Land Use Planning Policy (Hansard, 15 December 2003)

§ Lord Rooker

I am today announcing the start of the 13-week public consultation period for Planning Policy Statement 6, which sets out this Government's planning policy for town centres.

Vital and viable town centres have a key role in the delivery of sustainable communities-a vision set out in the communities plan. This new draft planning policy statement carries forward the "town centres first" approach established in PPG6 (1996), and clearly sets out positive planning policies, which will encourage investment and growth in city, town and other centres.

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This statement makes clear that development should be focused in existing centres in order to strengthen and, where appropriate, regenerate them, and that local planning authorities should: select appropriate, existing centres to accommodate the need for development; identify sites within and adjoining these centres for development or redevelopment; and provide for the growth of the town centre, expanding the town centre boundary where necessary.

Due to the need for clearer and more concise statements of governmental policy, this PPS does not include technical advice or good practice guidance. The intention is to publish separately a number of companion guides addressing the implementation of the policy. These will include advice on: assessing need and impact in respect of new retail and leisure development; applying the sequential approach; and strategies for smaller centres.

The companion guides will be published alongside the final version of PPS6.