The retail and town centre study will help develop strategies for each town, which will then be used to create new planning policies in the updated District Plan.
A random selection of residents in and near the five towns will be surveyed over the phone and online. Respondents will be asked to share how they are currently using the town centre/s, what they like or dislike about them, and suggest improvements that would encourage them to visit more often.
Businesses trading in the town centres will be visited face-to-face during the week commencing 9th February and asked to complete a survey to provide their views, particularly around the challenges they face trading in the towns, as well as improvements they would like to see. The surveys will be carried out anonymously on behalf of the council by The Retail Group.
Councillor Vicky Glover-Ward, Executive Member for Planning and Growth at East Herts Council, said: “We are fortunate in East Herts to enjoy buoyant town centres, but that doesn’t make us immune to the challenges facing high streets across the country.
“We want to ensure our planning policies set our town centres up for success and we can only do that by hearing from the people who make our town centres so special. If you receive a call, or are approached in person, we would really appreciate you taking the time to tell us what you think.”
Questions about the surveys can be sent to: paul.frater@theretailgroup.co.uk