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POLICY CONTEXT
3. This policy supports the Scottish Executive's top priority of growing the economy 2 as well as its wider goals relating to social justice, sustainable transport, health improvement, an improved environment and a better quality of life. Successful 'town centres' (See Box 1) provide a diverse range of community and commercial activities, including places of employment, open spaces and meeting places. They are a mix of interdependent land uses which, when taken together with their physical structure, should create a unique sense of place, character and identity.
4. Retail and leisure provision are fundamental to the concentration of other activities located in town centres. These two sectors of the economy are strongly linked, as well as to others such as culture and tourism. All are key contributors to the Scottish economy, are significant providers of employment, and are therefore essential to the delivery of economic growth.
5. The 2004 research indicates that our work and leisure routines favour convenient access to goods and services. It is also clear that the retail sector has become increasingly diverse and complex, as it has adapted to reflect people's changing needs. This has led to the development of shopping patterns that take in a range of different retail locations, in both town centres and on out-of-centre sites. These serve different purposes, but in combination, should meet the needs of the whole population.
6. These changes have resulted in the development of 'commercial centres' (See Box 1). These are distinct from town centres as their range of uses and physical structure make them different in character and sense of place. The status of these commercial centres should be recognised and clarified.
Box 1 : Key Definitions |
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Town Centres: The term 'town centre' is used to cover city, town and district centres, irrespective of size, that provide a diverse and sustainable mix of activities and land uses which create an identity that signals their function and wider role. | Commercial Centres: These centres generally have a more specific focus on retailing or retailing and leisure uses. Examples include out-of-centre shopping centres, commercial leisure developments, mixed retail/leisure developments, retail parks and factory outlet centres. |
7. The Executive is committed to land use policies that secure vital and viable town centres, which provide economic, social, health and environmental benefits for the wider community. This involves promoting and enhancing town centres by focusing appropriate growth and development in them. The Executive's key policy objectives for town centres are therefore to:
- Promote distinct, competitive places and encourage regeneration, in order to create town centres that are attractive to investors and suited to the generation of new employment opportunities. This means identifying the most appropriate location for retailing and other related activities.
- Create a climate that enables all sectors of the community to have access to a wide choice of shopping, leisure and other services and for gaps and deficiencies in provision to be remedied. This means supporting an efficient, competitive and innovative retail and leisure sector which meets the needs of the entire community. It does not mean using the planning system to protect the competitive interests of individual retailers or other businesses.
- Improve the physical quality and sustainability of our town centre environments. This means promoting good quality design, protecting and enhancing existing quality, supporting the creation of town centres which are safe, inclusive and attractive for everyone and which promote sustainable management of water and energy.
- Support development in existing accessible locations or in locations where accessibility can be improved. This means encouraging developments that are accessible to all, reduce the need to travel and provide alternatives to car use by being served by a choice of modes of transport.
8. Planning authorities should implement these key policy objectives through development plans and other strategies. They should tailor their approach to meet particular local circumstances and community needs.
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