The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has written to the Government warning that town centre protections are ineffective and has called for immediate intervention to prevent long-term damage.
A recent decision not to call in a supermarket development approved by Fenland District Council outside the town centre in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, has “highlighted failures” in the understanding of new Planning Policy Statement 4.
Published in December, the new policy was intended to strengthen the town centre first rules that apply to new retail development and prevent allowing supermarkets to be built that are outside town centres.
In Whittlesey the council approved a development, against the expert advice of officers, that is poorly located and expected to have a negative impact on trade in an important historic market town.
An order giving notice of an intention to call in the decision issued by the Government Office for the East of England was rescinded last week, thereby giving the harmful proposal the green light.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Government published a new policy in December that was sold on the basis of it strengthening town centre protection, and yet in the first months of its operation it has failed to protect Whittlesey.
“This is early warning that something could be going badly wrong and we are calling on the Government to act quickly to ensure that councils and government offices are capable of implementing the new policy.
“New town centre protections must be embedded in policy and procedure now. Government must reassure all involved that there is adequate focus and resource being put into training local decision makers in using the new policy in the right way.”
Source: ACS
