§ Mr. Steenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what retail floor space in Totnes was allowed in the 1981 (modified) structure plan for Devon; how much floor space (a) is presently in use, (b) has received unimplemented planning permission and (c) is vacant; how this relates to the 1991 low and high figures; and what effect the building of the Brutus shopping centre will have on these figures.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe relevant policy in the Devon county structure plan envisages that shopping floor space in Totnes will increase to between 80,000 and 90,000 square feet by 1991. The local planning authority (South Hams district council) must have regard to this policy when considering proposals for retail development, but the limits are not absolute: their role is to provide guidelines for development control and local planning purposes.
I understand that in June the planning authority estimated that about 75,000 square feet of retail floor space was then in use; that there was unimplemented planning permission for 4,000 square feet; and that about 7,000 square feet was vacant. The building of the Brutus shopping centre (if planning permission is given) would add about 21,000 square feet, taking the total provision to some 107,000 square feet. I further understand that the Devon county council, which is responsible for the structure plan, does not regard such a level of provision as materially conflicting with the plan.