VIEWPOINTS WWW.PROPNEWS.CO.UK
Planning paper promises
change for town centres
O
n 10th July this year, the A number of new themes have been necessitated by the Competition
Secretary of State for identified in this consultation paper Commission's final report (30 April 2008)
Communities and Local (responses to which are invited by 3 into the UK groceries market.
Government published her proposed October 2008) namely: The flavour of the change is such that
changes to Planning Policy Statement * Increases competition in the grocery it will encourage additional retail
6: Planning for Town Centres (PPS6) market - the 'Competition Test' introduces presence primarily within or on the edge
which has been hailed to signify a a new requirement for planning of existing centres. There is a drive to
shift in government policy affecting authorities(LPAs) to assess impact on enable 'proactive locally-specific vision'
town centre developments. competition from applications for new which on the face of it would enable local
The consultation paper makes it clear grocery floorspace over 1,000 sq m; communities to have a greater say within
that the revision does not revisit the * Encourage local assessment of or on the edge of centre developments.
fundamentals of PPS6. Since 1996 when health of town centres by encouraging It is inevitable that a policy which is
PPG6 was first published (subsequently use of economic data to raise the likely to be more subjective and locally
varied in 2005 in PPS6) government productivity of growth rate of the UK based will result in winners and losers
policy has promoted the town centre first. economy; and create some uncertainty among the
This consultation document continues to * Modifies the Needs test; larger retailers in identifying potential
give its support to town centres first. * Mitigates against climate change; growth areas.
The Secretary of State in introducing and
the changes states that local shops are * Encourages retail development in
important not only for what they sell but growth areas and eco-towns.
they are a place where people meet, get For the first time, local authorities are
to know each other, talk about the issues encouraged to use relevant market
that matter to them. She identifies information and economic data, including
independent butchers, bakers and book price signals and further to address the
Jay Das
sellers as being icons of local pride, giving issue of land supply and possibly even
Planning Partner
the high street a verve and flare all of its consider name of applicants. This
Matthew Arnold & Baldwin
own. approach appears to have been
London
MPs criticise Government
green failures
T
he first report into the environmental We need systematic and scale solutions. the government was hindering progress.
impact of offices, shops and The empty rhetoric must end so that ministers There are currently over 160 government
factories has criticised the and business leaders can both take real departments and bodies involved in setting
government's green policy for ignoring action." and delivering the green agenda.
the real issues in favour of easy headlines. The group's inquiry, led by a cross party The report's main recommendations are:
The All Party Urban Development Group group of MPs and peers, found that a major * One single measurement tool so
says that instead of focussing on making policy shift was needed to deal with the issue businesses can compare one building with
new buildings carbon neutral, the of existing buildings. Up to 70% of all non- another and determine how green it is
government's focus must shift to existing domestic properties will still be with us in * Better co-ordination of different
buildings, which make up 99% of the current 2050 which means that existing buildings are government agencies working on
problem. one of the areas where the biggest carbon environmental policy
It will heap further embarrassment on the savings can be made. * Clear advice and information for tenants
government a day after the Commons The report also says that the government and landlords on how to reduce energy use
Environmental Audit Committee found there must lead by example. Many government and make easy savings
had been "very poor progress towards cutting buildings are among the worst performers * Tighter building regulations that demand
emissions from Whitehall departments". when it comes to energy efficiency. greater improvements from developers
Around half of all Britain's carbon According to the report, local communities * In-depth research
emissions are associated with buildings, yet and small businesses will be hardest hit by a on what fiscal and other
the government's focus has deliberately been failure to improve energy efficiency. With oil incentives would make
on new properties, despite just one per cent having doubled in price and energy costs set businesses change their
of buildings being replaced each year. to continue rising, ignoring the efficiencies of behaviour.
Clive Betts MP, chairman of the All Party buildings is not an option.
Urban Development Group, said: "Property It is believed that around a third of energy
is the natural focus for everyone as far as savings can be made with little or not cost to Andrew Teacher
climate change is concerned. Buildings are anyone. In the UK, we also waste as much Media Manager
where the biggest car bon savings can be heat as we use. The group's report found that British Property Federation
made and we have been failing in this area. an overly bureaucratic approach to policy by London
2 Property News August 2008
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20