Agenda item

Report of Corporate Director for Communities, Environment and Resident Services.

Jamie Beardsley, Markets and Fairs, presented the report regarding re-designation of streets to consent streets, and highlighter the following:

(a)  the last major review of street trading in the city centre was 10-15 years ago. Currently there are 16 streets designated as consent streets, meaning a location in which street trading is allowed with the consent of the council;

(b)  the streets that are the subject of the report are either currently prohibited streets, meaning that trading is prohibited, or are undesignated. However, following significant changes in high street trading and ongoing regeneration, it is suggested that a complete ban on street trading is no longer needed on the prohibited streets;

(c)  if the currently undesignated street was designated as a consent street and the currently prohibited streets were re-designated as consent streets, it would allow the Council to control/retain control over the types of street trading taking place in those streets and the parameters under which it can operate;

(d)  it is hoped that the measures will encourage new businesses, boosting the economy and reinvigorating the area;

(e)  any new street trading pitches must go through a further process of consultation with relevant parties such as other businesses, the police and fire authority, before being allowed;

(f)  if the Committee agree the recommendations, an advertisement will be placed in the local press stating that representations relating to the proposed resolutions may be made in writing within a period of not less than 28 days of the notice. The Police and the Highways Authority will also be notified. The matter will be reported back to this Committee to consider any representations that are received and to determine whether the final resolutions should be passed.

In the discussion which followed and in response to questions from the Committee, the following points were made:

(g)  before any trading pitches were agreed, they would need to be fully accessible and not have an impact on disabled people or carers, block pavements, access points and traffic junctions;

(h)  the street designation only covers market stalls and portable businesses, and not static trading such as permanent retail units.

Resolved

(1)  that the Director of Communities be authorised to serve all appropriate notices and advertise Nottingham City Council’s (“the Council’s”) intention to pass the resolutions outlined in 2, 3 and 4 below in accordance with paragraph 2 of Schedule 4 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 subject to consideration of any representations received in writing within the relevant period;

(2)  being satisfied that it is necessary that, with effect from 11th December 2023, the streets in the city of Nottingham listed at (a) – (f) below be re-designated as “consent” streets for the purposes of street trading:

(a) Collin Street
(b) Sussex Street
(c) Trent Street
(d) Carrington Street from its junction with Collin Street to its junction with Station Street
(e) Albion Street
(f) Stanford Street

(3)  being satisfied that it is necessary that, with effect from 11th December 2023, that part of Station Street in the city of Nottingham from its junction with Carrington Street to its junction with Trent Street in the said city be designated as a “consent” street for the purposes of street trading;

(4)  that all previous resolutions of the Council relating to the designation of the streets listed in recommendation 2 above will be rescinded with effect from 11th December 2023.