This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Town centre first choice for retail developers
28/01/2003
Town centres continue to be the first choice for new shopping developments, a Scottish Executive survey revealed today.
The third annual Retail Development Survey provides information about new retail developments which were approved, built or opened for business in 2000.
Welcoming the findings, Deputy Social Justice Minister Des McNulty said:
"This report provides welcome evidence that Scotland's town centres are continuing to attract fresh investment by shopping developers. The Scottish Executive is committed to ensuring that town centres remain vibrant, lively and attractive and these results will help councils support and give priority to town centre sites. They will also help retailers and developers make informed decisions when considering development options."
The 2000 survey results indicate that:
- most planning refusals were for out-of-town-centre proposals
- 72 applications for retail development were submitted to planning authorities. These totalled 363,000 sq. metres of retail floorspace
- 78 planning consents (508,000 sq. metres) and 14 planning refusals (73,000 sq. metres) were issued
- 36 schemes (215,000 sq. metres) were under construction
- 44 schemes (203,000 sq. metres) commenced trading
- Over three quarters of approved, under construction and newly trading floorspace was on brownfield sites
The Retail Monitoring System was set up in 1999 and is based on an annual survey of local authorities covering retail development proposals with a gross floor area of 1,000 sq. metres or more. It is intended to monitor the effectiveness of the Executive's retail planning policies.
National Planning Policy Guideline 8: Town Centres and Retailing seeks to give priority and support to town centres. The guidance says town centres should be the first choice for new retail and commercial leisure developments. Edge of centre locations, with out of centre sites should provide options only where no suitable town centre site is available.
The results of the 2001 and 2002 surveys will be published later this year.