Nottingham City Council is preparing to introduce a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for the city centre, updating and extending restrictions aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour, street disorder and nuisance activities across the busiest parts of Nottingham.
The previous City Centre PSPO expired in March 2025. Ahead of a meeting on 3 December – Councillors are now reviewing a revised order that would again cover pedestrian hotspots, shopping areas, leisure zones and parts of the night-time economy, following years of complaints about disruption to businesses, visitors and public services.
According to the Council’s latest analysis, the new PSPO is expected to update past rules on busking, obstruction, unlicensed street trading, begging, urination in public, and the use of psychoactive substances, while also considering emerging issues such as nuisance from e-bikes and scooters in pedestrian areas.
Public Spaces Protection Orders were introduced nationally through the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
They replaced a patchwork of older rules that once governed alcohol control, dog fouling, gating orders and public nuisance. Nottingham’s first use of these powers dates back to October 2014, when previous Designated Public Place Orders and Gating Orders automatically converted into PSPOs under the new legislation.
They gave local authorities and authorised council officers enforcement tools to tackle persistent behaviour deemed detrimental to the quality of life for those living in, working in, or visiting an area.
Enforcement of PSPOs is carried out by Nottingham City Council’s Community Protection officers, who can issue fixed penalty notices of £70, reduced to £35 if paid within ten days. Failure to pay can lead to prosecution and fines of up to £1,000.
The Council acknowledges that enforcement must remain proportionate, particularly when dealing with vulnerable groups, and that displacement of anti-social behaviour is a recognised risk if boundaries are unclear or poorly communicated. It also highlights that PSPOs can only be extended when evidence demonstrates that problems are ongoing, severe or likely to return if restrictions lapse.
Nottingham’s PSPO network also includes extensive gating orders that restrict access to alleyways where crime or persistent nuisance has historically been recorded. These gated locations span residential areas from St Ann’s and Bulwell to Arboretum, Radford and Hyson Green.
These orders, some dating back more than a decade, have been repeatedly renewed after consultations and remain in force until 2026. The City Council argues that allowing them to expire would likely lead to the return of burglary, anti-social behaviour and drug activity, citing positive feedback such as one St Ann’s resident stating they were “100% fully supporting the extension of these PSPO gates.”
Alongside street activity rules, the city maintains a detailed Dog Control PSPO, covering fouling, on-lead rules, nature reserves, school land and children’s play areas. These protections have been extended until July 2028 and include the power for authorised officers to order any dog owner to put their animal on a lead anywhere in Nottingham if behaviour risks nuisance, danger or disturbance. Dog owners must carry bags or devices for cleaning up after their pets, whether or not they have fouled, and failure to comply can trigger enforcement.
Consultation on the new city centre PSPO is scheduled to include engagement with businesses, visitors and residents. The Council must show that activities covered by the order are persistent, unreasonable and harmful, and that restrictions do not unlawfully interfere with freedom of expression or assembly, including charity activity, political campaigning or street performance. The Council says it intends to strike a balance between maintaining a vibrant city centre and tackling behaviour that undermines public confidence and safety.
If approved, Nottingham’s revised City Centre PSPO is expected to be implemented in 2026 for a further three-year cycle, with scope for future variation as new issues emerge on the streets.
