The Regional Shopping Centre in the Inner City: A Study of Retail-led Urban Regeneration

Abstract

The West Quay shopping centre in Southampton is a prime example of a new wave of inner-city regional shopping centres in the UK-at the time of its opening being the largest centre of that type. This paper argues that West Quay has had a fundamental impact on the built form and urban identity of Southampton. Using detailed local research in order to reconstruct the story of the scheme, the paper demonstrates that the development which has taken place has been viewed by a Labour-controlled city council as strategically vital to the survival of the city as the south coast's leading regional centre. As such West Quay represents a prominent example of the shift in orientation in UK retail development and planning in the late 1990s towards a strongly urban regeneration-led focus, with cities like Southampton pioneering the link between retail and urban regeneration as a central component of a strategy focused on the development and promotion of successful places. In turn, the notion of such 'place building'-which has been at the heart of New Labour's urban policy agenda-has become entwined in current revisions of retail planning policy.

Traditional Retail Markets: The New Gentrification Frontier?

“…In parallel, planning regulations to curtail the establishment of out-of-town retail centres have triggered the diversification of big supermarkets, which now have smaller stores in city centres competing directly with independent retailers such as those in traditional markets (Sadun 2008). Research that attempts to assess the impact of new city-centre retail developments has varied from the cautiously supportive (Thomas et al 2004;Lowe 2005) to the cautiously critical (Raco 2003).…”

Ubicación de franquicias y grandes cadenas comerciales después de la gran recesión. El caso de la ciudad de Zaragoza / Location of franchises and large retail chains following the Great Recession. The case of the city of Zaragoza (Spain)

“…En este sentido, los nuevos modos comerciales se superponen con otros de localización más tradicional y se intenta ajustarlos a las demandas actuales (Desse, 2001;Lowe, 2005;Villarejo, 2008; Conseil National des Centres Commerciaux, 2013), evolucionando de manera acelerada para adecuarse a las tendencias del consumo, uso del tiempo y a la implantación del espacio digital como entorno inmaterial de compras (Relaño, 2011), ocio y consumo.…”

“…Atendiendo al caso español, los cambios producidos en la movilidad y las relaciones sociales desde la déca-da de los noventa del siglo pasado (Calvo y otros, 2008;Savy, 2015) y, sobre todo, a partir de la gran recesión (Pueyo y Hernández, 2013), han supuesto nuevas formas comerciales y de consumo que han llevado al reposicionamiento de franquicias y grandes cadenas comerciales en los centros urbanos (Jackson y otros, 2004;Lowe, 2005;Bordonaba y otros, 2009;Gasnier, 2010;Baron y Loyer, 2015) con tiendas de referencia conocidas como flagship store -buque insignia de la marca-o concept stores -tiendas creativas para cautivar al cliente-. La crisis también ha provocado la acentuación en la desaparición de los negocios familiares, siendo reemplazados o absorbidos por establecimientos pertenecientes a grandes enseñas, por lo que esta tipología va siendo cada vez más escasa.…”

Natural Commercial Centers: Regeneration Opportunities and Urban Challenges

“…The mutual influence among traditional retails, public spaces and social life suggests that a comprehensive approach is recommended, and that regeneration initiatives which include traditional market areas should pay great attention both to the physical quality of the urban design and to the valorisation of social networks embedded in the commercial activities. Many cities are plagued by a decrease in the number of commercial activities within the city centre, also due to the development of suburban commercial areas that offer cheapest location and attract globalised competitors [4,5,6]. …”

“…Typical expressions of a globalized economy, the different categories of suburban shopping mall have transformed behaviours and paths at a large scale [2]. One of the consequences can be identified in the loss of traditional commercial activities within the city centre, producing a situation of urban decline, mirrored by the impoverishment of public spaces [3,4,5,6,7]. This paper suggests that, by activating the existing cultural and socio-economic capital, it is possible to undertake a successful regeneration process based on a participative approach and on public and private integrated tools.…”