April 03, 2005

Government relaxes ban on new out of town supermarkets

The government yesterday reopened the way for retailers to build out of town superstores - while promising to close a loophole allowing them to double the trading space of existing stores without planning permission.


Under pressure from the Treasury, John Prescott's Office of the Deputy Prime Minister announced that developers could get permission to build on greenfield sites if there is no suitable inner-city land available in particular areas.

Oh where have you gone John Gummer, a nation turns its lonely eyes to you...

This is just so stupid to be unbelievable, although given this government nothing really does surprise me. Out of town shopping centres kill existing retail developments, and make it harder for the poor and the less mobile to buy cheap food.

And one does wonder what on earth this has got to do with the Treasury... is the Treasury really the guiding hand behind all government policy, or just a convenient scapegoat?