Managing our town centres

In order to sustain the vitality and viability of the borough's town centres, we and our partners have developed business plans for each of our five town centres based on the following principles: 

• Involving and communicating with residents, business, investors, employees and partners
• Promoting the borough by creating an attractive sustainable environment, better infrastructure and a positive climate for private sector investment and by taking and creating opportunities to draw attention to local achievements and attractions
• Managing and developing the borough's amenities so that there is a safe and attractive environment with a rich choice for housing, work and leisure
• Enabling local people and business to benefit from the opportunities to enjoy life in the borough through good education, relevant training, accessible information and advice, and ease of travel
• Working with other Council departments and agencies who provide services within the town centres to promote town centre interests and to encourage high standards in the delivery of these services.

For each of the borough's town centres we have appointed a town centre manager to support partnerships with the public, private and voluntary sectors which enhance and sustain the vitality and viability of each town centre. There are three core areas of activity for the town centre partnerships:

• Development: To create a positive environment that enhances the town centre and secures investment to ensure the town centres' long term future.
• Management: To ensure the janitorial functions operate effectively and efficiently, and a safe and clean environment is available for all town centre users.
• Promotion: To promote and publicise the town centre to ensure that the right message is delivered to the right people at the right time.

Specific actions vary between individual town centres. Effective town centre management requires all businesses, services, traders and community groups to actively invest and participate in the daily and future development of their town centre. Business plans have been prepared and are regularly updated, to ensure the long term future of each town centre which will continue to meet the needs of its local community.

Town centre development should reflect changing consumer and leisure habits.  To facilitate this, the Council has initiated a series of reviews for each of its town centres, with a view to identifying the needs and aspirations of town centre stakeholders, users and investors and also to consider how challenges and opportunities can be achieved.  Wandsworth is fortunate in having five distinct and vibrant town centres, however, the current financial and economic climate may impact on the implementation of these achievements.

Town centres are an important element of the Council's Key Issues, which incorporates the Sustainable Community Strategy.  The Sustainable Community Strategy says that with the help of partners, by 2020, we aim to "provide 50,000 square meters of new retail space in the five town centres and also ensure that the five town centres are the focus for shopping and other complimentary activities, including business, cultural, leisure and entertainment uses".