Re-Building Town Centres, Crawley Observer Column, Wednesday 19th August 2026

I remember the email well. As Leader of Crawley Borough Council, a resident was asking why the council was allowing so many gambling shops to be opened in town. It was a matter which mattered a great deal to her, because she had lost her brother to his gambling addiction. She had approached the MP and he had assured her that it was up to me whether or not these shops were opened.

Unfortunately, the reality is that it wasn’t, something the MP should have known. Planning decisions aren’t taken by council leaders, but by planning officers and committees within a restrictions set by central government. Worse, although the council had already called on Government to improve the rules around such premises, it lacked any power to prevent many of these shops from opening, even on their own parades.

After years of pushing for communities to have greater control over what goes onto their high streets, I’m delighted that the Labour Government is set to do give councils the power to do exactly what that lady was calling for all those years ago.

There is much which needs to be done to save town centres, online shopping has undermined the economics of high street retail and alongside finding new uses for town centres, we do need a sustainable model for shops again. Cuts to business rates have helped with costs, but the tax is outdated and needs complete reform. Rents in the town centre—where institutional investors can be better off leaving units empty rather than cutting rents—also remain too high.

The Government’s new high street rental auctions will help, requiring vacant units to be let to the highest bidder, but it’s also important that we prevent low-social good industries and those involved in illegal activity from pricing out the kinds of shops which benefit communities.

That’s why the planning reforms and new powers for shutting down shops which act as fronts for illegal activity are so important. They both allow us to protect our communities from harm and help with the major effort to build sustainable 21^st Century town centres.