Press Releases

ACS has told an influential group of MPs that high streets continue to suffer from the unrelenting stream of out of town developments.

In an evidence session on the operation of the National Planning Policy Framework, ACS Chief Executive James Lowman told the Communities and Local Government Select Committee of the failure of the Government’s ‘town centre first’ policy and the need for change to support high streets.

The Scottish Grocers Federation and ACS have welcomed the call by Local Government and Planning Minister Derek Mackay that urges all public bodies in Scotland to make a commitment to “town centre first” for all their new investment decisions.

Under the principle, public bodies such as councils, the police and the NHS – will be encouraged to invest in such areas, and weigh up the financial pressure of closing down town centre facilities against the benefits of maintaining vibrant, healthy high streets.

Ministers have welcomed a package of measures announced by the alcohol industry targeted at tackling irresponsible drinking. The package includes a series of measures that are being taken forward by different companies and organisations across the industry:

At a conference of business groups and local authorities, ACS Chief Executive James Lowman has heralded the benefits of ACS’ new Primary Authority partnership.

The ‘primary authority’ scheme, one of the first to be established in the country, is a new partnership between Surrey County Council and ACS. The scheme is made possible by a change in the law that came into force on 1 October 2013, with the development of primary authority for trade associations supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

ACS has welcomed Ofgem’s decision to refer the energy market to the Competition and Markets Authority.

The investigation, which is due to commence immediately, will look at the following areas:

ACS has committed to pressing the Government to consider the significant burden that standardised tobacco packaging will impose on tens of thousands of local shops. Today, Ministers have published the consultation on introducing this measure in the UK.

Local shops have welcomed the publication of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill.

Published today by the Department for BIS, the Bill aims to remove barriers to growth for small firms, strengthen the foundations for a sustainable recovery, and create jobs.

Measures proposed in the Bill include:

Communities and Local Government Minister Nick Boles MP has attributed the increase in out of town development to local councils being ‘swayed’ by supermarket job creation claims during the recession.

MPs have been urged to stand up for their high streets and town centres ahead of a debate on the impact of out of town retail parks, due to take place today.

The Westminster Hall debate, Planning and out of town supermarket expansion, will be led by John Pugh, Liberal Democrat MP for Southport.

A new report released today has revealed how people really feel about the shops and services on their high streets, and what needs to be done to make those high streets successful again.

The ACS Community Barometer looks at what consumers, shop owners and local councilors think about the services in their local area, what they want more (or less) of, and what they believe Government and councils should be doing to give local shops on high streets the best chance to thrive.