Parliamentary debate on town and city centre regeneration
On Wednesday 16 October 2024 Catherine Atkinson, MP for Derby North, introduced a parliamentary debate on town and city centre regeneration. Like the House of Lords Inquiry we covered last week, this was an opportunity for us to understand more about new Government policy for town centre regeneration.
Professor Cathy Parker (High Streets Task Force) and Professor Steve Millington (IPM) prepared parliamentary briefings for the debate. Key speakers emphasised the importance of revitalising high streets and local economies by addressing issues such as crime, empty properties, business support, and public transport.
Catherine Atkinson highlighted business improvement districts (BIDs) as a useful tool for economic rejuvenation. Several MPs supported ideas like incentivising investment, compulsory purchase powers for vacant properties, and cooperative community ownership models. There was also a focus on the arts and cultural institutions as key drivers of footfall and vibrancy in town centres. Furthermore, public transport improvements, better pedestrian access and green spaces were highlighted as critical to supporting a dynamic town centre ecosystem.
The debate recognised that town centre regeneration must be a collaborative effort involving local authorities, businesses, and communities. MPs expressed optimism about redevelopment plans and welcomed the government's commitment to support small businesses, restore vibrancy to high streets, and create more community-friendly spaces.
Here are the key themes from the Westminster Hall debate on city and town centre regeneration:
Business Improvement and Support
- The debate recognised the role of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in rejuvenating local economies.
- Calls for business rate reforms to level the playing field between high street businesses and online giants.
- Support for small businesses and entrepreneurship, including tackling late payments and incentivising investment.
Crime and Safety
Tackling crime and antisocial behaviour to make high streets feel safer with neighbourhood policing and technology-driven solutions like AI, and biometrics to reduce theft.
Empty Properties and Regeneration
- The issue of vacant shops as a blight on town centres was raised with calls for a government strategy to address this problem.
- Suggestions included compulsory purchase powers and the need to develop the secondary legislation needed for high street rental auctions to help bring vacant properties back into use.
Cultural and Public Spaces
- The importance of arts and culture in driving footfall and vibrancy in town centres.
- Emphasis on creating more family-friendly green spaces and public services in urban areas to improve quality of life.
Public Transport and Connectivity
Better public transport links to town centres including pedestrian-friendly streets and improved cycling lanes.
Local Authority Powers and Community Ownership
- Empowering local authorities with greater powers, including holding absentee property owners accountable and using compulsory purchase for neglected buildings.
- Support for community ownership models like the Community Right to Buy to help local residents take control of local assets.
Sustainable and Agile Urban Planning
- A need for an agile approach to urban spaces, balancing retail, housing, public services, and entertainment to make town centres more dynamic and adaptable.
- Calls for councils to lead urban design efforts that foster a sense of community pride and economic renewal.
Government Coordination and Investment
- Calls for cross-government coordination on city and town centre regeneration, and updates on progress regarding the five-point plan for high street support.
- Concerns about how national policy impacts local town centres, with MPs seeking government assurances on funding continuity and fair distribution.
In response to the discussion on town and city centre regeneration, the minister, Alex Norris, acknowledged the importance of the topic and commended Catherine Atkinson for raising it. He emphasised key government commitments and measures to address the issues:
Localism and Partnership
Norris agreed that local communities and authorities are best positioned to understand and drive regeneration. He emphasised a partnership approach between national, regional, and local authorities, including elected mayors, to deliver effective regeneration projects.
Business Rate Reforms
The government is committed to levelling the playing field between high street businesses and online retailers through business rate reforms. However, Norris indicated that further announcements regarding business rates would be part of the upcoming budget, implying decisions would come soon.
Vacancy and Empty Properties
The minister highlighted the forthcoming High Street Rental Auctions as a tool to help bring vacant units back into use. He confirmed that secondary legislation would be implemented soon to empower councils to act on vacant properties.
Safety and Anti-Social Behaviour
A key focus was on addressing crime and anti-social behaviour in town centres. Norris reiterated the government’s commitment to a neighbourhood policing guarantee and new respect orders to tackle violence and create safer environments for businesses and residents.
Banking Hubs and Connectivity
Norris acknowledged the impact of bank closures on footfall and local economies. He committed to the rollout of banking hubs, aiming to establish 350 by the end of this Parliament, with 100 expected by Christmas to help sustain high street activity.
Planning and Mixed-Use Development
He discussed promoting a new mix in high streets, combining retail, leisure, housing, and services to ensure long-term viability. He mentioned how the planning system would need to adapt to support this transition.
In conclusion, the minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to empowering local communities with the tools and resources to regenerate town centres while ensuring safety, supporting businesses, and revitalising empty properties.
The IPM View
We were pleased the High Street Task Force was mentioned in the supporting research for the debate – and many of the messages were positive and in alignment with our thinking. However, whilst there was a lot of emphasis on empowering local communities, there was no indication of how to do this. Local authorities are not local communities - so giving councils more powers, either directly, or indirectly through regional bodies, like combined authorities, is not the same as empowering local people and local businesses.
Business Improvement Districts and community businesses were discussed as ways to rejuvenate town and city centres, and the HSTF experience clearly tells us that more of these, and other forms of partnership structure will be needed if government truly want to empower local communities to regenerate their town and city centres.
Whilst the debate recognised the need to increase councils’ abilities in planning and urban design, it didn't acknowledge the deficit of place management and leadership capacity and capability in local authorities. At the moment, too many councils don't have the staff with the skills needed to engage stakeholders. To facilitate and empower partnerships, or even just collaborate with their businesses and wider community, to do the types of activities that are key to reversing decline, like organising events, integrating arts and culture, and pop-up use etc.
Nevertheless, the debate clearly recognised the importance of empowering local communities, so we look forward to working with MPs and peers to help them understand both national and local governments' role in this.
About the author
Formed in 2006, the Institute of Place Management is the international professional body that supports people committed to developing, managing and making places better.