MPs from all sides today expressed concern over the “mushrooming” of out-of-town supermarket developments and their negative effect on town centres, villages and corner shops.
The government would have to be robust in its commitment to not allow any more developments if small retail outlets in town centres were to survive, MPs heard.
Opening a short debate on the issue in Westminster Hall, Gwyneth Dunwoody (Lab Crewe and Nantwich) said supermarkets were “ubiquitous”. She likened them to rhododendrons stating: “They may be attractive to look at, capable of drawing people in large numbers but the reality is that they destroy every other plant.”
During the 1980s and 1990s the development of out of town shopping centres had a destructive effect on town centres, villages and corner shops, she told MPs. Dunwoody said out of town supermarkets often amounted to private monopolies providing far more than just food products, but also household goods, textiles and other items.
She questioned the decision by the Office of Fair Trading to refer supermarket competition to the Competition Commission.
The Government had stated that there was to be no more out of town shopping centres so why was it necessary to ask the Competition Commission to report, she asked. ”We believe that in all but the most exceptional circumstances supermarkets ought to be in urban areas and they ought to be better designed,” she said.
Bill O’Brien (Lab Normanton) expressed concern about the system of planning applications for supermarket expansions. He said many applications were approved on the basis of initially small units but later had expansion applications approved.
Damian Green, for the Tories, criticised the design of new buildings in towns. “Far too many towns in this country look exactly like towns that are hundreds of miles away. “We have lost a lot of the regional and vernacular feel of our town centres,” he said.
Tom Brake, for the Liberal Democrats, said surveys showed that for every out of town supermarket opened, an average of 276 jobs had been lost in other shops and businesses in the local community.
Labour’s Hilary Benn (Leeds Central) suggested new supermarkets be required to provide a home delivery service to help reduce traffic congestion.
EGi News 21/06/00
