To help the Island’s ‘suffering’ high streets, a new guide has been produced stipulating how shopfronts should look in two major towns.
Last week, the Isle of Wight council approved the Newport and Ryde Commercial Frontages Design Guide which aims to protect the identity of the town’s historic high streets.
It comes as a consultation found of the shopfronts in the towns, 71 were liked in Ryde, compared to 30 disliked and in Newport 40 shops were liked compared to 52 disliked.
A new standard for commercial properties
The guide now sets a new standard for commercial properties — ensuring their visual appearance enhances the conservation area, instead of having a detrimental impact — after both towns were accepted into Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zones (HAZ) programme in 2019.
A key aim of the HAZ is to restore buildings and traditional shopfronts and the work is hoped to help the High Streets recover and evolve, with one eye on the past and one on the future.
Much of Newport High Street lost its architectural heritage
The design guide says much of Newport High Street has lost its architectural heritage, with the stretch west of St James’ Street particularly affected, and characterised by ‘run-down or bland’ shopfronts of national retail chains.
Lack of ‘place appeal’
In Ryde, the High Street is said to lack the same ‘place appeal’ as Union Street, again with national chains interrupting historic shopfronts.
Through consultation, it was agreed the most important feature driving the failure of a shop was the look of the building with its appearance influencing how well-liked the shop was.
Fuller: Next few months crucial for high street survival
Speaking at the cabinet meeting, Cllr Paul Fuller, the council’s cabinet member for planning, said the high streets were suffering and the next few months would be crucial for their survival so anything the council can do to support them, like this policy, they would be doing.
The design guide now sets out how shop owners and landlords can redesign or refurbish their building fronts — starting with understanding the building and its heritage.
Nearly all shopfronts can be improved
It says nearly all shopfronts in the towns can be improved.
The guide recommends all shopfronts should consider a cosmetic refresh before further work takes place.
See the Design Guide by visiting the dedicated Website.
Article edit
2.15pm 20th Nov 2022 – Link to Design Guide added
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
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