Historic England

Overview

In 2020, the government launched the £95m High Streets Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) programme aimed at supporting 68 historic high streets across England to address declining footfall and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Laura led a national team of commercial advisors to support Historic England to identify eligible high streets across six regions and prioritise schemes that would deliver the best value for money outcomes.

Collaborating with the Historic England team, Laura developed an evaluation matrix that integrated commercial high street metrics with heritage and cultural considerations.

This matrix guided the initial review of expressions of interest resulting in the shortlisting of high streets. Laura’s team then evaluated detailed delivery plans for those high streets, leveraging their knowledge of post-COVID high street dynamics and other property considerations.

The recommendations of Laura and her team informed Historic England’s final formal evaluation process, ultimately influencing where and when the £95m funds would be allocated. This project saw a highly successful collaboration between the client and consultant team, blending strategic, commercial and heritage expertise.