To form the strategy, we mapped vacant units, footfall, key stakeholders, and the five disjointed high streets of Clapham Junction. These maps were iteratively developed, and then shared using digital mapping to enable the client team to make use of them in the future. We created a clear framework from this research, explained through diagrams rather than text, forming a basis for our proposals. Our final strategy proposes “urban acupuncture” of non-physical and physical interventions which stitch and glue the town centre back together.

This includes a series of creative meanwhile uses, which plug into the existing cultural infrastructure of the area, in order to deliver greater connection between the retail and social areas of the town centre. Each of these uses was clearly costed, backed up by a precedent, and mapped back onto the high street. A key part of the strategy proposed support for the Night Time Economy and delivering safety improvements for women, from men, because embedding these approaches within the strategy makes it robust and able to tackle contemporary issues.

This work gives us up-to-date experience of delivering meanwhile use strategies based on the GLA’s High Streets for All Possibilities Playbook and was part of a successful High Streets for All funding bid to the GLA.

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