John Stevenson, Carlisle’s Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate, says the changes could kill off many of the city centre shops which are already struggling to stay in business.

His warning is echoed by a cross-party House of Commons Committee which says that the Government’s proposed changes to planning rules on retail development will result in “many more out-of-town superstores”.

This comes as a separate nationwide survey by the British Retail Consortium has found that one in ten of all town centre shops is now vacant.

The Government’s changes come in the form of new national planning rules which Carlisle City Councilwill have to observe when assessing planning applications on retail development.

The new regime will scrap the ‘needs test’, which requires developers to prove the ‘need’ for additional out-of-town development.

The small print of the Government’s proposals shows the changes would:

* “Lead to some overall increase in [out-of-town] development, which could have environmental implications”.

*      “More [out-of-town] development proposals coming forward through the planning process”.

*          “Additional unplanned proposals outside town centres”.

 The Government consultation exercise found that the changes would “lead to more edge-of and out-of-centre development” and “undermine regeneration schemes by allowing development outside town centres”. On top of this, a Committee of MPs has now warned that the changes will lead to “unnecessary risks to town centres”.

John Stevensonsays:“Labour’s rewriting of the rules which protect against excessive out-of-town retail development is threatening to undermine the vitality of local high streets.

“Councils need the discretion and power to halt reckless out-of-town expansion and promote town centre regeneration.

“At a time when we have a record number of empty shops on our high streets, I am concerned that Gordon Brown’s plans will hit small retailers and worsen the problem of ghost town Britain.”

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