Re-imagining Town Centres: Local Lessons from Japan and the UK
Chair of the Institute of Place Management (IPM), Professor Cathy Parker MBE was invited to chair the recent OECD Re-Imagining Town Centres webinar, held in November 2024.
Over 400 people attended the event, which was co-hosted by the Japanese Centre for Local Government. The webinar showcased different approaches to town centre revitalisation from Tatsuno Town and Numazu City, Japan, as well as Paisley and Barnsley in the UK.
During the webinar presenters shared insights on the transformative power of place management. Speaking to a diverse audience of academics, policymakers, and practitioners, Professor Parker highlighted how the IPM’s 4Rs Framework—Repositioning, Reinventing, Rebranding, and Restructuring—provides a practical and analytical approach for comparing and learning from local interventions in Japan and the UK.
Cross-Cultural Collaboration
The event showcased examples of successful town centre interventions:
- Namazu City's Takamatsu Project, which transformed a former shopping arcade into a multi-functional community hub.
- Paisley's culturally-led regeneration, which has used heritage and museums to anchor long-term investment plans, which include social housing provision
- Tatsuno Town's "network of fun and interesting people" who are nurtured and valued as the driving force behind change in the town
- Barnsley's reinvention as a family-friendly town, focussed on the needs of residents and the local community.
“While the contexts differ, the shared principles of community engagement, a strong vision, multi-stakeholder collaboration and the need to make a difference now, as well as plan for major changes such as depopulation in Japan and the housing crisis in UK, create opportunities for mutual learning.”
— Professor Cathy Parker
Using the 4Rs to Drive Insights
Cathy explained how the 4Rs Framework was used to compare and contrast the interventions discussed at the event:
- Repositioning: Both countries are redefining the purpose of town centres. In Japan, there is a focus on creating “compact cities” to address aging populations and declining rural economies. In the UK, repositioning involves integrating new uses such as healthcare, education, and housing into high streets to reduce reliance on retail.
- Reinventing: The reinvention of town centres is evident in initiatives like Japan’s “Machi-zukuri” town-building projects, which emphasise community-focussed regeneration, like in Barnsley. Similarly, the High Streets Task Force has championed 'tactical urbanism' and community engagement to reinvigorate local economies.
- Rebranding: In both countries, rebranding has been critical in reshaping perceptions of town centres. Japanese cities have leveraged local character - and characters - to attract tourism and investment, while UK towns have focused on creating unique, place-based narratives to rebuild local pride.
- Restructuring: Governance structures play a key role in delivering change. Professor Parker highlighted how Japan’s emphasis on partnership working aligns with the UK’s growing collaboration between local authorities, Business Improvement Districts, business and the wider community, as well as anchor institutions.
“Both Japan and the UK face challenges in revitalising town centres, and they approach these issues in culturally distinct ways. By applying the 4Rs Framework, we can better understand what works, where, and why – and identify strategies that transcend national contexts.”
— Professor Cathy Parker
Looking Ahead
The OECD event concluded with Cathy giving a call to action for greater cross-cultural collaboration. Professor Parker emphasised that frameworks like the 4Rs not only aid analysis but also help foster a shared language for place management across different countries.
“By learning from one another, we can develop more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable town centres,” she concluded, "we have a lot to learn from each other – in particular I would be very keen to see more international research into how town centre regeneration is financed – and the different types of legal form for governance and investment structures that exist around the world.”
As part of this ongoing dialogue, IPM will continue to work with international partners to explore how global insights can be applied to local challenges, ensuring that the lessons from Japan, the UK, and beyond contribute to better places for everyone.
About the Event
The OECD event, Re-Imagining Town Centres: Local Lessons from Japan and the UK, brought together experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities of town centre regeneration. For more details, visit the official event page: OECD - Re-Imagining Town Centres.
About the author
Formed in 2006, the Institute of Place Management is the international professional body that supports people committed to developing, managing and making places better.