A collection of case studies to show how towns can prevent decline and create new opportunities for change has been published.
The Turnaround Towns UK report, published by Carnegie UK Trust, examines the seven common principles that nine successful towns share.
This includes creating social infrastructure to encourage change, celebrating local strengths and creating ways to collaborate.
Pippa Coutts, Policy and Development Manager at the Carnegie UK Trust, said: ‘Despite two in five people living in towns, in the last decade policy and funding has focused on cities. There are signs this is changing, with the recently launched Towns Fund, and commitments to towns in party manifestos. But many towns are desperately seeking advice and inspiration on how to make the most of new opportunities.
‘Town planners and authorities should think of this report not as the answer to their problems, but as inspiration for change. It is the first time anyone has identified genuine common ground across flourishing towns in the UK – and published practical inspiration for others.’
The towns featured are West Kilbride and Dumfries in Scotland; Portrush in Northern Ireland; Cardigan in Wales; and Morecambe, Todmorden, Grimsby, Wigan and Totnes in England.
