In a letter to local councils, Ministers have told planning officers to use powers in the National Planning Policy Framework to deliver retail investment in town centres. Clarification of planning policy has only previously been delivered by Ministers on controversial planning issues like Greenbelt developments.
ACS Chief Executive, James Lowman, said: “Our evidence has shown that 76% of retail floor space under the NPPF has been delivered out of town, so the clarification of the policy by Ministers is necessary. We believe the town centre first policy is strong but it requires better enforcement by local planners, using the mandatory sequential and impact tests to drive new retail investment into town centres wherever possible.”
The letter to local councils states: “Ministers wish to restate policy which makes clear that where an application fails to satisfy the sequential test or is likely to have significant adverse impact on the town centre as set out in the Framework, it should be refused.”
The letter comes amid growing interest in the number of out of town developments being closed, or built and not opened, or granted planning permission and not built. Evidence from Property Consultants CBRE shows that, of the 46 million square metres of grocery retail space in the planning development pipeline, 84% of this is planned for out of town locations, yet only 6% of this is currently under construction.
Mr Lowman continued: “When an out of town planning application is granted, it undermines investment in nearby town centres and that’s why we’ve seen a sharp decline in retail space being developed in town centres since 2013. Many councils have been seduced by the prospect of new developments, but they now look short-sighted, and if they had applied the town centre first policy more strictly the result would have been greater investment in town centres, as opposed to the empty fields once earmarked for new superstores but now abandoned.
“This Ministerial intervention is much-needed, and we welcome the Government’s clear commitment to a town centre first planning policy.”
Notes to Editors:
- ACS (Association of Convenience Stores) is the voice of local shops, representing over 33,500 convenience stores. ACS helps local shops thrive through lobbying, support and networking opportunities.
- The Department for Communities and Local Government recently released a planning update newsletter to local councils. The letter includes Ministers’ wishes to re-inforce local council’s awareness of Town Centre First Policy. This can be viewed in Annex A of the newsletter here: http://www.nrpf.org.uk/PDF/Chief_Planners_Newsletter_-_January_2015.pdf
- CBRE produces data every six months on the UK grocery pipeline, tracking grocery development in town centres and out-of-town developments. This data can be viewed here (United Kingdom Grocery Outlets in the Pipeline December 2014): https://researchgateway.cbre.com/MyGatewaySearch.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f
- ACS commissioned research into ‘Retail Planning Decisions under the NPPF’ in 2013, carried out by Johnathan Baldock. This research shows that since the introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework, 76% of retail floor space under the NPPF has been delivered out of town. The report can be viewed here: http://www.acs.org.uk/download/retail-planning-decisions-under-the-nppf/
