ACS Defends Town Centres
31 Jul 2007
Speaking yesterday on Radio 4’s ‘You and Yours’ programme, ACS Chief Executive James Lowman has explained his concerns about the Government’s proposals to remove the ‘need’ test, stating that it will fundamentally change the way in which town centre first planning policy affects retail.
In the live radio debate with ASDA, Mr Lowman explained that the ‘need’ test is a vital quantitative assessment of how a community will be affected by new retail development. He said: “We’re not saying that no new supermarkets should be built but sometimes, for local communities, the right answer is to say no.”
ACS is clear on its support for the ‘town centre first’ approach, which has been policy for over 10 years, and has promoted stability and investment in urban centres. ACS believes the ‘need’ test provides a consistent, robust and transparent mechanism for ensuring that the implications of development are fully assessed before development is allowed. As Mr Lowman explained: “The ‘need’ test doesn’t preclude development, it’s about where development is located. It favours planning in towns rather than the edge of a town.”
Mr Lowman gave the example of Scotland, where there is no planning ‘need’ test: “What you can see from Scotland is that 22% of development is built in town centres, compared to 35% in England. Simply, where there is a ‘need’ test you have more town centre development, where there isn’t a ‘need’ test you have more out- of- town development.”
Mr Lowman continued: “This isn’t about protecting one type of retailer over another, it’s about protecting town centres.”
Contact:
Shane Brennan Public Affairs and Communications Manager
ACS
01252 515001 / 07921 372978
Rachel Lawson Communications Co-ordinator
ACS
01252 515001
Michael Saxton Grappa PR
020 7602 9222
Notes to Editors:
1. ACS is the convenience store champion, helping local shops thrive through lobbying, insight, information and commercial services.
2. You can listen again to You and yours here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/
3. Research by the British Council of Shopping Centres (BCSC) shows that for 1995-2005 35% of retail development in England was in town centres, compared to only 22% in Scotland. Pipeline data for the next 5 years suggests 40% of new developments will be in town centres in England with only 10% in Scotland.
In the live radio debate with ASDA, Mr Lowman explained that the ‘need’ test is a vital quantitative assessment of how a community will be affected by new retail development. He said: “We’re not saying that no new supermarkets should be built but sometimes, for local communities, the right answer is to say no.”
ACS is clear on its support for the ‘town centre first’ approach, which has been policy for over 10 years, and has promoted stability and investment in urban centres. ACS believes the ‘need’ test provides a consistent, robust and transparent mechanism for ensuring that the implications of development are fully assessed before development is allowed. As Mr Lowman explained: “The ‘need’ test doesn’t preclude development, it’s about where development is located. It favours planning in towns rather than the edge of a town.”
Mr Lowman gave the example of Scotland, where there is no planning ‘need’ test: “What you can see from Scotland is that 22% of development is built in town centres, compared to 35% in England. Simply, where there is a ‘need’ test you have more town centre development, where there isn’t a ‘need’ test you have more out- of- town development.”
Mr Lowman continued: “This isn’t about protecting one type of retailer over another, it’s about protecting town centres.”
Contact:
Shane Brennan Public Affairs and Communications Manager
ACS
01252 515001 / 07921 372978
Rachel Lawson Communications Co-ordinator
ACS
01252 515001
Michael Saxton Grappa PR
020 7602 9222
Notes to Editors:
1. ACS is the convenience store champion, helping local shops thrive through lobbying, insight, information and commercial services.
2. You can listen again to You and yours here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/
3. Research by the British Council of Shopping Centres (BCSC) shows that for 1995-2005 35% of retail development in England was in town centres, compared to only 22% in Scotland. Pipeline data for the next 5 years suggests 40% of new developments will be in town centres in England with only 10% in Scotland.