Mayor of London Boris Johnson has written this week to Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, to request that the changing a building's use to a betting shop should always require planning permission.

Living Streets' Neighbourhood Heroes and Local Joke campaigns have called for walking-friendly neighbourhoods to be at the heart of the Government's planning reforms, including giving communities more say when shops and services change their use. Currently, a loophole in the planning rules on changes of use means that betting shops are classed as 'financial and professional services' and a range of premises can be turned into betting shops without the need for planning permission, including key local services such as banks and community anchors such as pubs. Nationally, 11 betting shops per month are currently opening, while 14 bank branches are shutting, reducing the mix of shops and services that people can access on foot.

The Mayor's call also picks up on heated debate on betting shops in Parliament and in local papers. Particularly badly affected areas in London include Tottenham, Ealing, where there are thirteen betting shops within 150 metres of the tube station, and Deptford, where there are ten betting shops in the high street area alone, including one that has replaced a pub, and where businesses have come together to complain to the Council. Urban areas outside London are also affected, such as Bradford.