new PPS4 out

[Simon Fairlie]

The nuances of retail policy in PPS4 are  insignificant compared to  
the wholesale trashing of rural policy in the same document.

PPS4 cancels all these sections of PPS7 Sustainable Development in  
the Countryside:

Objectives (i-iv) and paragraphs 1 (ii-vi), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 16 (i- 
ii), 17, 18, 19, 22, 30
(i-ii), 32, 34 (i-ii), 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 of Planning Policy  
Statement 7: Sustainable
development in rural areas (PPS7).

They are replaced by policy EC6 which actively promotes horseyculture  
and diversification of farming into other businesses — but gives no  
support at all for farming or forestry enterprises.

This is the malicious swansong of a neo-liberal Labour government  
which over ten years has done everything it can to undermine farming  
and food production in this country and open up the countryside as a  
playground and leafy retreat for its mercantile and property  
developer cronies.

Compare what is left of English rural policy in PPS4 and PPS6 with  
the admirable Welsh draft TAN6 and you would think you were in a  
different country!
>
>
> http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/ 
> planningpolicystatement4

http://wales.gov.uk/docs/desh/consultation/ 
090715drafttan6consultationen.pdf

Simon Fairlie

Chapter 7,  The Land

The Potato Store, Flaxdrayton Farm,
S. Petherton, Somerset TA 13 5LR

01460 249204




On 4 Jan 2010, at 13:41, Karen Leach wrote:

> This will be useful reading for the meeting on supermarkets/retail  
> and planning on 29th Jan...
>
> Karen
>
> Policy:
>
>
>
> Coverage from The Times
> December 30, 2009
> Local retailers attack planning overhaul
>
> Marcus Leroux: Retail Correspondent
> A significant overhaul of the planning system intended to protect  
> town centres and independent retailers from out-of-town  
> supermarkets was attacked last night as a sop to the big grocers.
>
> Supermarkets must pass a tougher test to show that a new store will  
> benefit a town centre, under a planning blueprint announced  
> yesterday by the Government. Small shopkeepers said that a lack of  
> detail would allow wellresourced supermarkets to steamroller any  
> local opposition.
>
> The existing “needs test”, under which retailers must show that new  
> developments satisfy unmet demand, is to be replaced by a broader  
> “impact test”, which will take into account the effect on the  
> environment, the high street and consumer choice.
>
> The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said  
> that the new rules would help small shops and town centres. But  
> James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience  
> Stores, said: “This new policy will weigh heavily on underresourced  
> planning departments in local councils, who will have to interpret  
> and implement a policy that is ambitious, contradictory and highly  
> subjective.
>
> Related Links
>
> Sheringham stands indomitable against Tesco
> Don’t dismiss pharmaceuticals over US health reform
> “Ministers have a long way to go to convince us that the new policy  
> will be effective in preventing the highly resourced and determined  
> supermarkets from imposing unwanted new developments on communities.”
>
> The new rules are separate from the Competition Commission’s  
> proposal for a competition test that would make it harder for  
> supermarkets to open stores in areas in which they are dominant.  
> Next month the DCLG will issue its response to the regulator’s  
> recommendation, which Tesco opposes fiercely. Retailers and  
> planning experts say the impact test could supersede the  
> competition test or be used as a separate requirement for opening  
> new space. Tesco has been accused of intensifying its store-opening  
> programme before the introduction of regulations that will make new  
> stores harder to develop — an allegation that the supermarket denies.
>
> The DCLG said that its new policy was needed to replace the  
> “dysfunctional” needs test. John Healey, the Housing Minister,  
> said: “By strengthening the hand of local councils, we are giving  
> them the expert tools they need to put the viability and vitality  
> of town centres first in difficult market conditions. The new tools  
> go further than ever before to protect town centres from the harm  
> large out-of-town developments can have.”
>
> A Tesco spokesman welcomed moves to streamline the planning process  
> but said that the new rules should not come at the cost of  
> stimulating the economic recovery. He said: “The challenge will be  
> to ensure that this is delivered when investment and job creation  
> are so important.”
>
> Asda supported the new planning policy but added that it should be  
> complemented by a competition test. J Sainsbury said: “We did not  
> support the draft version of [the policy statement], as we felt it  
> was too restrictive.”
>
> The Conservative Party is understood to be likely to recommend a  
> reintroduction of the needs test in its forthcoming planning “green  
> paper”.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Karen Leach
>
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