The British Council of Shopping Centres (BSCS) has warned that the British high street may “reach crisis point” if action is not taken and said that the Government ‘s ‘Town Centres First’ policy was not being delivered by cash-strapped local councils.
The industry body, which represents 2,500 landlords, retailers and retail agents across the UK, has submitted an outline of its primary concerns over the planning policy to the Government ahead of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement next week.
As part of the submission it called for the introduction of business rates exemption zones in town and city centres where property owners and developers are committed to regeneration schemes or significant redevelopment .
It also called on the Government not to increase business rates for 2013 in line with September’s Retail Price Index measurement of inflation, but at a lower rate in line with the Bank of England’s target for inflation.
Last year, the Government stated that it was “fully committed to supporting town centres” and then Minister of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government Greg Clark said that local councils and commuties would be given “new powers…to determine and influence what happens in their area.”
However, BCSC has noted that its members are unable to deliver town centre investment at present as “well intentioned” Government policy is not being consistently adopted nationwide.
Michael Green, BCSC chief executive, said: “After the significant government support for and media interest in the Portas Review, it is becoming a thing of political history before the recommendations have been implemented. As the industry battles to save Britain’s town centres, their demise is dropping swiftly off the government’s radar.
“Policy may have been formulated, but research shows that it is not being implemented on the ground, and what use is a policy that is not adopted, particularly one so critical to the health of our towns and cities? Councils must do more to plan proactively for town centre retail investment, and our members are eager to engage with local political leaders to ensure this happens.”
