Decision

RESOLVED:

1. Adopt the Hackney Central Town Centre Strategy (as set out in Appendix 1) as the Council’s regeneration framework for Hackney Central town centre.
2. Agrees to accept £19.04m of capital funding via the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) for Hackney Central in order to kickstart the delivery of the Town Centre Strategy and address the communities’ ambitions for Hackney Central, and, to enter into a grant agreement with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) for such funding on such terms as shall be agreed by the Group Director for Climate, Homes and Economy, the Group Director for Finance and Corporate Resources, and the Director of Legal, Democratic and Electoral Services.

REASON(S) FOR DECISION

1. All town centres have experienced significant stresses recently, with the impact of covid, Brexit, the growth of online shopping, and inflation taking their toll. Hackney Central is both a Major Town Centre and a designated Area for Regeneration in the London Plan. It is a space that thousands of residents use daily as they seek to address their needs, the Council wants to take a proactive approach to respond to the issues that the community have identified in the town centre (such as poor air quality, road safety concerns, need for more affordable housing), to plan proactively and work collaboratively to deal with the challenges the area faces, and to ensure its future success.
2. Failure to positively and proactively plan for the future of Hackney Central will see the existing challenges continue to the detriment of the town centre and borough as a whole. By setting out a clear and shared vision for the future of Hackney Central, the strategy enables the Council to work together with communities, businesses, partners, landowners and other stakeholders to address these challenges.
3. The Town Centre Strategy (TCS) gives the Council what it needs to lead and

shape the strategic direction of Hackney Central in the future in line with the objectives set out in;

1. 1. the Council’s Strategic Plan
2. 2. the Local Plan (LP33), especially Place Policy 3 – Hackney Central and Surrounds, and
3. 3. Hackney Council’s Inclusive Economy Strategy (2019) – support local neighbourhoods and town centres to thrive and to be inclusive and resilient places.
4. The TCS sets out a clear evidence, and community engagement led approach to regeneration in Hackney Central, underpinned by significant quantitative and qualitative research concerning local challenges and opportunities. It is a cross-Council strategy which guides projects and priorities of wider Council services in the town centre. As such, the strategy is a critical structure for coordinating Council projects under a shared vision, and coordinating the efficient use of Council resources, ensuring that investment in the town centre is strategic and maximises local benefit.
5. The TCS provides a vision for the future of Hackney Central, and a plan for

how to achieve this vision. This approach ensures the Council are leading future change in Hackney Central, ensuring high quality placemaking, attracting appropriate investment and influencing investors and landowners to bring forward sites and development in a way that most benefits the town centre and Hackney Central’s communities.

1. The TCS will help the Council deliver the objectives of Local Plan 2033 (LP33), and will be a material consideration in planning decisions.
2. Having a clear regeneration plan in place for an area enables the Council to

be able to make the best possible case to secure funding in what is an increasingly competitive financial environment. The strategy will also form critical evidence for consideration when applying for external funding, be that Central Government, Regional Government (GLA) or other independent funding organisations. This has been evidenced by the success of the Council’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF) bid.

1. By deciding to accept the LUF funding the Council will be in a position to move forward many of the key projects identified in the TCS, and start to bring about significant improvements to the town centre.
2. The positive benefits brought about by accepting the LUF funding are detailed in paragraphs 6.17-6.21 of this report.