Local authorities in England and Wales will soon have the power to stop betting and vape shops from taking over their high streets, under new plans announced by Andy Burnham.
The move, which will also apply to Scotland, aims to give councils more control over their high streets, where traditional shops and services have disappeared, making way for vape and gambling shops.
Burnham, who has promised to scrap the "aim to permit" rule in the Gambling Act 2005, believes that communities should have more control over their high streets.
The "aim to permit" rule, introduced in2005, requires councils to allow new gambling premises where applications meet licensing requirements. However, Burnham's plans will allow local authorities to reject new betting shops and adult gaming centres, while vape shops will be subject to planning permission.
This change could mark a significant shift from the changes introduced by Keir Starmer in April, which gave councils more scope to consider the number of gambling premises already in an area but stopped short of scrapping the "aim to permit" rule.
A No 10 source stated that the government is determined to crack down on vape and betting shops, as they are two of the most visible signs of decline on high streets, and local people are genuinely concerned. A fast-tracked consultation on the new measures will take six weeks, with the aim of having the measures in place by the start of 2027.
Prof Will Jennings, who led the University of Southampton research on the decline of Britain's high streets, said that Burnham's targeting of vape and betting shops is "an important first step" in addressing the issue.
Currently, vape shops fall into the same planning category as shops, cafes, and banks, meaning they can open without needing a new planning application.
However, ministers will consult on putting them into their own planning category, allowing councils to consider each new vape shop application individually and reject those deemed not appropriate for the area.
The government is also looking at tightening the definition of what a vape shop is, to prevent people from opening convenience stores that primarily sell vapes.
Angela Rayner, the communities secretary, said that the move addresses problems that have built up over decades. "That's why we're giving local leaders the power to say no to what doesn't belong on their high street, and the tools to fix it themselves," she stated.
The growth of vape shops is not evenly spread, with research from Health Equity North finding that the most deprived communities have three times as many vape shops as the most affluent areas.
Burnham believes that high streets have become "unrecognisable" after decades of decline, with the rise of vape shops, betting shops, and rogue operators replacing traditional shops and community spaces.
"The rise of vape shops, betting shops and rogue operators have replaced the shops, services and community spaces that people are crying out for. That's not on," he said.
The measures are seen as a "first step" in a wider effort to beautify Britain's high streets, with Westminster setting clearer expectations for the design and appearance of high street shopfronts.
Dawn Butler, the MP for Brent East, who has campaigned on the issue, said that the scale of the gambling industry's presence on high streets is shocking. "Government analysis of Gambling Commission data found that B3 machines generated an average of £35,000 in gross gambling yield per machine each year," she stated.
"To put it in perspective, the national living wage for someone aged 21 or over works out at around £26,400 a year for someone working 40 hours a week. And in Brent, the average wage is less than £35k."
Butler believes that urgent action is needed to address the issue, and Burnham's plans are a step in the right direction.
