To ask the Minister for Communities to detail how he is implementing the recommendations included in the High Street Task Force’s Delivering a 21st Century High Street report that are relevant to his Department.

Of the 14 recommendations in the High Street Task Force Report, three could be identified where DfC would be seen as a significant lead department. These are Recommendations 2, 5 and 12. Both 5 and 12 require Executive endorsement and in the case of Recommendation 5, a significant Capital Budget to allow for implementation.

Recommendation 2 endorses the Living High Streets Craft Kit and recommends that it is rolled out with the necessary support for implementation in each high street, village, town and city centre that is prioritised for action by the relevant district council. This recommendation was recognised as one where DfC, given its relationship to the Ministerial Advisory Group on Architecture and the Built Environment (MAG), would have a leading role.

On that basis, the Department undertook, subject to available resources, to carry out up to three Pilots of the “Living High Streets Craft Kit”. The first pilot was conducted in Downpatrick and resulted in the launch of the Downpatrick Living High Streets Framework in September 2023.

The second pilot project, to create the Shankill Living High Streets Framework commenced in September 2024. To date it has delivered an intense series of community ‘Place’ workshops; seeking to understand the positive and negative aspects of the Greater Shankill area. This information has been collated and will now form the basis of an ‘Imagining’ event in April 2025 which will look how the area can be improved. It is expected that the process will conclude in June 2025, when all findings will shape a Physical Development Framework and Action Plan.

Recommendation 5 urges the Executive to prioritise the delivery of place-making by developing and implementing an investment programme for blue-green infrastructure, cleaner and greener public realm and sustainable transport.

An Outline Business Case for a cross-departmental regeneration programme is currently in development by DfC in partnership with the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) and the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). The vision is to implement a strategic and integrated approach to tackling the challenges facing our village, town and city centres. The proposals will be consulted upon in 2025 and the overall Programme will require Executive approval.

Recommendation 12 proposes that the Executive should devolve further powers to local government, including those needed for regeneration. It recommends that Ministers engage with elected representatives from local government and the Assembly to explore the benefits of extending powers in this way.

Due to the significant period, which has passed since the introduction of the last Regeneration Bill (2014), and the experience of recent initiatives in response to Covid-19 e.g. the Covid-19 Recovery Revitalisation and Small Settlements Programmes in partnership DfI and DAERA, the cross-departmental nature of regeneration activities has been clearly demonstrated, confirming the need for Executive consideration of this matter.

SOLACE is currently engaged in work to set out the local government position on this matter and will report when this is complete.