Placemaking in our towns and cities

Bristol is one of 70 local authorities in line to benefit from support from the government’s High Streets Task Force, an alliance of placemaking experts working to redefine our high streets, many of which have been decimated after Covid lockdowns.

The High Streets Task Force, commissioned in 2019, provides support to local leaders in town centres and high streets in England.

Along with the other 60 local authorities (none of which, apart from Bristol, are in the West Midlands, South West or Thames Valley region), the city will receive support from Task Force experts to diagnose the issues blocking transformation and to recommend ways to make positive change happen on the high street.

Simon Quin, Executive Director of the High Streets Task Force, said: “This is not just about support for 70 locations alone.

“The High Streets Task Force is a wider commitment to raising the skills and resources of local leaders to transform our towns and cities for many years to come. For every high street we support directly, we hope that many more will benefit from the approaches and learning gained locally.” to increase biodiversity and provide a better environment.

The Park has evolved a Travel Forum Group into the Greener Workplace Forum which has representatives from 45 park businesses and Philip’s team is updating road signs which includes a mapping project to make green spaces and buildings easier to navigate around.

Later this year Milton Park will initiate a wayfinding project to signpost the many walks and cycle routes around the site.

MEPC also has longer-term plans. “As part of our 2040 Vision, our masterplan to sustainably grow the Park by a further 10,000 people, placemaking is integral to this strategy, reducing our reliance on the car to use sustainable travel modes such as cycling, bus and walking, adding to our amenity offer such as the recent arrival of popular Goring-based Pierreponts Café to our Innovation Centre,” said Philip.

Milton Park recently unveiled its new flexible co-working space, the Bee House at 140 Eastern Avenue which is undergoing a £12.4 million refurbishment and will be ready for occupation by February 2022. Once finished, it will be home to around 550 people.

There is also a new café close to a series of outdoor meeting “rooms”, and outdoor seating among bee-friendly wildflower planting,