Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill

New laws came into force on 27 October 2023 intended to speed up the planning system, hold developers to account, cut bureaucracy, and encourage more councils to put in place plans to enable the building of new homes.

These measures have become enshrined in law after the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill received Royal Assent.

The Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act is part of a long-term plan to ensure new development is built more beautifully, produces more local infrastructure, like GP surgeries, schools and transport links, is shaped by local people’s democratic wishes, enhances the environment, and creates neighbourhoods where people want to live and work.

The Act creates new laws giving councils the powers to work directly with landlords to bring empty buildings back into use by local businesses and community groups, breathing life back into empty high streets. And after a temporary relaxation of rules on outdoor seating for cafes, pubs and restaurants during the pandemic, the Act will officially make this a permanent part of the high street.

The Act also strengths devolution by ensuring every area in England that wants a devolution deal can have one by 2030.

The Government has so far invested £12.9 billion in levelling up projects across the UK – creating jobs, improving transport and protecting community spaces.

The government believes measures in the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act will:

• Put local people at the heart of development – making it easier to put local plans in place and requiring design codes that set out where homes will be built and how they will look. These plans will deliver more homes in a way that works for communities.
• Boost local services – requiring developers to deliver vital infrastructure. This will put an end to lifeless edge-of-town developments with no community assets and ensure developers deliver the schools, doctors surgeries and public services communities need and expect. Further details on these measures will be set out shortly.
• Rebalance the housing and land markets – giving local councils the power to increase council tax on empty homes and reforming compensation for compulsory purchase orders by removing ‘hope value’ where justified.
• Encourage developers to get building – giving communities updates on the progress of development and giving councils the chance to consider slow build-out rates when approving planning.
• Bring high streets back to life - giving councils the powers to work directly with landlords to bring empty buildings back in to use by local businesses and community groups through high street rental auctions. It will also make it faster for local authorities to give hospitality businesses permission to use outdoor seating.

It also secures powers to tailor environmental assessment to better reflect the current pressures on the environment and meet the nation’s environmental priorities.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Rt Hon Michael Gove MP said: “Our landmark Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act will deliver more homes for communities across the country and unleash levelling up in left-behind places. It will deliver revitalised high streets and town centres. A faster and less bureaucratic planning system with developers held to account. More beautiful homes built alongside GP surgeries, schools and transport links, and environmental enhancement. Communities taking back control of their future with new powers to shape their local area. And our long-term levelling up missions enshrined in law. This Act delivers on the people’s priorities, creating new jobs, new opportunities and a brighter future for the UK.”

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Aligning net zero with the levelling-up agenda
• CIOB's response to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill
• Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• IHBC respond to Parliamentary Committee on Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill
• IHBC welcomes Levelling Up Funds focus on places and heritage for people
• Levelling up
• Levelling up the infrastructure agenda
• Report finds significant issues in levelling up of projects
• Secretary of State for Levelling Up