High Street Strategy
On 21st
July 2010 the Council adopted A Strategy for Bedford High
Street SPD, which sets out an approach to regenerate and
restore Bedford's High Street. With the opening of the Harpur
Centre and plans in place to redevelop the bus station site, the
centre of shopping in Bedford has slowly shifted west over the
years. The Strategy seeks to re-establish the High Street as a
vibrant and integral part of our town centre once again.
The document identifies the following objectives:
- Ensure the built fabric of the historic street is brought up to
appropriate standards of repair to ensure its long term
sustainability
- Enhance the townscape quality of the historic street with
improved shopfronts, window frames etc so that it becomes a street
to enjoy in its own right
- Attract a range of niche shops which will improve the 'retail
offer' and create an attractive destination within the town
centre
- Stimulate a 'face culture' with street cafes and bars spilling
onto the street attracting quality family and specialist
restaurants creating a warm, welcoming and friendly environment for
people of all ages at all times
- Encourage the use of the upper floors for a mixture of
residential and commercial uses addressing the potential conflict
with noise in relation to licensed premises and air quality
issues
- Review the management of the night time economy and raise the
image and reputation of the street to be accessible for all
- Create a traffic free environment which is transformed into an
attractive pedestrian piazza that can become a niche retail
destination in the town centre
- Strengthen the links and pedestrian routes between High Street
and other parts of the town centre
- Develop attractive, safe and well managed car parks in the
right location which enable people to come into, and use, the town
centre 24 hours a day
In addition, the Council submitted a bid to the Townscape
Heritage Initiative for funding to aid in the regeneration of the
High Street. The Townscape Heritage Initiative, funded through
the Heritage Lottery Fund, makes grants to help communities
regenerate conservation areas. For more information, please
visit www.bedford.gov.uk/highstreet.
The draft strategy was published for consultation in
February and March 2010.