Revitalising Newhaven's Historic High Street
Newhaven Town Centre
Newhaven Town Centre
HNW Architects has played a key role in the regeneration of Newhaven’s High Street through the creation of a publicly accessible Design Guide and a series of aspirational visuals that illustrate the transformative potential of well-designed shopfronts. Commissioned by the Newhaven Enterprise Zone (NEZ) in collaboration with Lewes and Eastbourne Councils, this initiative is designed to enhance the appearance of the High Street, support local businesses, and encourage private sector investment.
The Newhaven Design Guide
The Newhaven Shopfront Design Guide is a comprehensive, openly accessible, resource providing clear design principles and practical guidance for owners, developers, retailers, architects, and builders. It outlines how to create high-quality shopfront designs that respect the town’s heritage while embracing modern retail needs. The guide aligns with the objectives of the Newhaven Enterprise Zone, which seeks to revitalise the town centre, increase footfall, and reinforce a strong sense of place.
The guide emphasises:
• Retaining and restoring historic features where possible.
• Enhancing the overall appearance of the High Street through well-proportioned and contextually appropriate shopfronts.
• Balancing traditional and contemporary approaches to shopfront design.
• Ensuring high-quality materials, signage, and detailing to contribute to a unified streetscape.
• Integrating sustainability, accessibility, and security considerations into shopfront improvements.
• Providing practical advice on permissions, funding opportunities, and available resources to support businesses and property owners.
• Retaining and restoring historic features where possible.
• Enhancing the overall appearance of the High Street through well-proportioned and contextually appropriate shopfronts.
• Balancing traditional and contemporary approaches to shopfront design.
• Ensuring high-quality materials, signage, and detailing to contribute to a unified streetscape.
• Integrating sustainability, accessibility, and security considerations into shopfront improvements.
• Providing practical advice on permissions, funding opportunities, and available resources to support businesses and property owners.
Bringing the Guide to Life – Aspirational Visuals
To complement the Design Guide, HNW Architects has produced a series of aspirational visuals illustrating how different properties on the High Street could be transformed. These visualisations apply the guide’s principles to real-world settings, offering a clear and inspiring vision of what is possible.
Each case study presents a bespoke design tailored to the specific architectural style, character, and condition of the building, as well as its surrounding environment. The shopfront designs are categorised into three distinct approaches:
• Traditional: Emphasising heritage features, reinstating historic details, and using period-appropriate materials.
• Hybrid: Combining elements of traditional and modern design to suit contemporary retail needs while respecting the historic streetscape.
• Modern: Introducing clean, high-quality contemporary designs that enhance the vibrancy of the High Street while maintaining sensitivity to context.
• Traditional: Emphasising heritage features, reinstating historic details, and using period-appropriate materials.
• Hybrid: Combining elements of traditional and modern design to suit contemporary retail needs while respecting the historic streetscape.
• Modern: Introducing clean, high-quality contemporary designs that enhance the vibrancy of the High Street while maintaining sensitivity to context.
A Vision for a Thriving High Street
By providing clear guidance, inspiration, and practical support, HNW Architects’ work in Newhaven serves as a blueprint for high street regeneration. The Design Guide and aspirational visuals together create a compelling vision for business owners, developers, and the wider community, ensuring that investment in the High Street is both ambitious and sensitive to Newhaven’s rich architectural and cultural identity.