Prime Minister Andy Burnham is giving councils new powers to block unwanted businesses as part of a major crackdown aimed at reviving Britain’s struggling high streets.
Planning loopholes allowing vape retailers and adult gaming centres to open without local consent will be closed, while the Gambling Act’s “Aim to Permit” rule is set to be abolished.
The rule has restricted councils seeking to prevent new betting shops from opening, despite opposition from local communities.
Police and local authorities will also receive stronger enforcement powers, with the maximum duration of Closure Orders doubling from six months to 12 months.
The package forms part of the Government’s wider ambition to shift decision-making away from Westminster and give local communities greater control over which businesses operate in their town centres.
Under the new rules, vape shops will need planning permission before they can trade, ending an anomaly that previously placed them in the same category as coffee shops and clothing retailers.
The definition of what constitutes a vape shop will also be narrowed to prevent operators from avoiding the new requirements by presenting themselves as general convenience stores.
Adult Gaming Centres, which provide adult-only access to slot and fruit machines, will face the same planning obligations, with the proposals expected to take effect at the beginning of next year.
‘High streets to be rescued’ as Andy Burnham unveils crackdown on vape shops and betting premises
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Abolishing the “Aim to Permit” provision will also give councils greater freedom to reject gambling premises, removing a rule that has prevented authorities from refusing applications despite significant community opposition.
Research from the Centre for Social Justice found that nearly 1,800 pubs and bars have disappeared since 2016, while the number of vape and tobacco outlets has risen to approximately 2,200.
Mr Burnham said: “For many people, the high streets they grew up with have been hollowed out and become unrecognisable over decades of decline.
“The rise of vape shops, betting shops and rogue operators have replaced the shops, services, and community spaces that people are crying out for.
“We’re putting communities back in control and giving local people a real say over what opens on their high street.
“Local councils will be given the powers they need to rein in unwanted shops and bring town centres back to life.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is giving councils new powers to block unwanted businesses
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Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said: “People know when their high street isn’t working for them. Whether it’s the vape shop or betting shops that’s opened with no say from locals, the shopfront that’s seen better days, or the sense that nobody’s in control.”
Ms Rayner said the Government would equip local leaders with the authority to reject unsuitable businesses and the practical tools needed to revitalise their communities.
The extension of Closure Orders to 12 months will give police and councils more time to investigate premises suspected of links to organised crime, pursue criminal charges and prevent illicit operations from reopening before investigations are complete.
The measures will cover premises ranging from rogue vape outlets to suspect barbershops, where authorities believe criminal activity may be taking place.
The Government also plans to tackle the appearance of town centres, with ministers responding to concerns over garish neon signage, poor-quality shopfronts and oversized logos.
Clearer standards for the design and appearance of retail premises are set to be established, while the Government will work with the Planning Advisory Service to showcase successful town centres and provide councils with practical guidance on improving their high streets.
Over the next six months, local authorities will receive support to improve their high streets, drawing on regeneration models including Cross Street in Oswestry and Keynsham High Street.
The measures form part of a wider £30million crackdown on organised criminal networks operating through high street premises, including raids, forced closures and the seizure of illicit cash linked to money laundering, tax evasion and illegal employment.
Mr Burnham has also introduced a 20 per cent reduction in business rates for pubs, social clubs and live music venues across England from next year.
The reduction will be funded partly through a review of reliefs currently enjoyed by businesses including vape shops that the Government says do not serve their communities positively.
East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward welcomed the package, saying: “This announcement gives places the chance to take back control, ensuring that no one type of business can monopolise the high street and that flagrant criminality can be dealt with.”
Joshua Nicholson of the Centre for Social Justice said: “The Government is right to give councils new powers to say no to these dodgy shops. High street renewal is vital to restoring security within our communities.”
Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick has said Andy Burnham’s announcement to give councils more powers to block new bookmakers and vape shops “will only create even more empty shops on our high streets” without the proper support in place for new businesses to open in their place.