Decision

Council Notes:

?       Neighbourhood shopping parades and local centres play a vital role in providing convenient access to shops and services and supporting local employment.

?       Many smaller retail areas across Greenwich are challenged with changing consumer patterns, ageing shopfronts, poor public realm quality and rising anti-social behaviour, and some units have stood empty for many years.

?       Attractive shopfronts and higher quality public realm can increase footfall, support local businesses and encourage civic pride.

?       The Council has a stated mission for town centres, high streets and shopping parades to be “vibrant, prosperous, well-maintained places that meet the needs of local people”.

?       That £40,000 has been allocated through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) in 2025/26 in business support for the high street leisure, retail and hospitality sectors, alongside £267,735 for town centre cleaning equipment and £54,438 to improve Beresford Square market.

?       In recent years, significant investments have been delivered in larger centres, particularly Woolwich, through the ringfenced Future High Streets Fund. This has highlighted the benefits of targeted regeneration and public realm improvements.

?       In February 2026, the Council announced the commencement of the second phase of the Plumstead High Street Improvement programme, followed by a third phase from 23 March 2026, building on the Plumstead Good Growth programme, which delivered 20 improved shopfronts designed with traders, who also contributed to the cost.

?       In November 2025 the Council announced a £2.1 million investment programme to revitalise the Eltham, Greenwich and Woolwich town centres through Getting Things Done, including £5 million to tackle fly-tipping across the borough.

?       Council welcomes the Government’s recent commitment to additional funding and support for high streets and town centres and looks forward to opportunities for local authorities to bid for future investment.

?       Councils now have stronger powers to tackle long-term vacancy, including High Street Rental Auctions (HSRA), and is exploring how these powers may be used as part of its wider town centre, district centres and neighbourhood improvements.

?       The Greenwich Neighbourhood Growth Fund, funded through neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy, made £1 million available in Round 7 for projects led by not-for-profit groups, which could include community-led improvements to local parades.

Council Believes:

?       More needs to be done to support smaller neighbourhood shopping parades as well as retail centres across the borough, building on the Council’s existing investment and the new funding and powers now available.

?       Modest interventions such as shopfront improvements and beautification, enhanced maintenance, can have a positive impact on the appearance and vitality of local high streets, where they are sustained by property owners and backed by good neighbourhood parade management.

?       Most parades are privately owned, and owners are responsible for the repair, maintenance, letting and marketing of their properties. Public money should not cover costs that properly fall to private landlords and investors, including the repair, upkeep, letting and marketing of their properties. Where the Council owns parades, it should lead by example and meet the same standard.

?       Independent businesses should be encouraged and supported to improve the appearance of their premises through practical and financial assistance, where this is matched by property owners, protects the public purse and delivers a lasting community benefit.

Council Resolves to:

?       Request the Cabinet Member for Economy, Town Centres and Co-operatives to oversee a proportionate review of the condition, appearance, vacancy, ownership and economic health of the borough’s neighbourhood shopping parades, using existing data and town centre monitoring.

?       Include a Neighbourhood Shopping Parades Action Plan within the Council’s wider town centres programme, aligned with the Government’s forthcoming High Streets Strategy, to identify locations to prioritise for investment and the use of the Council’s powers.

?       Develop options for a targeted Shopfront Improvement Grant Scheme, subject to securing external funding and match funding contributions from freeholders to assist businesses to improve their shopfronts. Any scheme should protect the public purse through owner match funding, priority for independent businesses with secure leases, a legal commitment from owners to maintain the works for a minimum period of 5 years with clawback, no funding for owners’ repair obligations, and compliance with the Subsidy Control Act 2022.

?       Support independent shop local initiatives through advice, signposting and promotion, encouraging businesses to make full use of the Council’s existing platforms, the Greenwich One Card and Enjoy Royal Greenwich.

?       Make the case to Government and the GLA for fair access for London boroughs, including Royal Greenwich, to high streets and local growth funding following the end of UKSPF.

?       Work with Community Safety, the Police and town centre managers on measures to improve safety and confidence in neighbourhood shopping parades.

?       Request that the Cabinet Member brings forward a report to the Inclusive Economy and Culture Scrutiny Panel, and then to Council within six months with an initial assessment and recommendations, including progress on the use of powers, external funding bids and investment priorities for Council-owned parades.

?       Request that the Cabinet Member includes in that report a review of the Plumstead High Street Improvement programme, including the Good Growth shopfront programme, and set out any learnings to consider for other similar schemes across the borough, particularly on ownership, owner contributions and long-term maintenance.