Communities across England could soon have greater power to shape their neighbourhoods, protect cherished local assets and make streets safer, under new measures tabled as part of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.

The proposals mark the latest phase of the Government’s plan to shift decision‑making out of Westminster and place “the keys in the hands of local leaders”, enabling Mayors and communities to drive real change in the places they know best.

If approved by Parliament, the Bill will hand communities and local leaders new tools to directly address long‑standing concerns on their high streets. Key measures include:

• Powers to tackle the concentration of gambling premises, allowing communities to better manage the character of their town centres.
• Enforcement against dangerous pavement parking outside London – a longstanding concern for parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users and blind or partially sighted pedestrians.
• The measure extends powers already used by London boroughs across England, fulfilling commitments made in the 2020 pavement parking consultation and building on the Road Safety Strategy (January 2026).

The Bill will also double the Community Right to Buy listing period from five to ten years, giving local people far more time to save valued pubs, libraries, parks and other community assets for future generations.