Agenda item

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

Shaun Miles, Head of Communities, and Laura Marsden, Regeneration Officer, presented the report regarding the proposed designation and re-designation of specific streets for street trading purposes in Nottingham City Centre, and highlighted the following points:

(a)  Under Section 3 and Schedule 4 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, the Council has the power to designate streets as ‘consent streets’, ‘licence streets’, or ‘prohibited streets’ for the purposes of street trading;

(b)  most streets within Nottingham City have been designated as either ‘consent streets’ or ‘prohibited streets’. The redevelopment of Broad Marsh is changing the dynamics of the area, so streets which are currently designated as prohibited may now be appropriate for street trading which can be regulated by the Council if redesignated as ‘consent streets’, and a currently undesignated street has been identified (where street trading can occur in an unregulated way) which it is proposed should now be designated as a consent street so that trading in that location can be regulated;

(c)  proposals have been developed to update the designations of streets in the Broad Marsh area. These proposals would support the redevelopment of Broad Marsh while enabling the Council to appropriately regulate any street trading in the named streets;

(d)  the team presented a report to the Committee on 9 June 2023 outlining the proposals. At that time the Committee gave authorisation for the appropriate notices to be served and advertisements published inviting representations about the proposals;

(e)  no objections to the proposals were received during the 28-day consultation period. Therefore, the Committee are now asked to confirm support for the proposals and authorise implementation of the plans.

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

(f)  the redevelopment in the city centre is not completed, and it may be appropriate to make further proposals as the city centre develops further. Designations have to be applied specifically to named streets, and it is felt that those named in this report are appropriate for the current situation;

(g)  having a street designated as a ‘consent street’ would allow traders to approach the Markets and Fairs team to outline their offer. Street Trading pitches on the designated ‘consent street’ would first need to be approved following consultation with other interested parties, such as the Highways team, the Economic Development team, Ward Councillors, the Portfolio Holder, other local businesses, the police and fire authority to ensure that any permitted street trading in that location is not detrimental to the area. Markets and Fairs will then be able to consider any application for a street trading consent on an approved pitch, and the team have flexibility on the terms of that consent. Traders may also need to obtain further licences from Highways;

(h)  if the resolution is approved, there will be a further two public notices required made before implementation in mid-December.

The Committee resolved:

(1)  that pursuant to Paragraph 2 of Schedule 4 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 and being satisfied that it is necessary that, with effect from 11^th December 2023, the streets in the city of Nottingham listed at (a)-(f) below shall 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

(2)  that pursuant to Paragraph 2 of Schedule 4 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 and being satisfied that it is necessary that, with effect from 11^th December 2023, 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 is designated as a “consent” street for the purposes of street trading.

(3)  all previous resolutions of the Council relating to the designation of the streets listed in resolution 1 above be rescinded with effect from 11^th December 2023.

(4)  that the Director of Communities be authorised to advertise the resolutions outlined in 1, 2 and 3 above in accordance with Paragraph 2 of Schedule 4 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982.