High-street economic recovery for local government using AI data analytics
Data-driven reactivation of vacant high-street properties in Ealing.
The Challenge
London’s high streets had been in decline for years before COVID-19 shocked local economies further: hospitality, retail and entertainment were hit hardest, vacancy rates climbed, and councils needed to plan recoveries suited to their own places and communities. The Mayor of London and the Ealing High Streets Taskforce sought innovators who could use data to activate vacant high-street properties and support London’s recovery from the pandemic.
The Solution
NQM deployed its Economic Analyser for Ealing Council under the Mayor’s “Activating High Streets” challenge (delivered via the Greater London Authority). The Economic Analyser securely combines data sources — local-authority business-rates, relief and vacancy data, Companies House open data, planning applications, mapping information and online listings — applying AI and data-modelling techniques to help economic planners understand, manage and plan the local economy and identify opportunities to reactivate vacant units.
Outcomes
The engagement delivered the Economic Analyser deployment for Ealing Council, giving the council data-driven tools and actionable insights for activating vacant high-street properties and planning COVID-19 recovery. NQM was recognised as a finalist in the Mayor of London’s Resilience Fund for this line of work.
Features
Secure fusion of council business-rates, relief and vacancy data with Companies House, planning and mapping data.
Identification of vacant high-street units and opportunities for reactivation.
Local-economy planning views to understand the impact of interventions and plan diverse, robust local economies.
Insight built on the council's own authoritative revenue data rather than survey estimates.
Benefits
Deployed the Economic Analyser for Ealing Council as part of the Mayor of London's high-street challenge, supporting data-driven activation of vacant high-street properties and COVID-19 recovery (delivered engagement).
Finalist in the Mayor of London's Resilience Fund.
Extended NQM's local-economy analytics track record alongside Belfast City Council and BCP Council engagements.
Volt features used
Working with
Ealing Council
London borough council; beneficiary authority for the London High Street Economic Analyser under the Mayor's Activating High Streets challenge.
Greater London Authority
The devolved regional governance body for Greater London; commissioned the London High Street work under the Mayor's Activating High Streets challenge.
