13
FEATURE: RETAIL PLANNING
Planning
The Government says it will formally respond to the Commission’s changes, such as the removal of the needs test.
recommendations, including the competition test proposal shortly, but “However it is our opinion that it will do little to achieve the
it claims the new PPS4 provides strong protection for town centres Government’s aims of stimulating sustainable economic development
and will reassure town centre managers and independent retailers up in any meaningful way. Larger and multiple retailers will, if anything,
and down the country. find it harder to push proposed developments past committed local
Introducing the new policy, Healey said: “As the country moves councillors, particularly for small format retailing in local centres or
towards economic recovery, the Government is putting in place new rural areas.”
SHAKE-UP
protections for local shops at the heart of communities as many high
streets have been hit hard by a double whammy of the downturn and CoNfuSioN
out-of-town retail parks. But Dodds, who advises Tesco among others, also says PPS4 is riddled
“By strengthening the hand of local councils, we are giving them with errors that developers and local authorities will undoubtedly find
the expert tools they need to put the viability and vitality of town confusing and frustrating. “We have noticed a number of errors in
centres first in difficult market conditions. The new tools go further the guidance accompanying PPS4,” he said, “most notably an annex
than ever before to protect town centres from the harm large out-of- that states that PPS4 cancels provisions in PPS7, relating to major
town developments can have.” developments in areas of outstanding natural beauty. The Department
Planning experts said the new policy is unlikely to make a of Communities and Local Government has since confirmed that this
substantial contribution to economic growth, but they conceded that is not the case.”
it is likely to help smaller, independent retailers. And he warned that while PPS4 may be a consolidation of policy
Mark Dodds, a partner at planning consultancy DPP, said: “The relating to economic development and town centres, it will not
publication of PPS4 is very welcome and there are some very sensible simplify the process of getting planning consent.
“Developers will be well advised to make representations to the
local development framework process as new limits and thresholds
are set for retail development,” said Dodds. “They may also wish to
influence assessments of need and capacity that are now set only
at strategic level. Impact assessments will as a result become more
complex.”
And David Jones, director at the planning division of Evans Jones,
warned that the new policy could add to the workload of hard-pressed
local authorities. “The PPS requires local authorities to maintain up-
to-date survey data to assist in the identification of economic and
property challenges to be considered in plan making, review and
“It will do little to achieve
Government aims of stimulating
economic development ”
development control decisions,” he said. “The requirement for local
authorities to prepare and subsequently maintain the survey data will
place greater strain upon already stretched planning departments.”
According to Jones the Government clearly wishes to strengthen
local authorities’ armoury to enable them to resist inappropriate out-
of-town developments. But he cautioned: “The effectiveness of polices
of restraint may be questionable in cases where local authorities fail to
either collate or subsequently maintain accurate and robust data upon
existing retail centres.
And he concluded: “Time will tell whether in the current climate
the PPS will actually have any discernable impact. While retailing
remains depressed and many town centre retail outlets remain
vacant local authorities will seek to protect and improve the viability of
existing centres. However, if local authorities fail to collect appropriate
data, then it could prove difficult for them to defend appeals for new
out-of-town retailing.”
Find out more:
For more information, please contact the author or visit the website:

www.shopping-centre.co.uk/development

graham.parker@jldmedia.com
www.shopping-centre.co.uk January 2010 SHOPPING CENTRE
12-13-SCJan10-RetailPark.indd 13 14/1/10 19:08:29
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