The Government has announced plans to see abandoned buildings brought back to life in a renewed effort to tackle a chronic problem where vast sites in Northern towns and cities become empty and unused for long periods of time, making areas look blighted.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg wants to help match-make entrepreneurs and community groups with local authorities and land-owners to find temporary uses for vacant buildings and land rather than let those sites go to waste.
Left: Stockport’s Market Place
Already supporting such an initiative is Stockport Council who has approved a £7 million investment & intervention strategy in the wider Market Place, Underbanks, Lower Hillgate, St Petersgate and St Peter’s Square area, to support and locate independent retail and develop selected property for residential use.
Independent retailers will be encouraged and supported to take the space created in order to create a critical mass of niche retailers which will drive footfall to what in effect will be a specialist retail quarter. Specialist food and drink retail is also a key component of the vision for the Market Place and Underbanks, drawing new visitors into the area and extending the hours of use.
The North has nearly twice as many hectares of previously developed vacant land and buildings than the South.
On a visit to Berlin to a project called Betahaus, Nick saw how collaborative working space in the heart of the creative district has been set up using derelict land and property.
Nick said:
“Leaving useful land in the North to languish is not only bad for business, it can hamper the success of an area in so many ways which is why I want to see empty buildings brought back to life and back in business.
“We need to understand what stands in the way of some of the most incredible space in the country being used, and make things more flexible so that we can fill these buildings with artists, start-ups, and other entrepreneurs to restore the buildings’ purpose and appeal.
“Through my Northern Futures initiative, I’m championing innovative ideas from people in the North to build a stronger economy and fairer society.”
To help unlock this potential, Nick will form a working group immediately – comprised of local government, businesses and charities – to investigate how more vacant buildings and land across the North can be brought back into temporary use.