PPS 4 sets out policy framework for planning for sustainable economic development: a boost for small shops and town centres?
Planning Policy Statement 4 (PPS4) has been published, and sets out the Government's comprehensive policy framework for planning for sustainable economic development in urban and rural areas.
Planning Policy Statement 4 (PPS4) is available online, complete with relevant guidance papers. It replaces Planning Policy Guidance 4: Industrial, Commercial Development and Small Firms (PPG4) and Planning Policy Guidance 5: Simplified Planning Zones (PPG5) both published on 10 November 1992; Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Town Centres (PPS6) published on 21 March 2005; and the economic development sections of Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas (PPS7) published on 3 August 2004.
The new Planning Policy Statement 4 combines town centre and economic development policy into a single streamlined statement that supports sustainable economic growth, protects local markets and small shops and will help councils make the decisions to help speed up economic recovery in our towns and rural communities.
The revised guidelines keep the important 'sequential test' for town planners, which requires the most central town centre sites to be developed first for shops, leisure and offices rather than out of town sites that lure high street shoppers away.
A tougher 'impact test' is also being introduced, replacing the dysfunctional 'needs test', which will now give councils better controls over big developments that put small shops and town centres at risk. Using this test, development that could harm town centres will be assessed against key factors including climate change, impact on the high street, consumer choice, consumer spending and jobs.
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