for Good Growth funding for the major project, "Enterprising Tottenham High Road".

The Cabinet Member for Strategic Regeneration introduced this report which sought Cabinet approval to :a 10-year Strategy for Tottenham High Road 2019-2029, accepting a sum of £1.8m capital funding and £200,000 revenue from the GLA, and to give delegated authority to the Director of Housing, Regeneration and Planning to approve the Good Growth Fund grant agreement with the GLA.

The Cabinet Member noted the vital role of Tottenham’s town centres in providing jobs, services, shops, leisure facilities and social places and spaces. Therefore, it was important for the people of Tottenham that their town centres were protected and improved upon. The Mayor’s recent announcement to award the council £2m for the Good Growth Fund project, “Enterprising Tottenham High Road” demonstrated the commitment to improving Tottenham’s town centres.

The Cabinet Member praised officers for their work in the creation of the strategy and also local businesses for their contribution to its research.

The Cabinet Member paid a special tribute to Dave Hall, who played an important role in Tottenham, especially the creation of the Holcombe Road Market.

Following questions from Cllr Barnes, the following was noted:

• Ward Corner was not included in the Strategy as it was not considered appropriate to be included in a Tottenham specific strategy. However, there were plans to develop Ward Corner, separate from the strategy in question.
• Officers confirmed additional funding for the project would be sought from various schemes, such as Transport for London’s Liveable Neighbourhoods Programme. In addition, central government had created a substantial fund allocation for high streets in town centres across England. The Council would put forward a competitive bid. 
• Having a clear and integrated strategy in place put the Council in good stead to target new funding that might become available. The Council had a successful record of accomplishment in securing funding because of its clear policies and strategies in place.

RESOLVED

1. To adopt ‘A Strategy for Tottenham High Road (2019-29)’, included as appendix 3, as the council’s framework for the promotion and direction of projects for town centres along the High Road between Bruce Grove and Seven Sisters, endorse projects arising from the Strategy and support the identification of internal and external funding opportunities to support their delivery.

2. To accept a sum of £1.8m capital funding and £200,000 revenue from the GLA as set in paragraph 6.21 / 6.22 of the report and for the council to enter into agreement with the GLA in order to deliver the council’s successful Good Growth Fund scheme, “Enterprising Tottenham High Road” in accordance with paragraph 6.21 et seq.

3. To give delegated authority to the Director of Housing, Regeneration and Planning, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Strategic Regeneration and the Director of Finance, to approve the Good Growth Fund grant agreement with the GLA and other agreements related to third party organisations required for delivery of the Enterprising Tottenham High Road project.

Reasons for decision

A recent report has indicated that Haringey has some of the best and worst performing high streets in the capital in Muswell Hill and West Green Road / Seven Sisters respectively. A downturn in the health of UK high streets has cost tens of thousands of jobs. Major chains including House of Fraser, Evans Cycles, Maplin and Poundworld have collapsed into administration during 2018 while many others, including New Look, Carpetright, Mothercare and Homebase have all been forced to seek legal agreements with their landlords to shut stores and slash their rent bills.

Tottenham’s town centres are the heart of the community and provide many of the services, jobs, leisure spaces and shops that people need and use every day. It is important for the people of Tottenham that their local town centres are protected and enhanced. They provide a pivotal role in helping to build the wealth of local communities as described in the emerging Haringey Borough Plan, and are a vital means to helping to tackle inequalities.

Tottenham’s town centres need to evolve to reflect best practice approaches and learn from the very best examples of town centre success.  It is essential that the council puts in place a strong multi-agency framework to support ongoing investment in our High Road town centres. A failure to do so is highly likely to result in decline. The Strategy aims to support both the High Road’s economic health, while simultaneously responding directly to the role high streets play in meeting local needs.  Investment also helps attract significant external funds to maximise emerging Borough Plan outcomes, including for instance a bid to the recently announced £675m Future High Streets fund.

Successful delivery of best practice through the Tottenham High Road Strategy will be valuable in promoting enhancements in town centres in other parts of the borough.  This might extend to a number of initiatives arising from the Strategy, including means of engagement with residents and businesses, methods of enhancing local employment and business capacity, enhancement of spaces around town centres to improve management and maintenance issues and better use of public spaces, facilities and buildings to promote healthier communities.

ETHR is the first of the five major projects identified by the Strategy. The elements of the ETHR have been proposed because they promote the positive objectives of the Strategy to promote town centres for the benefit of local people. Following the announcement, GLA requires Haringey to enter into a grant agreement by the 31 March 2019.

Alternative options considered

Option 1: “Do not approve the Strategy, nor enter into agreement with the GLA for GGF funding”

The background work undertaken in developing this Strategy indicates a need for further interventions along the High Road. With no strategy, the council would not have a strategic plan to guide interventions and investment decisions along the High Road.

The council has an interest in taking an active role in future of its town centres through the development of a sustainable approach to the High Road. Co-ordinated change provides a greater chance of successfully addressing needs and delivering long-lasting change. An unco-ordinated approach would be reactive, and increase the risk of actions conflicting with each other, and an undue focus on short term rewards. This would not represent the best use of council funds and resources.

The High Road Strategy has been an important factor in driving forward the ideas and bidding process for achieving this award of funding.  If the Strategy is not adopted, it would undermine the commitment shown by the council to deliver projects such as the GGF project “Enterprising Tottenham High Road”.  Similarly, if Cabinet does not agree to enter into a grant agreement with the GLA then delivery of the Strategy is likely to be undermined, with project objectives either compromised or incapable of being progressed, and as such, opportunities to support local community benefits, as described in paragraph 6.21 et seq, will be missed.

Option 2: “Approve the Strategy as described in this report and enter into GGF grant agreement with the GLA”

A Strategy for Tottenham High Road addresses the significant challenges that face UK town centres generally and the specific issues and demands related to Tottenham’s town centres, in accordance with the priorities of the emerging Borough Plan and best practice approaches. 

Consultation and research has indicated that there are significant issues which need to be addressed, such as anti-social behaviour, accessibility and promoting health, which are most effectively addressed through the co-ordinated approach provided by the Strategy, and are potentially not fully resolvable in the long term without these co-ordinated interventions.

This report describes a clear vision for Tottenham’s town centres, proposed major projects which will help to realise these visions, and the costs, benefits and delivery approach to realise the council’s objectives. 

The confidence provided through a Strategy that is co-ordinated and commands broad support across a range of stakeholders, residents, businesses and council services is more likely to attract greater investment and confidence by local people, visitors and external investors. 

Following the recent announcement regarding the council’s successful bid for Good Growth funding, GLA requires Haringey to enter into a grant agreement by the 31 March 2019. This will allow timely delivery of the ETHR and delivery of its objectives.

Accordingly, the preferred option is Option 2, to approve the Strategy and enter into grant agreement with the GLA.