Stoke-on-Trent City Centre Development Framework and Investment Strategy
The Brief: English Partnerships and RENEW North Staffordshire required a City Centre Development Framework which would take forward the priorities set out in the Integrated Economic Development Strategy. The latter states that “the City Centre is the key to the future of the City of Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire and the primary economic aim is the expansion both physically and in the market offer including retail, office, cultural, leisure and residential.”
The North Staffordshire Integrated Economic Development Strategy identifies the City Centre as a key economic driver for the sub-region. This has been incorporated into the Strategic Development Framework which identified the importance of:
“A City Centre which punches its weight, with a regionally significant retail offer, a major business district (developed in a series of phases) and a vibrant creative, cultural and evening economy”.
The Strategic Development Framework sets out the key elements of a renewed City Centre and the need to:
- Develop an identifiable business district for financial, business services and commercial employment;
- Strengthen the retail offer to ensure the City Centre can compete with other sub-regional and regional centres;
- Make the City Centre the focus for business and public administration – bringing thousands of jobs into the core area;
- Capitalise on the benefit that a developing University Quarter can bring to the City Centre through improved physical linkage, business opportunities and image.
- Further develop a cultural and evening economy which further enhances the attractiveness of the City Centre as a focus for quality; and
- Establish residential development in the City Centre which acts as an economic driver as well as a means of creating a lively and active City Centre.
The report framework was completed in December 2005.
Sheffield