PSSA Newsletter - Issue 30

– 5 – ISSUE 30  | NEWS Security's Role in the Future of our High Streets ATG Access have been discussing the future of our UK highstreets. This is a big question as we come out of lockdown and look to build a more optimistic future. With the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee informed at a January meeting that the lockdown-induced shift towards online retail will likely be permanent, the high street must move its emphasis away from retail and instead become more focused on alternative avenues of use and revenue generation such as leisure and experience-focused activities with the help of new pedestrianised zones. The pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated changes that were already happening in consumer behaviour. This has presented an exciting opportunity to have another look at our urban landscapes and consider how they might be transformed to better serve the needs and wants of the public. Last summer, pedestrianisation zones were implemented extensively across the UK and proved to be a great idea, creating new multifunctional spaces for people to gather and socialise. These spaces can be used to provide a much-needed boost to hospitality businesses, or host fun community events, which will be critical when it comes to drawing people back to the high street as things start to return to normal. The role of physical security in protecting the high street When creating these new spaces, choosing the right physical security measures, such as bollards and impact-tested street furniture, will be crucial in order to ensure the public can use and enjoy them with confidence. While this may seem obvious, according to our recent paper - “ The Future of Urban Design ” , many architects, it became apparent that specifiers and urban planners feel that not enough is invested in security for the projects that they are working on. When asked about the barriers to appropriate implementation, the majority (67%) cited insufficient funding, 55% identified a reluctance from local authorities to invest, and 32% had experienced a local unwillingness to have the look of a space spoiled by “obtrusive security measures”. Exploring the potential solutions to these barriers, 53% of those surveyed suggested working in partnership with local authorities and suppliers right from the beginning of a project to determine the most appropriate security measures, while 36% were keen to make use of impact-tested street furniture to counteract any aesthetic concerns. Returning to normality and seeing our cities and towns bustling with life again once the pandemic comes to an end would be a welcome sight. So, how do we create new safe, public spaces to ensure that a bright future awaits our high streets? Creating a Proportionate Security Design The requirement to facilitate social distancing and the additional pavement space required by hospitality venues to match pre-Covid capacity has resulted in a shift of use in the public realm. Whenever an area goes through a period of adjustment or a change of use, security measures should be reviewed. The vulnerabilities previously identified to secure our traditional high street set-up might have shifted to present a different set of vulnerabilities. These new or altered vulnerabilities need to be re-assessed by a security professional who can produce a revised, proportionate security design. Different factors are taken into consideration when producing this type of report: Aesthetics There are buildings and areas which may call for a strong, physical presence of security measures to deter security incidents. The public realm is not one of these spaces. Varying approaches to aesthetics can be considered. Security measures can be integrated into street furniture or even lettering and artwork to soften the visual impact of security. Measures can also be fitted with aesthetic sleeves in varying designs to include heritage colours or finishes if being placed within a historic town centre. To read the rest of the article head over to the ATG Access blog page by following this link https://www.atgaccess.com/ news/insights/future-of-high-street-security