The Vitality of High Streets
This was the theme of this year’s AGM held at The Guildhall in Abingdon, and there were some very good talks and discussions about how to reverse the trend of decline in the attractiveness of many of our High Streets.
Interestingly I attended a SW Town Planning Institute Conference last week where one particular tool available to councils was discussed and put forward as a valuable method of improving the environment, not only generally but with particular reference to shops and shopping streets. What is this tool I hear you ask? If I said Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act I would anticipate that hardly any of you would have heard of it.
Section 215 is a section that has been very rarely used, largely through misunderstanding and more likely a lack of awareness of what can be achieved by invoking the powers conferred by it.
Section 215 (s215) of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 provides a local planning authority (LPA) with the power, in certain circumstances, to take steps requiring land to be cleaned up when its condition adversely affects the amenity of the area. If it appears that the amenity of part of their area is being adversely affected by the condition of neighbouring land and buildings, they may serve a notice on the owner requiring that the situation be remedied. These notices set out the steps that need to be taken, and the time within which they must be carried out. LPAs also have powers under s219 to undertake the clean up works themselves and to recover the costs from the landowner.
The speaker at the conference took us through some examples where the power, or sometimes just the threat of using it, has secured the repair of buildings, the removal of graffiti, the renovation of dilapidated shops and the use of better designed boarding up materials where buildings remain unoccupied. The results of using these powers in a positive way to improve “amenity” in places like Torbay, Doncaster, West Dorset and South Somerset towns and villages was very impressive.
My own research since that conference has revealed that this positive approach is actively encouraged by the Government and sound advice on how to go about it was published in a good practice guide in 2005. Why don’t more councils use it? Why should we put up with empty buildings, of all kinds, that are obviously uncared for, falling into evident disrepair and often blighting the appearance of our small towns and villages?
I would urge member societies and associations as well as individual members to become acquainted with the guidance and ensure that your District Councils are aware of the powers available to them and the positive effect they can have on regeneration. The guidance can be found at
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/319798.pdf
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