Draft Planning Policy Statement
6
1. The consultation on draft Planning Policy Statement
6: Planning for Town Centres (PPS6) was published in December
2003.[1] The consultation
period ended on 15 March 2004 and the ODPM is currently reviewing
the representations received. It has indicated that the final
version of PPS6 will be published in the autumn of 2004.
2. The consultation document states that:
"These policies [in draft PPS6] are firmly based
on the principles of sustainable development and the need to sustain
and enhance the role of town centres for the benefit of all."[2]
The document also indicates that many of the policies
in the draft PPS6 are based on policies in the existing PPG6,
updated as appropriate.
"The key messages of the new draft PPS6 are:
A re-emphasis of the 'town centres first' objective;
The need for a plan-led approach at both regional
and local levels;
The need for local planning authorities to plan for
growth and growing town centres;
The need to tackle social exclusion by ensuring access
for all to a wide range of everyday goods and services; and
The need to promote more sustainable patterns of
development with less reliance on the car."[3]
3. The Government proposes to issue a series of new
accompanying guidance on: Assessing Need and Impact of New Retail
and Leisure Development; Applying the Sequential Approach; Strategies
for Smaller Centres; Managing the Evening Economy; and Planning
for Tourism.
4. In view of the controversy caused by proposals
for out-of-town shopping developments and the need for clarification
on the direction of the Department's thinking on town centre policy,
the Committee resolved to hold an evidence session with Ministers
on the draft of PPS6 at a point when the consultation period on
the draft PPS6 had come to an end, and the final version of PPS6
was yet to be published.
5. The evidence session was held on 20 July 2004.
The witnesses from the ODPM were the Rt. Hon John Prescott MP,
Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State, the Rt. Hon
Keith Hill MP, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Brian
Hackland, Director of Planning and Michael Bach of the Planning
Directorate.
6. The Committee is grateful for the Ministers'
willingness to discuss aspects of draft Planning Policy Statement
6 at a stage when the final document and accompanying guidance
have yet to be completed.
7. The Committee welcomes the Ministers' confirmation
of the ODPM's commitment to the 'town centres first' policy. This
has further implications for the detailed wording of policy on
specific matters throughout the Statement. We were reassured that
Ministers would be examining closely points such as: the application
of the sequential test to proposals to extend stores in out-of-town
locations, particularly where they are situated in out-of-town
centres; the assessment of quantitative need for additional retail
development by reference to specific classes of goods; the risk
of abuse of any policy aimed at accommodating large format stores
on the edges of town centres; and how the decline of some retail
locations can be managed without accelerating that decline.
8. The Committee looks forward to a final version
of PPS6 with the necessary vision and clarity to inspire local
planning authorities proactively to achieve improvement and renewal
of our town centres.
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