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<p>Our town centres and high streets have undergone dramatic changes over the last
decade- the rise of online shopping, the effect of out of town retail parks and huge
shifts in consumer spending patterns have all offered significant challenges. However,
despite this, our high streets and town centres have fought back and up and down the
country teams of local people are working hard to make our high streets great places
to visit, live or work.</p><p> </p><p>A recent study from Southampton University showed
how high streets are facing these challenges head on, meeting customers’ needs by
offering a more convenient, creative and varied shopping experience, which increasingly
offers more leisure opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, since 2010 national
vacancy rates have continued to fall. Recent research by Deloitte showed that since
2009, high street vacancies as a result of high-profile administrations had been filled
more successfully than those in out-of-town shopping centres and out-of-town retail
parks.</p><p> </p><p>However the Government is not complacent and understands that
the town centre needs to continue to evolve towards the provision of services and
leisure alongside traditional retail. We are committed to supporting our high streets
to embrace that change and to continue to hold their place at the heart of our communities.</p><p>
</p><p>The Government has taken a number of significant steps to tackle vacant shops.
We have relaxed planning rules to support “meanwhile use” as well as introducing new
permitted development rights making it simpler to change use, so making it easier
for businesses to respond to the needs of their communities.</p><p> </p><p>We have
also taken forward a range of measures to tackle over-zealous parking enforcement
that undermines the vitality of town centres, driving people out of town. We are restricting
the use of CCTV ‘spy cars’ to enforce parking (through the Deregulation Bill currently
going through Parliament). We have introduced 10 minute ‘grace periods’ when parking
on-street allowing additional parking time before a late penalty is imposed, which
will come into force in early April. We have published new statutory guidance allowing
local people and businesses to demand a review of parking in their area, and we are
reforming parking guidance so it is less heavy handed with motorists.</p><p> </p><p>The
Government has also introduced a range of support for high streets through business
rates. As well as offering business rate discounts to new occupants of previously
empty shops, the Government has doubled Small Business Rate Relief for a further year
(2015-16) and offered a 2% cap on the inflation increase for 2015-16, for the second
year. This comes in addition to funding 50% of all local discounts granted, increasing
the temporary discount for shops, pubs and restaurants with rateable values below
£50,000 and offering a 100% rate relief for empty new builds. Finally, as announced
at Autumn Statement 2014, the Government is also undertaking a long-term and wide-ranging
review of business rates to ensure they are fit for purpose for a 21st century economy
and allow our high streets to thrive.</p><p> </p><p>We have also championed the innovative
use of vacant shops through <a href="http://thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk/high-street-of-the-year-award"
target="_blank">the Great British High Street Competition.</a> A number of the entrants
set out the innovative ways that they are tackling empty shops on the high streets
and we have promoted their examples on the <a href="http://thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk/"
target="_blank">Great British High Street Portal</a> and through documents such as
<a href="http://thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk/pdf/GBHS-Celebrating-The-GB-High-Street.pdf"
target="_blank">Celebrating the Great British High Street</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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