Labour MP Dawn Butler has welcomed moves to scrap the controversial “aim to permit” approach to gambling premises, saying the change will give communities greater power to protect their high streets from the clustering of betting and gambling venues.
The Brent East MP, who has campaigned on the issue, said she had seen first-hand how gambling premises can become concentrated in less affluent parts of London while wealthier neighbourhoods face fewer such venues.
Writing on X, Butler said:
“I’ve walked London’s high streets and seen the same pattern. Poorer communities with clustering of gambling premises while wealthier areas are protected.
“That’s why I campaigned to scrap Aim to Permit.
“This is a win for local communities and the future of our high streets.”
The “aim to permit” principle has long been criticised by campaigners and some local authorities for limiting councils’ ability to reject applications for gambling premises where there are concerns about the cumulative impact on a neighbourhood.
Critics have argued that the system has contributed to clusters of betting shops, adult gaming centres and other gambling premises in some town centres, particularly in communities already facing economic and social pressures.
Butler has been among Labour voices calling for local communities and councils to have stronger powers over the mix of businesses operating on their high streets.
The change could give councils greater scope to take local circumstances into account when considering gambling premises, including existing concentrations and the potential impact on vulnerable communities.
The issue forms part of a wider debate about how high streets can be regenerated while giving councils more control over development and ensuring local economies offer a diverse mix of shops, services and businesses.
Butler’s intervention also highlights concerns about inequality in the geographical distribution of gambling premises, with campaigners arguing that communities experiencing greater deprivation can often face higher concentrations.
For Labour, strengthening local decision-making over gambling premises could form part of a broader effort to give communities a greater say over the future of their town centres and high streets.
Butler described the scrapping of “aim to permit” as a significant victory after campaigning for reform, declaring it “a win for local communities and the future of our high streets.”
