HAPPS
The High Street Consultancy’s HAPPS model is a placemaking product designed to help local authorities, community groups and other stakeholders assess and enhance the vitality, viability and resilience of town centres and high streets.
Rooted in the 25 evidence-based factors of place vitality and viability identified by the Institute of Place Management, and drawing from the learnings of the previous government’s High Streets Task Force programme, HAPPS combines these insights into five overarching themes, ensuring every place addresses its unique challenges through a holistic, actionable vision.
The HAPPS process works as a menu of options, and places can choose which of the themes they want to work up. The five themes are:
- High street vision
- Activation plan
- Place branding
- Partnerships and governance
- Sustainable environments.
Looking at the whole place
A town centre or high street does not succeed because of one thing. Its businesses, people, buildings, accessibility, experience, identity and the way it is managed all interact.
HAPPS helps us look at these factors together, rather than examining one issue in isolation.
A HAPPS assessment can help identify what is already working well, where the most important challenges and opportunities lie, and which issues deserve further attention. For places that already perform strongly, it can also help explore choices about future growth and development, and the implications of taking different paths.
The assessment is designed to lead to action. Where further work would be valuable, we can identify the questions that need answering next and the expertise needed to address them.
In some cases, that may be work the place can take forward itself; in others, The High Street Consultancy or one of our specialist Partners may be able to provide further support.
Inclusive
The High Street Consultancy’s approach features an inclusive engagement process that brings together a diverse range of community members and stakeholders, such as councillors, faith groups, educational institutions, businesses and marginalised groups, to co-create a shared vision and practical action plan.
Deliverable
Through assessment, analysis and engagement, HAPPS translates the evidence into clear priorities and practical recommendations.
The result is a clear roadmap for action, helping places understand what to focus on next and how to move forward.