Dodds unveils Labour plan to secure post-Covid future of British high streets

Anneliese Dodds is set to unveil Labour’s plan to secure the post-Covid future of British high streets with proposals to “give local communities a proper stake in their town centres” and support the creation of new businesses.

In a speech to the UCL Institute for Global Prosperity on Thursday afternoon, ahead of the Budget next week, the Shadow Chancellor will tell those watching that the “high street goes to the heart of Labour’s vision” for the country.

Commenting ahead of the speech, Dodds accused the Tories of presiding over a “decade of decline in Britain’s high streets that has left our economy insecure and the foundations of our society weakened”. She will set out her proposals, including:

• “Reversing new planning rules introduced by the Conservatives that would enable Britain’s high streets to be sold off to the highest bidder for poor quality housing, without planning permission;
• “Giving councils new powers to repurpose commercial properties that have been vacant for at least 12 months to bring them back into continued use; and
• “Calling on the government to ensure its much-delayed review of business rates leads to wholesale reform so that high street shops compete on a level playing field with their online competitors.”

“The high street goes to the heart of Labour’s vision to make Britain the best place to grow up and grow old in,” the Shadow Chancellor said ahead of the online event on Thursday afternoon.

“Labour’s plan would help secure the future of the high street. It would give local communities a proper stake in their town centres, support new businesses to open up on our high streets and help rebuild our economy post-pandemic.”

The government extended permitted development rights last year, which allows developers to undertake certain works without having to apply for planning consent, bypassing the local planning process.

The latest changes allow the demolition of unused buildings and industrial premises to be rebuilt as homes. They were strongly opposed in consultation and a group of industry expert bodies urged against what it called “reactive planning”.

Shadow planning minister Mike Amesbury called on Tory MPs to vote down the government reforms to the planning system last year and warned that they would “create a new generation of slum housing” and “kill off our high streets”.

The speech from Dodds follows that made by Keir Starmer last week, focused on his vision for the economy, during which he blamed Conservative ideology for the deterioration of “our once proud town centres and high streets”.

The Labour leader stressed the need to “create a new partnership between an active government, enterprising business and the British people” and proposed a boost to funding for start-up loans to help create 100,000 small businesses.

Labour analysis of Office for National Statistics figures earlier this month highlighted the 20 places most at risk of seeing their high streets “hollowed out” due to the impact of coronavirus on local businesses.

The party has also warned that firms across the country will be hit by a £50bn “bombshell” when April brings tax deferral costs and VAT rises alongside the end of the business rates holiday, furlough and other support packages.

The opposition party has called for 100% business rates relief for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses to be extended for at least a further six months, to be reviewed at a later date if coronavirus restrictions are still in place.

It has also demanded that the government continue the reduced rate of VAT for businesses in the hospitality, tourism and culture sectors and that it allow businesses to pay off Covid loans once they are once again making money.