Levelling-up And Regeneration Act 2023

Overview of the Act

1. The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 supports the Government’s manifesto commitment to level up the United Kingdom. The Government’s objective is to reduce geographical disparities between different parts of the United Kingdom by spreading opportunity more equally.
2. To this end, on 2 February 2022, the Government published the Levelling Up the United Kingdom White Paper 1 . This highlighted disparities between regions and within regions of the UK across economic, social and environmental measures, including that:
   1. People living in the most deprived communities in England live up to 18 years less of their lives in good general health than the least deprived.
   2. Nearly a quarter of all neighbourhood crime in 2018-19 was concentrated in just 5% of local areas.
   3. London’s transport and housing infrastructure, despite higher investment, is under the greatest strain and it has worse outcomes in subjective measures of social capital than many other parts of the county.
3. The White Paper outlined the causes of geographic disparities across the United Kingdom, before proposing a roadmap to reduce them by:
   1. Boosting productivity, pay, jobs and living standards by growing the private sector, especially in those places where they are lagging;
   2. Spreading opportunities and public services, especially in those places where they are weakest;
   3. Restoring a sense of community, local pride and belonging, especially in those places where they have been lost; and
   4. Empowering local leaders and communities, especially in those places lacking local agency.
4. The White Paper set out twelve missions, defined as medium-term areas of focus and goals to serve as an anchor for policy across government, as well as catalysing innovation and action by the private and civil society sectors, to reduce geographic disparities over the next decade.
5. The White Paper noted that by levelling up the UK has the potential to unlock tens of billions of pounds each year. For instance, if cities in the North and Midlands were as productive as London and the South East, UK GDP could be boosted by around £180bn.
6. To support the change needed, the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act has four overarching objectives:
   1. To place a duty on the Government to set, and report annually on progress towards achieving, levelling up missions to reduce geographical disparities across the United Kingdom;
   2. To create a framework to support the devolution of powers through the creation of a new model of combined county authorities to support delivery of the Government’s levelling up mission that ‘by 2030, every part of England that wants one will have a devolution deal with powers at or approaching the highest level of devolution and a simplified, long-term funding settlement’ 2 ;
   3. To deliver new powers for local authorities to regenerate their towns through high street rental auctions and reforms to compulsory purchase to support delivery of the Government’s levelling up mission that ‘by 2030, pride in place, such as people’s satisfaction with their town centre and engagement in local culture and community, will have risen in every area of the UK, with the gap between top performing and other areas closing’; and
   4. To create a planning system which delivers more beautiful and greener homes, with the associated infrastructure and democratic support for neighbourhoods.
7. The Act contains 13 parts and 24 schedules. The Act makes a number of changes to existing legislation including in the areas of local government, planning and compulsory purchase.
8. Part 1 establishes the concept of levelling-up missions and the framework in which they lie.
9. Part 2 deals with Local Democracy and Devolution in the form of combined county authorities and sets out provisions to empower local leaders.
10. Part 3 makes changes to planning including in relation to data, development plans, heritage, decision-making, planning fees and enforcement.
11. Part 4 makes provision for the Infrastructure Levy which enables Local Authorities to raise money from developments to regenerate their areas through infrastructure in a manner which does not require negotiation with the developer.
12. Part 5 deals with Community Land Auctions.
13. Part 6 replaces the EU environmental assessment system with a new framework for Environmental Outcome Reports.
14. Part 7 is concerned with nutrient pollution standards.
15. Part 8 deals with Development Corporations ensuring they have the powers and functions to deliver strategic development across England.
16. Part 9 amends the powers and procedures of Compulsory Purchase to clarify the powers available to Local Authorities and ensure pursuit of regeneration.
17. Part 10 contains provisions that deal with vacant commercial properties in town centers and high streets.
18. Part 11 is concerned with information about dealings and interests in land and the making of this data public.
19. Part 12 details other provisions including short-term rental properties, pavement licensing, historic environment records, a review of governance of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, marine licensing, the building safety regulator and qualifying leases under the Building Safety Act 2022, transferring local authority land to academy schools, open access mapping, childcare, a blue plaque scheme for England, reporting upon the enforcement of the Vagrancy Act 1824, road user charging in London and protected landscapes.
20. Part 13 contains the technical sections related to the Act, including Data protection, Crown application and power to make consequential provision.