Town Centres (Hansard, 19 July 1995)

§ Mr. Gummer

Following the strong support given by the Environment Committee for the Government's policy on town centres and retail developments, I undertook to revise or planning policy guidance, PPG6, to clarify various issues. I have today issued for consultation revised guidance on this subject. Comments on the revised draft PPG6 are invited by 2 October 1995. I have arranged for copies of the draft revised PPG6 to be placed in the Library of the House.

The Government are strongly committed to urban regeneration and many of its policies are directed to this end. As part of this, the guidance reflects the Government's determination to revitalise our town centres by encouraging developers to invest in town centres. This applies not only to shopping developments, but to 1430W other uses such as offices and other businesses, entertainment, leisure, and higher education. We are determined that town centres should be attractive and competitive locations for investment.

The draft guidance encourages local planning authorities, consulting business interests and the wider community, to draw up strategies for retail developments in their local development plans. This should provide greater certainty for investors. The draft advocates the sequential approach, whereby retail developments should look first to town centres, next edge-of-centre sites and only then out-of-centre sites, if not suitable sites are available. It advises local planning authorities to plan positively and identify suitable sites in their local plans. This does not mean a complete ban on out-of-centre shopping developments, but such proposals will continue to need to be assessed against the tests of impact on existing centres, accessibility by a choice of means of transport and impact on overall car travel.

The main changes to this guidance are:

(i) on planning for town centres and retailing:

emphasis on a plan-led approach to promoting development in town centres, both through policies and the identification of locations and sites for development;
emphasis on the sequential approach to selecting sites for development, whether for food or comparison shopping; and support for local and neighbourhood centres.

(ii) on town centres:

promotion of mixed-use development and retention of key town centre uses, including cinemas;
emphasis on the importance of a coherent town centre parking strategy in maintaining urban vitality, through a combination of location, management and pricing or parking for different user groups—it clarifies the relationship between PPG6 and PPG 13;
promotion of town centre management to develop clear standards of service and improve quality for town centre users; and
promotion of good urban design, including attractive and secure car parks.

(iii) on assessment of retail proposals:

clarifying the three key tests for assessing retail developments: impact on vitality and viability of town centres; accessibility by a choice of means of transport; and impact on overall travel and car use;
how to access out-of-centre developments; and, finally
how certain new types of retail developments should be assessed.