Liberal Democrats launch plans to revitalise town centres (Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats)

Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats <info@saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk>

Liberal Democrats launch plans to revitalise town centres

February 20, 2010 11:24 AM

Peter Wilcock at the market in Saffron Walden

Peter Wilcock and the Liberal Democrats are fighting to stop supermarkets ruining our town centres.

Liberal Democrats in Saffron Walden Constituency have set out plans to revitalise Britain's town centres, protect the future of the Post Office, and help small businesses thrive in a fairer marketplace. The plans include a change in planning law to curb the expansion of supermarkets.

The announcement comes as research, published by the Local Data Company (LDC), shows that, nationwide, vacant shopfronts shot up by 24% in the second half of 2009. Peter Wilcock, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Saffron Walden Constituency, said:

"The Government's skewed planning system has seen supermarket giants squeeze the life out of our towns and now almost every high street in Britain is becoming an identical collection of chain stores and coffee shops.

"We need thriving town centres in Saffron Walden and Dunmow - ones with real character that allows local businesses to survive and grow.

"The Liberal Democrats understand that it will be small businesses that are the key to building a healthy and balanced economy."

The Vibrant Local High Streets plan includes proposals to:

Encourage the development of a PostBank and free the Post Office from the Royal Mail to enable it to develop new business
Introduce a local competition test for all planning applications for new retail developments to establish a fairer balance between local independent stores and large supermarkets
Establish a system of Local Enterprise Funds and regional stock exchanges to ensure small businesses get access to cost-effective equity that meets their needs

Commenting, Nick Clegg said: "Our town centres that have borne the brunt of this recession, with empty shopfronts scarring towns and villages across Britain. I believe that people value the wide range of goods and services available locally and want to see their town centres thrive and prosper."