ACS Encouraged by Minister's Commitment to Town Centres
10 Jul 2008
ACS has commented on the proposed reform of town centre first planning policy. Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, has launched a consultation on planned changes, saying, "Town centres are the hearts of our communities. I want to see our town centres and independent shops busy and thriving and I'm absolutely committed to help defend their future. We need a policy which provides the right degree of protection for smaller retailers who are facing very challenging trading conditions and increased levels of competition.”
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “We welcome the Ministers comments and fully support her intentions to promote diverse town centres. We share her ambition to make town centre first policy work to better prevent harmful out-of-centre retail developments. Over the course of the consultation we will seek to provide every assistance to ensure that the policy outcomes meet her ambition.”
ACS, the campaigning voice of over 33,000 local shops, has been in discussion with the Department for Communities and Local Government for two years about plans for reform of the policy. Mr Lowman said: “Over the last two years we have made a clear and consistent case against those large retailer interests that seek to weaken town centre first policy and accelerate the development of out-of-centre large format retailing. The Ministers comments signal to us that our message is getting through.”
The policy changes proposed in the document include:
- removing the ‘need’ test for new retail development, which Government argues is simplistic and leads to perverse decisions ; and
- introducing a new impact test which requires Local Authorities to assess social, economic and environmental impacts of a proposed development.
The removal of the need test has been a subject of major controversy, ACS has opposed this move and will be assessing closely whether the proposed new ‘impact’ test allays concerns.
Mr Lowman continued: “We remain wholly unconvinced that the need test has to be removed and are sceptical that the revised policy will offer the same robust and objective criteria for assessing the likely impact of a new development on an existing centre.
“However there are some very welcome parts of the proposals. We welcome the emphasis on Local Authorities assessing the impact of a development on diversity and choice. As well as the clear guidance that where a local authority identifies harmful impacts of a development on a town centre the application should be refused.”
The consultation will run for three months and ACS will be assessing the detailed proposals in full and discussing with colleagues. Mr Lowman set out ACS’ objectives in the forthcoming policy debate:
“We want to work with Government to ensure that if the needs test is to go, the replacement is robust and based on clear and consistent criteria. As it stands Local Authorities are faced with well resourced, determined developers who hold the power and can unfortunately force through developments that should be refused. Policy has to be robust enough that Local Authorities have the means to say no.”
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “We welcome the Ministers comments and fully support her intentions to promote diverse town centres. We share her ambition to make town centre first policy work to better prevent harmful out-of-centre retail developments. Over the course of the consultation we will seek to provide every assistance to ensure that the policy outcomes meet her ambition.”
ACS, the campaigning voice of over 33,000 local shops, has been in discussion with the Department for Communities and Local Government for two years about plans for reform of the policy. Mr Lowman said: “Over the last two years we have made a clear and consistent case against those large retailer interests that seek to weaken town centre first policy and accelerate the development of out-of-centre large format retailing. The Ministers comments signal to us that our message is getting through.”
The policy changes proposed in the document include:
- removing the ‘need’ test for new retail development, which Government argues is simplistic and leads to perverse decisions ; and
- introducing a new impact test which requires Local Authorities to assess social, economic and environmental impacts of a proposed development.
The removal of the need test has been a subject of major controversy, ACS has opposed this move and will be assessing closely whether the proposed new ‘impact’ test allays concerns.
Mr Lowman continued: “We remain wholly unconvinced that the need test has to be removed and are sceptical that the revised policy will offer the same robust and objective criteria for assessing the likely impact of a new development on an existing centre.
“However there are some very welcome parts of the proposals. We welcome the emphasis on Local Authorities assessing the impact of a development on diversity and choice. As well as the clear guidance that where a local authority identifies harmful impacts of a development on a town centre the application should be refused.”
The consultation will run for three months and ACS will be assessing the detailed proposals in full and discussing with colleagues. Mr Lowman set out ACS’ objectives in the forthcoming policy debate:
“We want to work with Government to ensure that if the needs test is to go, the replacement is robust and based on clear and consistent criteria. As it stands Local Authorities are faced with well resourced, determined developers who hold the power and can unfortunately force through developments that should be refused. Policy has to be robust enough that Local Authorities have the means to say no.”