Business Improvement Districts: Town Centre Renewal

Lord Pitkeathley of Camden Town Excerpts

Thursday 11th December 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Pitkeathley of Camden Town]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what further powers and fiscal instruments they will make available to business improvement districts to accelerate town-centre renewal and local growth.

[Lord Pitkeathley of Camden Town (Lab)]

My Lords, in begging leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper, I draw the House’s attention to my register of interests.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Baroness Taylor of Stevenage) (Lab)]

My Lords, it is with some trepidation that I answer a Question from someone with as much experience in the subject as my noble friend. I thank him for the work he has done on BIDs across London, supporting the mayor to deliver 50 of them, and particularly for his work on the Camden and Euston BIDs.

This Government recognise the important role business improvement districts can play in supporting local growth and regenerating our high streets and town centres. In the Pride in Place Strategy, published on 25 September, we committed to raising the standards of BIDs by making them more transparent and accountable, consulting on the ballot process and legislating to expand property owner BIDs outside London. Further details will be published in due course.

[Lord Pitkeathley of Camden Town (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend the Minister for her reply. Does the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill offer an opportunity to strengthen and expand the role of business improvement districts within the devolved economic development frameworks, so that they can play a fuller part in accelerating town centre renewal? Within this, do the Government intend to give property owner BIDs, which my noble friend has already alluded to, a distinct and autonomous status separate from occupier BIDs to support more effective high street regeneration?

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

BID reform is not included in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. However, the Pride in Place Strategy included a commitment to give property owners a formal role in shaping local priorities by expanding property owner BIDs outside London as soon as parliamentary time allows. Landlords will be able to work with councils, tenants and communities to create thriving high streets and support growth across the country. We are aware of calls for property owner BIDs to operate separately from occupier BIDs and the policy is currently being refined, working with the sector. Further details will be published in due course.