We Made That to run Richmond town centre engagement

Richmond Council will run a public engagement project to explore a new vision for Richmond town centre.

Cllr Katie Mansfield, the Council’s Lead Member for this project, has set out why this project is important.

“Richmond town centre has long been held as an iconic destination – people from all over the world want to live here, work here and visit. We have a unique offering that others cannot compete with – history and heritage, stunning green, blue and built spaces, top-class retail, and hospitality, all in close proximity to central London.

“But Richmond, like many other town centres, is seeing the effects of changing public habits like online shopping, home working and evolving modes of transport, as well as changing health, social and safety needs. If we want to avoid Richmond is losing its vibrancy, we need to adapt. We need to look to the future and make sure it’s a place that people want to spend time. A place that is convenient, social, safe, inclusive, clean, healthy and fun for everyone. A vibrant place for many years to come.

“To do this, we need to understand what this means to residents, workers, shoppers and visitors, so we are running an engagement project over the next two months to hear these views. The Council is approaching this exercise with no preconceived ideas about what is needed. We of course have our own views on the challenges, but this project is about understanding whether these are the right ones, as well as hearing about the individual experiences, needs and challenges of everyone who spends time here, be that every day or just once.”

This project will be led by We Made That, a team of specialist architects, designers and urban researchers, who will evaluate how the town centre works for all, using data, working with community organisations and speaking to local people, businesses, workers and visitors about their experiences.

After this engagement phase, We Made That will produce a town centre study with their findings and recommendations. The Council will share this report with the public and use it to determine next steps for developing the vision.

Anyone can get involved in this project – whatever your interest in Richmond. The project will be running pop-up events, online webinars, and an online survey.

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