CEDOS Review of the Build Back Better High Streets Plan
The Build Back Better High Streets plan was launched on the 15th July, coinciding with the Prime Ministers speech on Levelling Up. The plan sets out five key priorities to achieve the vision of having “vibrant high streets where communities are at the heart of place-making; where a mix of commercial and residential uses complement each other; and where businesses large and small feel welcome.” The plan does not provide any major new policy steer or resources to support high streets.
The five priorities are:
Breathing new life into empty buildings;
- Planning flexibilities around change of use; enabling vacant commercial premises to be demolished and a new development right to convert empty shops, restaurants and offices into homes.
- £150m community ownership fund to enable communities to take over local community assets such as pubs, theatres and post offices.
- Encouraging councils to use Compulsory Purchase Orders for more effective land assembly to facilitate growth.
- Intention to reform legislative framework to ensure local areas have access to delivery vehicles to support growth and regeneration.
Supporting High Street businesses;
- Commitment in principle to make temporary pavement licence measures permanent.
- 12 month extension to temporary permissions for off-sales alcohol
- Legislation to ring-fence debt that has been accrued from March 2020 for tenants who have been impacted by covid-19 business closure
- Working with BIDs to improve stakeholder engagement
- Hospitality-led regeneration hubs, with demonstrators
- Green guide for SME retailers
Improving the public realm;
- Focus on accessible and green infrastructure
- Manual for Streets to be published in 2022
- Government to choose 12 non-London local authorities for intensive investment in mini-Holland cycle schemes
- Local transport authorities being asked to produce Bus Service Improvement Plans by the end of October
Creating safe and clean spaces;
- Litter bin grant scheme
- Increased enforcement on litter, graffiti and gum.
- New delivery model for probation service focussed on visible community pay back.
Celebrating pride in local communities.
- Cultural Investment Fund
- Transforming Places Through Heritage programme
- Office for Place to be established by MHCLG focussed on design quality within the planning system.
- Local celebrations to be led by local authorities to engage communities and local high streets.
There are a range of further announcements highlighted within the plan that will be forthcoming including a Hospitality Strategy and a model for Hospitality Led Regeneration Hubs, activity to support active travel, including a range of ‘mini Holland’ pilots and support for public transport including Bus Service Improvement Plans.
It appears most of the resources to deliver the ‘place’ centred actions above will come from existing announcements including Future High Streets Fund, Welcome Back Fund, Community Ownership Fund, Town Deals and the forthcoming Levelling Up Fund and Community Renewal Fund.
There is a nod to further relaxations of guidance on change of use and more encouragement of Local Authorities to use Compulsory Purchase powers for persistently derelict buildings or to progress stalled regeneration schemes. Undertaking physical regeneration and site assembly in town and city centres has frequently been a cost prohibitive issue for many Local Authorities – especially if the final uses of any regeneration have lower end use classes and land values than the previous retail use.
There has been no mention of any changes to long term State Aid/Subsidy Control that have previously, during normal economic times, prevented support and investment in the independent business to consumer sector.