Campaigners urge government to back £350m fund for high streets’ revival

Campaigners are calling on the government to back a £350 million high street buyout fund to revive 200 neglected properties across the country, reports stated on Friday (1).

The Platform Places initiative, backed by the government’s own high street taskforce, is calling on ministers to provide grants to develop abandoned spaces into community-owned events space, housing arts and youth facilities. 

Other proposals include 50 percent business rates relief for projects led by community-owned groups, and support for councils to use compulsory purchase orders to tackle buildings that are derelict or have been left vacant for a long time for no serious reason, The Guardian reported.

The report mentioned the examples, stating how the help can transform the neglected Dewsbury Arcade in the West Yorkshire town into a community-owned events space, housing arts and crafts makers. Or it could help buy out a derelict milk processing plant in Totnes, Devon, to build homes, an arts centre and youth facilities.

Finding ways to help community groups, local governments and businesses to work together is seen as essential to tackling the knotty problem of empty buildings blighting town centres, stated the report, adding that nearly a fifth of shops are owned by overseas investors who may be unaware of local issues. Pressure on councils to generate cash from rents can also conflict with demand for community-led schemes.

Rebecca Trevalyan, the facilitator of Platform Places and co-founder of the Library of Things, said, “Our high streets are not in decline. We just can’t easily get into the buildings and spaces to do the things we need to do to make them thrive.

“Accepting the recommendations in this paper would be a great start, but the key to unlocking the potential of our high streets is collaboration between all those with an interest in their future.”

The drive, which is based on a report by the thinktank Radix, is supported by the British Property Federation and several local councils.