PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Planning: Urban Areas (9 February 2021)

In order to support the vitality of town centres, the Government has made clear in the National Planning Policy Framework that in the first instance, main town centre uses such as retail should be located in town centres. In some circumstances it may not be possible to accommodate all forecast needs in a town centre, for example if there are physical or other constraints which make it inappropriate to do so. Therefore, it would not be appropriate to prohibit all development of this type outside of existing centres.

However, when assessing applications for town centre uses, such as retail, which are proposed in an edge of or out of town location, and those sites have not been identified in a local plan, the Framework sets out that a sequential test should be applied in order to help ensure that development that would have unacceptable implications on existing centres is not permitted.