Town centres: How to breathe new life into the high street

Downpatrick’s former police station on Irish Street is looking for a new use

In recent years the closure of many banks, post offices and police stations has created prominent gaps in towns and city centres.

The high street has also been battling competition from online and out-of-town retailers.

This has forced a rethink of the shape of commercial areas.

Downpatrick's local regeneration working group has launched a new Living High Streets Framework document to bring life back to the town.

Lost heart of community

Mal McGrady says Downpatrick is trying to shape a new future

"It's really a to-do list of what we need to do to get Downpatrick back to where we want it to be," said group chair Mal McGrady.

"We've so much potential here as a heritage town but with the closure of bank branches, the police station and with out-of-town shopping centres we've lost the heart of the commercial community in the town centre."

Mr McGrady said gateways to the town were the starting point for the framework, improving areas such as derelict buildings and accommodation above the high street buildings.

Above shop accommodation

The idea of living above the shops is something that declined dramatically during the Troubles.

But it is something that many towns are now actively seeking to stimulate.

In Armagh, the multi-million pounds Townscape Heritage Project is based around this concept.

The project chair, Stephen McConnell, said the streetscape was changing.

"In the city itself - what you will see are properties that have been derelict for many years coming back into use again."

One of the most striking is the rebuild of historic No1 Seven Houses which burned down more than 60 years ago.

It has now been restored, rebuilt and reopened with a property firm on the bottom two floors and apartments above.

Converting space for residents

"We've currently six jobs that are going to be undertaken between now and the end of the project in 2025," said Mr McConnell.

"We have completed seven projects. It is converting the ground floor into commercial space and the upper floors into living accommodation. It's bringing the commercial heart back into the city and at the same time bringing residents and people back into the city centre."

Plans are in place to build 70 apartments at this site in Newry

In Newry a number of city centre residential schemes have already been finished.

More are planned including the redevelopment of an entire block of Merchant's Quay that would see more than 70 apartments as well as commercial and retail offerings.

Problems in building

Eamonn Connolly who heads up Newry's Business Improvement District said living-above-the-shops schemes are happening - but that developers are facing prohibitive delays and costs to get schemes on site.

"That trend has emerged and it is continuing - the growth is certainly in relation to residential and we would be advocates for the permitted development concept that applies in GB - albeit with controls," he said.

"I think it's essential that we repopulate our town centres to create sustainable communities. There is also a vacant asset base above the shops that in many cases is a liability for businesses in terms of rates."

An Audit Office report in 2022 said the planning process in Northern Ireland was failing to deliver on time.

Mr Connolly said that's still the case.

"The planning process - takes a protracted process - there is also an infrastructural deficit. They primarily revolve around NI Water and the costs of upgrading their system at present."

Warnings in 2019 that delays in building houses were possible happened after capacity problems at sewage treatment plants.

Towns will always try to reinvent themselves - there may be hurdles to overcome, but the return of large-scale town centre living is a development that could be coming to a high street near you.