High Streets (Designation, Review and Improvement Plan) Bill

Jack Brereton Excerpts

Committee stage
Wednesday 13th March 2024 Public Bill Committees

[The Chair]

Before we begin, I have a few preliminary reminders for the Committee. Please switch electronic devices to silent. No food or drink is permitted during sittings of this Committee, except for the water provided. Hansard colleagues would be grateful if Members could email their speaking notes to [e-mail]. My selection and grouping for today’s meeting is available online and in the room and I have selected the amendments in the name of the Member in charge of the Bill, Jack Brereton.

Clause 1

Designation of High Streets

[Jack Brereton (Stoke-on-Trent South) (Con)]

I beg to move amendment 1, in clause 1, page 1, line 3, after first “street” insert

“, or a network of streets,”.

This amendment enables a local authority to designate a network of streets in its area as a single high street for the purposes of the Bill.

[The Chair]

With this it will be convenient to discuss the following:

Amendment 2, in clause 1, page 1, line 7, leave out from “one” to end of line 8 and insert

“designation under this section that is in force in its area”.

This amendment removes the upper limit of 3 streets on what a local authority may designate as high streets for the purposes of the Bill.

Amendment 3, in clause 1, page 1, line 9, after first “street” insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 4, in clause 1, page 1, line 10, after “is” insert

“, or (as the case may be) all of the streets comprising the network of streets are,”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 5, in clause 1, page 1, line 11, at end insert “or streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 6, in clause 1, page 1, line 12, after first “street” insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 7, in clause 1, page 1, line 13, leave out “its importance” and insert

“the importance of the street or streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 8, in clause 1, page 1, line 15, leave out from “Before” to “under” and insert “making a designation”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 9, in clause 1, page 2, line 5, after “day” insert

“, in relation to a local authority,”.

This amendment clarifies the meaning of “designation day” for the purposes of clause 1(2) of the Bill in the event that clause 1 is not commenced on a single day.

Amendment 10, in clause 1, page 2, line 6, at end insert

“in relation to that authority”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 9.

Clause stand part.

Amendment 11, in clause 2, page 2, line 8, at end insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 12, in clause 2, page 2, line 10, leave out “and its importance” and insert

“or (as the case may be) all of the streets comprising the network of streets and the importance of the street or streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 13, in clause 2, page 2, line 12, at end insert “or streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 14, in clause 2, page 2, line 14, after first “street” insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 15, in clause 2, page 2, line 15, at end insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 16, in clause 2, page 2, line 19, leave out

“designated the street as a high street”

and insert

“made the designation under section 1”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 17, in clause 2, page 2, line 21, after “must,” insert “at least once”.

This amendment makes clear that a local authority may carry out more than one review of an improvement plan within each 5-year review period if it considers it appropriate to do so.

Amendment 18, in clause 2, page 2, line 40, after “street” insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Clause 2 stand part.

Amendment 19, in clause 3, page 3, line 6, after “1,” insert

“or

(b) comprised in a network of streets that is designated as a high street under section 1,”

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 20, in clause 3, page 3, line 7, at end insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 21, in clause 3, page 3, line 15, after “street” insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 22, in clause 3, page 3, line 16, after “street” insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Clause 3 stand part.

Clauses 4 to 6 stand part.

--- Later in debate ---

[Jack Brereton]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Charles. I thank all colleagues for serving on the Committee and I am delighted that the Bill has reached this stage. I thank all those who have supported my Bill. In particular, I thank the Minister and the Department for the fantastic support I have received from them; they helped to make this possible. I also thank all the House staff who have supported me in progressing my Bill. I thank the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the British Property Federation, Power to Change and representatives from the Local Government Association Conservative group for meeting me to discuss my Bill and for their support.

Our high streets matter. They matter to our constituents and they matter to us as parliamentarians representing high streets up and down the country. According to data commissioned by Historic England, 73% of people said that their local high street is important to them, but 54% feel pessimistic about its future. The condition of our high streets is intrinsically linked to the success and condition of the communities that surround them. My Bill is about helping to secure the successful future we all want to see for our high streets.

Clause 1 sets out powers for local authorities to designate high streets in their area based on their importance to the local economy and their use. That should be done in consultation with key stakeholders and individuals from the area. This reflects that the fact that in those areas where there is effective partnership, with councils, communities, and high street businesses and property owners coming together, significant progress can be achieved. We are starting to see early signs of what can be achieved in towns such as Longton in my constituency thanks to the work of organisations such as Urban Wilderness and the owners of the Longton Exchange precinct, but we need to go much further to see the transformation necessary to attract new uses to fill those empty spaces and help our high streets to thrive again.

Recognising the success of our high streets will inevitably require change. That is why clause 2 details the need for high street improvement plans that would set out the condition of the high street and its importance to the local economy as well as proposals for its preservation and enhancement.

Sadly, many of our high streets have struggled as a result of the move online and out of town, and the pandemic. We cannot allow that decline to continue. These measures are about helping our high streets to turn the corner and be transformed for the future. They build on measures already introduced by the Government through the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, and powers already in place through a number of other provisions.

Why is it important? Many of these powers, such as the use of section 215 enforcement notices for buildings in a poor state, are not being used to best effect. Despite Government guidance illustrating the important role that such powers can play in achieving wider regeneration of an area, my own local authority, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, did not issue a single 215 notice last year.

As I said on Second Reading, the Bill is about getting local authorities to use the powers that are now in place to get on top of the challenges and to take action on the issues that are important to high street users or that bring in new uses. By putting in place a duty to create high street improvement action plans, we can help bring forward the change and better co-ordination that are needed. Ensuring full engagement and consultation with key high street and town centre stakeholders is essential, so the development of action plans must bring people and organisations together to deliver the transformation that many of our high streets need.

Clause 3 sets out the due regard that local authorities should give to improvement plans as part of the planning process, but is designed so as not to be restrictive. It is certainly not about preventing positive new development on our high streets that might not have been considered when an improvement plan was put together. Instead, it is about ensuring that consideration is given to the context of improvement plans in determining permission for new development. The granting of planning permission, as per the normal planning process, will remain entirely at the discretion of local authorities. Additionally, improvement plans are not designed to duplicate existing planning policies, such as local or neighbourhood plans, but should complement them.

Clause 4 sets out the powers necessary for the Secretary of State to make regulations that may be necessary for the implementation of clauses 1 to 3. Clause 5 provides definitions for the interpretation of the Bill, and clause 6 focuses on the extent and commencement of the Bill.

As Members will be aware, I have tabled several amendments, mainly to tidy up and improve the clarity of the legislation. A number of them are also consequential on one another. I will focus on a few of them. First, amendment 1 and its related amendments would allow for a network of streets to be considered as the high street area, rather than just a single street. That picks up on the points made on Second Reading by my hon. Friend the Member for Bury North and the hon. Member for Reading East (Matt Rodda) about ensuring that the definition of “high street” reflects that that is often made up of a collection of streets, rather than just a single street.

Amendment 2 would address some of the concerns expressed about the upper limit on the number of designations a local authority may make. Originally, it was intended that there should be a minimum of one and a maximum of three. That was done to ensure the number of designations did not become too onerous on local authorities. However, following discussions with the Department and a number of colleagues and others, including my hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough, who is serving with us on the Committee today, it has been agreed that we should remove the upper limit and give discretion to local authorities. Importantly, that reflects the fact that we have local authorities of varying sizes, with some having many more high streets than others.

Amendment 9 is merely a clarifying amendment for the meaning of “designation day”. Finally, amendment 17 is about the frequency of reviews of designated high street improvement plans. While the Bill sets out that reviews must take place within a five-year period, amendment 17 makes clear that local authorities can review plans more frequently if they choose to and make any necessary or desirable changes sooner than five years.

To conclude, my Bill will make a significant difference in helping to support our high streets to thrive again, helping to stem the tide of decline that has all too frequently been experienced across the country by putting a duty on local authorities to define high streets, assess their condition and devise improvement plans to help them to improve and to provide the focus needed to succeed. That will influence the effective partnership and co-ordinated action that will help our high streets to attract in new uses, to improve the condition of our high street buildings and to encourage more people to visit and support our local high streets so that they thrive again.

[Mrs Paulette Hamilton (Birmingham, Erdington) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Charles. I rise to agree with much of what has already been said. I truly appreciate and support the aims of this Bill and in particular clause 2 and the duty on local authorities to create high street improvement plans. I thank the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent South for bringing the Bill forward.

I have been an MP for two years now, and our high street in Erdington is one of the main concerns of my local residents. High streets are the beating heart of our communities, linking people to every part of their lives, whether that is walking to school, buying their shopping, going to church, visiting a friend, going to the pub or going out for a cup of coffee. But up and down the country, high streets are frankly in a sorry state. That is why I strongly support clause 2(1)(b), which places a duty on local authorities to create a plan that preserves and enhances our streets.

I have lived in Erdington for 36 years. I remember raising my family in a town where everything we needed and everyone we wanted to see could be found on the high street. I have received a number of comments from constituents who have contacted me since the beginning of the year.

“After seeing details on the Next-door app regarding an 87 year old man being badly beaten up and personal items taken from him outside Erdington library, I’m really really scared to get myself out. I would not be able to protect myself like this gentleman did.”

Another comment said:

“As a constituent and a person who works in the area it’s concerning to see the frequency of anti-social behaviour increasing in Erdington high street. Most recently, we’ve had the window smashed in Costa, physical assault and robbery near the library and physical assault outside WHSmith.”

Another said:

“I know Erdington missed out on the levelling up grant twice and I know there was a very ambitious regeneration plan drawn up and Erdington is not alone with this decline in the issues of the high street, but surely something can be done to regenerate it and stop the decline.”

It is a real shame that Erdington has twice been rejected from the levelling-up fund, despite two great bids that would have transformed our area.

It would be remiss of me not to highlight how worrying it is that the Bill is needed in the first place. Local people need to see improvements in their high streets, but, with eight local authorities having issued a section 114 notice since 2018, and the £4 billion hole in council funding arrangements for the next year, I worry that by designating this power and responsibility to local authorities, we are letting the Government off on failing to properly fund the regeneration of our high streets.

I recognise that the Bill comes with a money resolution, but I want to place on record my view that the money to preserve and enhance the high streets that are at the heart of our communities should not have come from a private Member’s Bill, but from the Government themselves. Let me end on a positive and bipartisan note by sincerely thanking the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent South for bringing forward this Bill. I hope it will serve to improve our high streets for generations to come.

--- Later in debate ---

I commend my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent South on introducing the Bill. It was his idea because of his drive to ensure that high streets in his constituency, such as in Longton, are improved for the benefit of their communities. He could not be a better champion for his constituents. The Bill is testament to that and to his efforts to improve high streets across the country. I am grateful to him, and I reiterate the Government’s full support for the Bill.

[Jack Brereton]

I thank the Minister for his kind words and for some of the comments that he made. I agree with him entirely that the amendments are very much about ensuring that the Bill is reflective of how people feel about their high streets, and that it is complementary to much of the work the Government are doing already to support the revival of our high streets.

I thank all Committee members for serving and supporting me with my Bill, and for their comments. I will go through some of them. The hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington mentioned the importance of the high street to her constituency and community, and some of the issues with crime and antisocial behaviour that she has seen in her community. I am absolutely attuned to those issues, having seen similar things in many of the communities and high streets in my area. The impact that has on people being able to go to high streets and feel safe is particularly important. Some of the Government’s work on the safer streets fund is particularly important to reference, because it can make a massive difference in trying to make areas feel more safe. In Longton in my constituency, we have secured considerable amounts of money through the safer streets fund to invest in safety improvements.

My hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough talked about the impacts of online and the internet, which have had such a significant effect. My hon. Friend the Member for Dudley North also mentioned that. It is essential that we take action to address some of those issues and bring people together to create a destination, as my hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough described, not just for traditional retail but for entertainment. She also mentioned the important role of BIDs, which will be integral and play a key role in parts of this legislation. They will be one of the key partners that can help to formulate the improvement plans.

I thank my hon. Friend and constituency neighbour the Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central for her points, particularly about amendments 1 and 2 and why they are important for our city, which is because we are a city made up of six towns, all with unique identities. She also mentioned the importance of not causing displacement from one part of a high street to another, which is why the amendments are so important.

I also thank my hon. Friend the Member for Leigh, who made some extremely important points about his constituency and the benefits that heritage action zones have brought. I have seen that in my own constituency and across Stoke-on-Trent. They are particularly important and can play a significant role, because many of our high streets contain so much important heritage. My hon. Friend also mentioned the importance of cross-party working and the work he has done on Golborne station. I recall that that was reflected by the Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester, who complimented my hon. Friend on the incredible and instrumental work he has done to progress that project. Even the Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester thinks he is doing a fantastic job.

I also thank my hon. Friend the Member for Bury North, who mentioned the importance of the Bill being about not just local authorities. He is absolutely right: this is about not just local authorities. Although they can perform a co-ordinating role, it is about trying to get businesses, communities, property owners and all those who care deeply about their high streets to be involved in the process and to formulate plans.

Finally, I want to reflect further on the points made by my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley North. He illustrated the importance of having a masterplan for an area to the rebirth and rejuvenation of our high streets. It can play such an integral role. I hope the efforts we are making through this Bill will help to deliver that. Without further ado, I ask the Committee to accept amendment 1.

[The Chair]

We now need an outbreak, or a continuation, of good humour and patience from the Committee, because, funnily enough, we have a lot to get through.

Amendment 1 agreed to.

Amendments made: 2, in clause 1, page 1, line 7, leave out from “one” to end of line 8 and insert

“designation under this section that is in force in its area”.

This amendment removes the upper limit of 3 streets on what a local authority may designate as high streets for the purposes of the Bill.

Amendment 3, in clause 1, page 1, line 9, after first “street” insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 4, in clause 1, page 1, line 10, after “is” insert

“, or (as the case may be) all of the streets comprising the network of streets are,”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 5, in clause 1, page 1, line 11, at end insert “or streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 6, in clause 1, page 1, line 12, after first “street” insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 7, in clause 1, page 1, line 13, leave out “its importance” and insert

“the importance of the street or streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 8, in clause 1, page 1, line 15, leave out from “Before” to “under” and insert “making a designation”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 9, in clause 1, page 2, line 5, after “day” insert

“, in relation to a local authority,”.

This amendment clarifies the meaning of “designation day” for the purposes of clause 1(2) of the Bill in the event that clause 1 is not commenced on a single day.

Amendment 10, in clause 1, page 2, line 6, at end insert

“in relation to that authority”.—(Jack Brereton.)

See explanatory statement to Amendment 9.

Clause 1, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 2

High street improvement plans

Amendments made: 11, in clause 2, page 2, line 8, at end insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 12, in clause 2, page 2, line 10, leave out “and its importance” and insert

“or (as the case may be) all of the streets comprising the network of streets and the importance of the street or streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 13, in clause 2, page 2, line 12, at end insert “or streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 14, in clause 2, page 2, line 14, after first “street” insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 15, in clause 2, page 2, line 15, at end insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 16, in clause 2, page 2, line 19, leave out

“designated the street as a high street”

and insert

“made the designation under section 1”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 17, in clause 2, page 2, line 21, after “must,” insert “at least once”.

This amendment makes clear that a local authority may carry out more than one review of an improvement plan within each 5-year review period if it considers it appropriate to do so.

Amendment 18, in clause 2, page 2, line 40, after “street” insert “or network of streets”.—(Jack Brereton.)

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Clause 2, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 3

Planning functions: duty to have regard to high street improvement plans

Amendments made: 19, in clause 3, page 3, line 6, after “1,” insert “or

(b) comprised in a network of streets that is designated as a high street under section 1,”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 20, in clause 3, page 3, line 7, at end insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 21, in clause 3, page 3, line 15, after “street” insert “or network of streets”.

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Amendment 22, in clause 3, page 3, line 16, after “street” insert “or network of streets”.—(Jack Brereton.)

See explanatory statement to Amendment 1.

Clause 3, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clauses 4 to 6 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Question proposed, That the Chair do report the Bill, as amended, to the House.

[Jack Brereton]

I thank you, Sir Charles, and everybody who has taken part in the debate today. It has been a fantastic and wide-ranging debate, and I hope that we can move forward as swiftly as possible, with Report stage on 26 April.

[The Chair]

Would anybody like to thank the officials?

[Jack Brereton]

I thank the officials.

[Jacob Young]

I would like to thank the officials.

Question put and agreed to.

Bill, as amended, accordingly to be reported.