FUTURE OF HIGH STREETS

That this House believes that vital and vibrant high streets are the focal point for economically successful communities; further believes that, at a time when economic downturn has contributed to the closure of over 12,000 high street shops, planning rules must incentivise town centre development, regeneration and retail diversity; and calls on the Government to bring forward amendments to the Localism Bill to include a duty to promote sustainable high streets in order to ensure that local people have the legal power they need to promote the shops they want and to resist those they do not want in places they will do harm, thereby securing the future of local high streets.