Designated high street

Designated high street is a term that was introduced initially via the Bill and formalised further within the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023. essentially a designated high street one that is designated by the local council as being important to the local economy because of a concentration of high-street uses of premises on the street.

The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 itself in section 191 talks about designated high streets and town centres:

• "(1) A local authority may designate a street in its area as a high street for the purposes of this Part if it considers that the street is important to the local economy because of a concentration of high-street uses of premises on the street.
• (2) A local authority may designate an area within its area as a town centre for the purposes of this Part if—
  • (a) the built environment of the area is characterised principally by a network of streets, and
  • (b) the authority considers that the area is important to the local economy because of a concentration of high-street uses of premises in the area.
• (3) A street or area is not to be designated, however, if the authority considers that its importance derives principally from goods or services purchased in the course of business.
• (4) A designation under this section may be varied or withdrawn at any time.
• (5) A local authority must maintain and make available to the public a list describing, and a map showing, any designations under this section that are in force in its area.
• (6) A designation under this section is a local land charge.
• (7) In this Part—
  • “designated high street” means a street for the time being designated under subsection (1);
  • “designated town centre” means an area for the time being designated under subsection (2)."

The designation of high streets in the act supports the potential for high street improvement plans, also support with in the Act in section 203, through the use of rental auctions, later more clearly defined as High Street Rental Auctions (HSRA). The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (Commencement No. 6) Regulations 2024, brought into force the relevant provisions of Part 10 of the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2023, enabling compulsory high street rental auctions (HSRAs), in effect in England from 2 December 2024.

More specifically the High Streets (Designation, Review and Improvement Plan) Bill as introduced in the House of Commons on 6 December 2023 (Bill 25) goes further to describe the process of high street designation. The Briefing notes for the Bill describe that it would require local authorities in England to designate streets as high streets, either a single high street, or a network of high streets. Local authorities would be required to publish an improvement plan setting out proposals for the preservation and enhancement of designated high streets. Local authorities would be required to review these plans every five years and to consider them when exercising planning functions.

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