Planning
Town Centre First
ACS has published it's report, conducted by the University of Stirling, into retail diversity.
To download the report, click here:
Stirling Diversity Report
The retail planning system has come under increased scrutiny recently following pressure from large retailers and interest from the Treasury in how to improve economic effectiveness in the UK, resulting in the Barker Review of Land Use Planning. For the last 10 years the Government has pursued a town centre first policy, through Planning Policy Statement 6 (PPS6), which aims to focus development in town centres and ensure they are vibrant and diverse.
The Barker Review, published at the end of 2006 called for the planning system and PPS6 to be liberalised, making it easier for out-of-town superstores to be built. One particular recommendation from Barker was to remove the ‘need’ test for new retail development, which ensures that new out-of-town supermarkets have to prove there is a need for the development, and that it will not harm the town centre.
Since the publication of the Barker Review there has been heated debate about the future of the town centre first policy and the need for a strong planning system. In May 2007 the Government published the Planning White Paper, which incorporated many of the Barker Review’s recommendations. This White Paper will make wide ranging changes to the planning system especially for national infrastructure projects such as power stations.
Taking up some recommendations included in the Barker report, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has suggested replacing the need test with a new impact test that includes the effect of the new store, social and environmental impacts.
ACS is campaigning for a strong impact test that takes into account the wide range of effects that a new planning application will have on a town centre. We also want the need test to remain. ACS is also calling for planning officers to be given greater resources to deal with what are often extremely complicated planning proposals. We believe there should be regional groups of planners specifically trained in dealing with retail planning applications to rebalance the difference in resources between the large supermarkets and planning authorities.
DCLG aim to have a finalised policy in place by Spring 2009. ACS took part in a policy roundtable with DCLG and other interested stakeholders in October 2008. The event highlighted commonality of concerns between organisations including:
- A clearer presumption against granting planning permission for out-of-town retail developments
- A more robust emphasis on the need for retail diversity
- A concern about the resources available to local authorities when faced with well resourced large developers
DCLG plan to set up a working group that will advise on the Guidance to accompany the revised policy. ACS has been invited to be part of the group.
DCLG Minister Iain Wright MP attended the ACS Heart of the Community Seminar in November 2008. He directly addressed concerns raised by ACS about the policy reform. His address sought to reassure delegates that Government policy would strengthen town centres.
Competition Test
Following the Competition Commission’s two year investigation into the grocery market sector they made a recommendation that a competition test be included in planning applications. This test aims to prevent supermarkets from building stores in areas where they are already dominant. However a legal appeal has been launched against the competition test. We await the outcome of this case.
Ombudsman
Download the full ACS submission here:
Ombudsman Submission
Killian Pretty Review
The Killian Pretty Review has published recommendations related to making the planning application process more efficient. Recommendations include:
- Reduce by 40% the amount of changes to commercial premises that need for planning permission
- One example is changes to shop fronts
- Reduce information requirements on applicants
- Increase the amount of quality advice available
- Improve pre-application discussions
- Better training/engagement for elected councillors
- Address shortage of resource and skills in local planning departments
- Shift from timescale based targets to targets based on overall quality of service
ACS took part in this review and we have welcomed its recommendations expecting it to reduce the administrative burdens on members seeking to change their premises. ACS will continue to closely monitor the implementation of Killian Pretty so as to ensure that it is not used to subvert the ability of planning authorities to resist developments that are harmful to the local area.
Car Parking
Effective and well thought out car parking is essential to maintaining diverse high streets across the country. Over the past few years, over zealous local authorities have made car parking highly restricted in many high streets across the country, meaning local shopping areas are now less accessible to many.
Planning Policy Statement 4 was consulted on in 2008 and included a provision to remove maximum car parking places on out of town shopping centres. Giving out of town shopping centres this unlimited amount of parking coupled with poor town centre parking will drive consumers away from high streets. This is damaging to those sections of society that are highly reliant on town centres such as single parent families and the elderly.
ACS will continue to campaign for effective and consistent car parking policy.