{"id":6389,"date":"2013-09-07T16:26:21","date_gmt":"2013-09-07T15:26:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ihbconline.co.uk\/newsachive\/?p=6389"},"modified":"2013-09-07T16:26:21","modified_gmt":"2013-09-07T15:26:21","slug":"befs-highlights-plight-of-small-towns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=6389","title":{"rendered":"BEFS highlights plight of \u2018Small Towns\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) has launched a report on the findings of its \u2018Small Towns Initiative\u2019, highlighting how conservation projects \u2018are playing an important part in small town regeneration\u2019 and \u2018provide investment to conserve and enhance the centres\u2019, though more research \u2018is needed on the economic significance of Scotland\u2019s small towns to underpin a small towns policy<\/span>\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>The report, entitled \u2018Small Towns in a Small Country, Findings from the Small Towns Initiative of the Built Environment Forum Scotland\u2019, is written by BEFS Chair Cliff Hague.<\/p>\n<p>The main findings of the report are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The historic environment is a vital part of small towns\u2019 character, but is under threat.<\/li>\n<li>Conservation projects focused on the historic environment are playing an important part in small town regeneration.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">The town centres are struggling \u2013 innovative uses are needed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Property ownership and rateable values are part of the problem in town centres.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Small towns are important to Scotland\u2019s economy \u2013 there is local innovation and global connections.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Public services are key providers of professional job opportunities, especially for women, and are important for community sustainability.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Education opportunities are crucial to attracting families and retaining young people.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Community \/ cultural activities and a safe, attractive environment can be an important part of a development strategy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Scotland\u2019s small towns need better branding and visibility on the internet.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Joined up action by the public sector needs to be supported by local residents and businesses. \u00a0 <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Key recommendations are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>More research is needed on the economic significance of Scotland\u2019s small towns to underpin a small towns policy sitting alongside urban policy and rural policy.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">The Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme and the Town Centre Regeneration programme have helped to provide investment to conserve and enhance the centres of small towns. Such investment will continue to be needed, but the CARS programme should include powers for compulsory purchase.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Means should be explored to enable temporary use by not-for-profit organisations of commercial premises that have been vacant for 6 months.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Small towns need an integrated, place-based approach. Community planning partnerships can be a vehicle for this if they are focused on place rather than services.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Schools have a key part to play in sustaining small towns. They are important in attracting and retaining families, sources of employment and spending and part of a town\u2019s identity. Their full potential for developing entrepreneurship, building links with local businesses and involving young people in the future of their town should be explored and exploited.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Use innovative local firms to spread innovation locally and through sub-regional networks and clusters. \u00b7 Work together, learn from each other.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Use and adapt the BEFS small town health check to promote interest and build partnerships in your town. \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For the Herald report see: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.heraldscotland.com\/news\/home-news\/historic-towns-face-threat-to-their-existence-report-warns.22044872  \" target=\"_blank\">LINK<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Download the report at: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.befs.org.uk\/uploads\/SmallTowns\/13.09.03-Small-Towns-Report.pdf  \" target=\"_blank\">LINK<\/a><\/p>\n<p>For the BEFS\u2019 Small Towns page, which carries further resources and references, see: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.befs.org.uk\/small-towns-2\" target=\"_blank\">LINK<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Built Environment Forum Scotland (BEFS) has launched a report on the findings of its \u2018Small Towns Initiative\u2019, highlighting how conservation projects \u2018are playing an important part in small town regeneration\u2019 and \u2018provide investment to conserve and enhance the centres\u2019, though &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/?p=6389\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6389","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sector-newsblog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6389","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6389"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6389\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6390,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6389\/revisions\/6390"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6389"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsblogs.ihbc.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}