High Street Renaissance
The Past
High Street Bedford has been the primary north - south route
through Bedford for at least 1200 years. 100 
years ago it was a thriving and bustling street
with attractive and prestigious shops, hostelries, inns and
businesses. However, over the past 50 years the High
Street has declined. Contributing factors to this decline is
the growth of the car, with approximately 15,000 vehicles per day
traveling south along High Street, and pedestrian shopping
precincts, offices, and the bus station moving the centre of
gravity of the town centre westwards.
If you would like to know more about the history of High Street
please view the High
Street Historical Gazetteer (November 2008) (22.2Mb
), which traces the history of properties in High Street
and includes a number of historic photographs.
The Present
In the Council’s Town
Centre Area Action Plan (2006 – 2021)
(2.36Mb) High Street is identified as a ‘Key Area for
Change’. This was then reinforced by the Inspector
appointed to examine the Action Plan who said when approving the
Plan, "I would urge the Council to move quickly in drawing up a
strategy for the High Street". This was reinforced by
the Town Centre Exhibition April 2008 when the public highlighted
the revitalisation of the High Street as the top priority.
The subsequent independent Vision
and Development Strategy (January 2009) for High
Street reinforced the need for urgent action in 5 essential
areas. This confirmed that the key priority for High Street
is the need to address, and improve, the built fabric and townscape
quality of the street in order to preserve its history and
heritage.
Building on this Vision for High Street, the
Council adopted in July 2010 the Supplementary Planning 
Document (SPD),
A Strategy for Bedford High Street, focusing on three
main objectives: Restoring the Existing Fabric; Uses and Activity;
and Access and Movement. This strengthens the planning
framework to ensure all modifications and improvements achieve the
successful regeneration of High Street.
In 2009 English Heritage undertook a survey of
Conservation Areas across England. The Bedford Conservation
Area was deemed to be ‘At Risk’ for a number of reasons including
the poor condition of shopfronts in the historic core, primarily
High Street, and the impact of traffic on the character of High
Street. This means that English Heritage is expressing
concern at the condition of the Conservation Area. To meet
this challenge a Partnership Board for High Street was formed
in the summer of 2009. Members of the Partnership
include the Borough Council, Bedford College, Bedford BID, Beds
& Luton Chamber of Commerce, Bedford Licensees Association,
Bedfordshire Architectural Heritage Trust, Bedford Architectural,
Archaeological and Local History Society and local
business.
With the approval of the Bedford High Street
Partnership Board work continued on the application for
funding to the Heritage Lottery Fund’s
Townscape Heritage Initiative programme -
the programme helps communities regenerate conservation areas
displaying particular social and economic need. It encourages
partnerships to carry out repairs and other works to a number of
historic properties within those areas, and improve the quality of
life for all those who live, work or visit there.
For further information on the Bedford High
Street THI please visit our
Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) page and
the
THI Updates page for progress to date.