Written question asked by Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 11 September 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 15 September 2026. It was answered by Jim McMahon (Labour) on Wednesday, 16 September 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Pedestrian Areas: Licensing

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her department has issued to local authorities on applying blanket conditions to pavement licenses across multiple premises, including the extent to which such conditions should be proportionate and tailored to individual premises.

Answer: The Department has published statutory guidance on the pavement licensing regime. The guidance makes clear that local authorities may set local conditions on pavement licences and should consider matters including accessibility, local circumstances and the cumulative impact of multiple licences when setting conditions and determining applications. The guidance does not contain specific provisions on the use of blanket conditions across multiple premises. Decisions on applications and any local conditions attached to licences are matters for local authorities, having regard to the statutory framework and published guidance.

Secondary information