Written evidence to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee argues that high streets should be treated as social infrastructure, not just retail hubs.
The Bennett School of Public Policy, Cambridge, has submitted written evidence to the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee’s inquiry into revitalising high streets, arguing that policymakers should stop trying to restore a 20th-century retail model and instead support high streets in the circumstances of today.
The submission led by Prof Michael Kenny and Owen Garling draws on the School’s research on social and cultural infrastructure and pride in place. It makes the case that high streets are part of the shared infrastructure that helps communities flourish, and that when commercial activity collapses or is dominated by clusters of betting shops, vape retailers and fast-financial services, the local civic fabric can deteriorate. Polling cited in the evidence found that 69% of people believe high-street decline harms their pride in their local area. Conversely, the evidence shows that multifunctional high streets incorporating healthcare, education, culture, public services, and green spaces prove far more resilient
To secure sustainable high-street regeneration across English local authorities, the Bennett School submission sets out five core policy recommendations for national government:
- Prioritise functional diversification: Define town centre health by the mix of commercial, cultural, healthcare, civic, and social uses, rather than relying strictly on retail transaction volumes.
- Embed community ownership: Upgrade Assets of Community Value into a genuine Community Right to Buy policy with first refusal at independent valuation, backed by a national Patient Capital Fund.
- Shift to long-term revenue funding: Move away from short-term, competitive capital grant competitions toward predictable, multi-year revenue funding for asset maintenance, local authority planning capacity, and community programming.
- Foster cross-sector partnerships: Support local councils to partner with private asset owners, commercial landlords, and voluntary sector anchors to bring redundant units into civic use.
- Adopt multi-dimensional metrics: Expand evaluation frameworks beyond footfall and yield to measure civic trust, accessibility, social connection, and local belonging.
The submission concludes that a successful high street should be judged not only by its commercial turnover, but by whether people choose to spend time there, whether it offers opportunities for civic participation, and whether residents feel a sense of ownership and pride in its future.
Image: Whitehaven high street with empty shops and to let signs
The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Bennett School of Public Policy.
