Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Build Back Better High Streets Strategy on the future viability of high streets.

In the Build Back Better High Streets strategy we set out Government’s long-term plan to support the evolution of high streets into thriving places to work, visit and live.

Following on from this, on Wednesday 11 May we introduced the Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill, (LURB). This new legislation will play an important role in reviving our high streets by introducing High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs). HSRAs will empower places to tackle decline by bringing vacant units back into use and will seek to increase cooperation between landlords and local authorities, and to make town centre tenancies more accessible and affordable for tenants, including SMEs, local businesses and community groups.

Similarly, local authorities will be given new tools and powers to support compulsory purchase orders and build-out to aid regeneration and delivery, which will result in better outcomes for high streets and towns centres. Other measures such as changes to the advertising regime, pavement licensing rules and permitted construction hours will also support businesses to grow, helping overall economic output.

These new measures build on the Build Back Better High Streets Strategy and will help create attractive and lively high streets, with increased footfall and activity, which attracts people and businesses, increases pride in place and avoids the long-term presence of vacancies, ensuring high streets remain viable now and in the future.