04 January 2008, 17:05 PM
  • A consortium of environmental and public interest groups has called on the Government to take action to prevent the further decline of local independent shops and launched a list of measures to promote diverse and sustainable town centres.

The consortium, which includes the Association of Convenience Stores, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Friends of the Earth, the Food Access Network and the National Federation of Women’s Institutes, explains Government proposals for planning policy for town centres (PPS6), due to be released this month, are likely to weaken protection for town centres and independent shops in line with recommendations from the Competition Commission made in October.

Sandra Bell, supermarkets campaigner at Friends of the Earth, says, “We are at a turning point for high streets and town centres. If the Government follows the flawed advice of the Competition Commission it will be signing a death warrant for our high streets and for independent shops by making it even easier for the supermarkets to build yet more big out-of-town mega stores. Instead it needs to introduce new rules to restrict out-of-town development and promote real choice of local independent shops to meet every day needs.”

Tom Oliver, head of rural policy at the Campaign to Protect Rural England, says, “By encouraging more edge-of-town and out-of-town stores, the Government is set to increase car-based shopping trips at a time when it claims that tackling climate change is a priority. It should be looking for ways to cut car dependency and associated carbon dioxide emissions.”

The consortium has criticised the Competition Commission for ignoring the needs of people without access to a car and for putting forward recommendations that contradict existing Government commitments to sustainable development and to cutting carbon emissions. Urban food miles by car increased by nine percent between 2005 and 2006. This has been attributed to people travelling further to do their food shopping.