High Streets for All

This mission sets out a clear intent to work with London’s diverse communities to establish new, exciting and experimental uses across London’s high streets and public spaces. We are developing actions - in conversation with Londoners and key stakeholders - that will bring about tangible change.

The challenge

Creating thriving, inclusive and resilient high streets and town centres, within easy reach of all Londoners. Promoting local employment and near home working, protecting existing community and cultural spaces and introducing new types of businesses and civic organisations.

Our mission

To deliver enhanced public spaces and exciting new uses for underused high street buildings in every Borough by 2025, working with London's diverse communities.

An introduction

We will achieve this by increasing the capacity of local authorities and town centre partnerships to work with community groups and the private sector to plan for, safeguard and directly deliver a diverse, resilient and thriving mix of High street and town centre activity within easy reach of all Londoners and at all times of day and night.

We will foster a culture of ideas, collaboration and invention to bring vacant and underused buildings into productive use; promoting local employment and near home working, protecting existing community and cultural spaces and introducing new types of businesses and civic organisations.

We will capitalise on recent efforts to promote walking, cycling and wider accessibility, enhanced public spaces, parks/urban greening and cultural engagement. This would cut down unnecessary journeys and lead to fewer cars on our streets, improving air quality for all. In turn, our high streets and public spaces would become more thriving, inclusive and diverse. Work, home, shops, entertainment, education and healthcare could all be available ‘on our doorsteps’.