The proposed changes to PPS6 and the new PPS4 which propose the scrapping of the need test for planning applications and a more complicated impact test were trumpetted by Government as enhancing protection for town centres. In my district, we have kept out of centre retailing under control and the need test has provided a robust, universally recognised and tried and tested basis for doing this. Since the Government announced the prospective abolition of the need test, we have had a flood of proposals for new out of centre retail development. Whilst need still applied pro tem, the prospect of its imminent disappearance cannot be ignored. The industry seems confident of being able to prevail in arguments about impact and the sequential test, aided by the increased complexity of the new tests. Removal of need arguments also makes proposals for extensions to existing out-of-centre stores difficult to resist where, in isolation (but not cumulatively), impact is likely to be slight and sequential arguments mired in the complexities of disaggregation and business models. Have other people experienced a recent flood of proposals for out of centre retailing and does the new PPS give anyone greater confidence in dealing with them?
