New rules designed to reinvigorate the high street could see them overrun with betting shops and payday loan companies, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.
Owners and developers will no longer need permission to change the use of certain buildings from one type of business to another for up to two years
The British Government is cutting red tape from today in a move to return redundant buildings to productive use on the recommendation of retail guru Mary Portas.
Owners and developers will no longer need permission to change the use of certain buildings from one type of business to another for up to two years.
However the LGA believes the reforms will reduce local residents’ ability to have a say on changes in their area and risk “draining the life from high streets”.
The LGA warned that premises previously used as independent gift shops “could be turned into payday loan companies” while greengrocers “could become betting shops” without the need for planning permission or public consultation.
It also raised the prospect of almost any buildings being temporarily turned into new free schools and developers being allowed to convert offices into flats without planning consent.
The LGA is calling on the Government to allow local areas to decide for themselves if it would be beneficial to relax planning rules.
The LGA’s environment and housing board chairman, councillor Mike Jones, said: “People tell us that they’re fed up of having their local high streets filled with betting shops and payday loan companies.
“We have been clear that if we’re to get people back out shopping in their local town centres, we need to give them more say on what type of businesses and shops open there. Instead, from today they will have less.
“There’s a very real danger that, in chasing a short-term boost, this panic measure could end up creating real problems in our high streets and doing lasting damage to our towns and cities. This could potentially drain the life from our high streets.
“Planning controls are not there to make life difficult for new businesses, but as a form of democratic quality control which ensures new shops and businesses will be good for the area and the people who live there. Councils are currently approving more planning applications than ever before.
“We desperately need to boost struggling high streets and help new businesses take over empty buildings, but a blanket national policy is not the answer. Councils aren’t seeking to stop bookies from opening up altogether, but it’s important that local areas can have a say.
“Most people would be more inclined to visit their local high streets if they saw a resurgence in the sort of cherished local, good quality shops, restaurants and businesses which can be at the very heart of communities. Instead, this blanket national policy will make it easier than ever for high streets to become ghettos for clusters of here-today, gone-tomorrow money lenders and betting shops.
“Converting offices into flats, cafes into betting shops or businesses into schools can have a huge impact on the character of local areas and people will rightly feel that they should be entitled to have a say.”
Planning Minister Nick Boles said: “As recommended by Mary Portas, the Government is cutting red tape to make it easier to get redundant buildings in our town centres back into productive use and help increase footfall on local high streets.
“The alternative is boarded up, empty buildings which create a cycle of decline. Councils already have the ability to tackle the cumulative impact of development.
“Councils have powers under the Gambling Act to license betting shops and address problems by individual premises.
“Councils have a range of planning powers to protect local amenity if there are localised issues.”