In 2010, Altrincham – a historic town in south Manchester – was labelled England’s number one ‘ghost town’, with 30% of its town centre units standing vacant.
Confidence had collapsed in the aftermath of the 2008 recession, and traditional retail-led regeneration models had clearly failed. Investors, retailers, and visitors were disappearing fast and local residents were demanding change.
Determined to turn the tide, we took a radically different approach, placing the town’s greatest asset – its people – at the heart of the process.
A people-led approach
We engaged individuals and organisations from across sectors and backgrounds to rethink and reimagine Altrincham’s future.
By drawing on the town’s unique heritage, built environment, and community spirit, we co-developed a shared vision that reflected the place’s true potential and created a partnership vehicle to drive real change.
Building partnerships and confidence
We brought together the local council, businesses, independents, landlords and community groups – forming strong, cross-sector partnerships. This collaboration delivered:
Tangible outcomes
By 2017, vacancy rates had fallen by 73%, footfall had significantly increased, and Altrincham had regained its reputation as a vibrant destination. Key deliverables included:
The award-winning Altrincham Market, curated by Market Operations, acted as a major catalyst – bringing people back into the town centre, redefining perceptions of the town and anchoring further regeneration.
A Landlord and Property Agents Forum was introduced to boost engagement of the property sector in the town, stimulating new leads, bringing vacant units into new use and stimulating millions of pounds worth of investment into buildings and premises.
We established a Retail Forum to enable retailers of all sizes to work together to host joint events and promotions to boost trade and expand the offer of the town.
A Business Support Hub was created to support new and existing businesses with practical advice and guidance on all aspects of running a small business.
A business loan scheme was instituted to provide small grants of up to £20,000 to enable businesses to grow, with the fund working on a recyclable basis to maximise the support it could provide.
A full events programme of carnivals, festivals and food tastings, as well as heritage, art and culture trails, were introduced to help people to re-engage with their town and to drive footfall and change perceptions.
Major capital schemes were either introduced or brought forward such as a new transport interchange, local hospital and health hub, car park, library and market area, accompanied by major investment in improvements to public spaces.
National recognition
In 2018, Altrincham’s transformation was recognised nationally when it was named ‘High Street of the Year’ – a testament to the power of collaboration, vision, and place-based regeneration.
Key takeaway
Every town has unique assets that can be harnessed for transformation. With the right partnerships, leadership and vision, change is not only possible – it’s achievable.
What impact could your regeneration deliver?
Talk to us about how to turn regeneration into lasting impact for your place.