Press Release

Local authorities side-lined: a threat to our high streets

Thursday, July 10 2008

Government proposals to abolish the ‘need test’ for town centre planning are a serious threat to local retail diversity and choice.  This is the initial view of the Campaign to Protect Rural England on the Government’s announcement today (Thursday).

Graeme Willis, supermarket campaigner at CPRE said, "These plans could take away the rights of local authorities to resist large supermarkets on the grounds of need. The replacement – a new impact test – could shift power from planners who could say 'no', to developers to say 'why not'.’

CPRE welcomes the retention of the sequential test and general support for local authorities planning their town centres.

But CPRE remains deeply concerned that ending the ‘need test’ will be damaging to local decision making and diversity. It could lead to yet more superstores outside town centres and further fuel the dramatic decline of greengrocers, butchers, bakers and fishmongers and other small shops.

Graeme Willis concluded: "If Government wants to better protect the character and special qualities of our town centres and local stores, taking away the 'need test' is a strange way to do it. 

"We will work with Government to make sure the new impact test isn’t a developer’s charter. If it is, we will fight to change it at every turn."