TALKING POINT
COULD PUBLIC SECTOR SERVICES REVOLUTIONISE REGENERATION? Alexandra Houghton, Head of Public Sector at Carter Jonas, discusses localism and how some initiatives are focusing on the health sector having more of a presence in urban centres.
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Alexandra Houghton is Head of Public Sector at Carter Jonas and also sits on the commercial board. She has a long history of public sector property consultancy. She leads the commercial division’s public sector consulting team, where she provides strategic advice to mainly public sector clients, focusing on the delivery of solutions to business needs through estate change.
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hanges in the commercial market over recent years, particularly in the retail and office sectors, have been well documented. The loss of anchor tenants and a structural shift in the way we shop, with nearly 30% of retail transactions now taking place online, continue to make a mark. In the office sphere, survey evidence suggests there could be a five-fold increase in flexible working by 2025 compared with pre-pandemic levels. This move to increased hybrid and remote working models means that, for some businesses, offices are becoming a positive choice, not a necessity, with overall demand for offices expected to decrease as a consequence. Whilst this decline will be partly mitigated by employment growth and
perhaps the impact of the Levelling Up agenda, with increased funding announced in the budget, the focus is undoubtedly turning to quality: space for collaboration, communication and health and wellbeing being central components. These changes are having a fundamental impact on our high streets and towns – with the loss of footfall a key issue. However, where there is change, there is opportunity. Some initiatives are focusing on the health sector having more of a presence in urban centres – the premise being around high levels of demand for healthcare, and a significant oversupply of retail units. But why should the healthcare sector lead the charge? Could local authorities now step in
and make a difference; could they be the centrepiece whilst also delivering services in a different, more effective way? The concept of service delivery ‘all under one roof’ is not new. There are the obvious civic services that local authorities provide, but they are also instrumental in delivering community provisions, libraries, leisure, health, social care and the need to meet housing targets. Why couldn’t these be consolidated into a multifunctional space alongside the health sector in urban locations? This would represent localism at its best. There will always be examples of where the campus-style ‘county hall’ model works, but often this is not located in the heart of the community.
