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Mayor's masterplan to help save small shops
Ross Lydall, City Hall Editor14 Nov 2007
The Evening Standard's campaign to save small shops scored another success today when Ken Livingstone vowed to protect them in his masterplan for development in the capital.
The Mayor has reached agreement with London's 33 borough councils to amend the London Plan - his strategy document for the city's long-term development - to safeguard independent traders.
He gave the example of the massive redevelopment of the Elephant and Castle shopping centre, where he said the aim would be to strike deals - known as section 106 agreements - with commercial developers to reserve some retail units for local traders.
Mr Livingstone said: "Section 106 agreements could be used to provide subsidised and below-market cost rental outlets for shops that would not otherwise be able to afford them.
"We would have a chance of keeping some of the old local traders."
He said City Hall planning officials would now begin drawing up a consultation on the proposals in conjunction with the London Councils organisation.
Two other amendments are also proposed to the London Plan: a " presumption" against housing developments in back gardens, and moves to prevent the demolition of "sound buildings of character".
The Mayor said he had been appalled at the proposal to erect "breathtakingly tedious" tower blocks at the southern end of Willesden Lane in Kilburn.
Tory assembly member and MP Bob Neill said he was delighted at the Mayor's acceptance of the need to protect back gardens but attacked Labour MPs who he said had twice voted recently in Parliament against private member's bills offering similar protection.
The Standard's campaign was launched in March last year in response to growing concern about the accelerating loss of small, independently owned shops because of rising rents, rates, competition from supermarkets, rigid council parking policies and red tape.
Since then it has attracted the backing of thousands of shoppers and traders across London and has forced local authorities to look more closely at the issue.
Other victories have included the Government's announcement in May that it would scrap tax breaks for landlords who keep retail premises empty.
Last month Kensington & Chelsea council adopted a radical package of measures to save small shops and protect the individualistic character of streets.
The proposals, drawn up by a panel that included Peter Simon, founder of the Monsoon fashion chain, and Sir Terence Conran, included: free 30-minute parking meters so people can "pop in" to small shops; forcing developers to include "affordable retail" as part of their plans and a commitment to take tough and swift action against developers who flout planning rules.
The campaign has also sparked a major parliamentary investigation into the decline of small shops.
A panel of senior Conservative MPs and leading figures from the retail world will take evidence over the next month, with the aim of producing recommendations on how to reverse the trend early next year.
Some of the findings are likely to become official Conservative policy for the next general election.
Reader views (10)
Thank you Mr Livingstone. Local councils are bending backwards for housing associations and the supermarket chains.
- V Wilson, London, UK, 01/04/2008 00:09
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The extended congestion charge into Kensington has done nothing to help local businesses - and is having a detrimental effect on many.
- Morgan, London UK, 08/01/2008 17:08
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About time Ken !
Let's hope this is not just hot air. The same retail units are replicated around the country.
It is about time that we keep our independent shops going. If you ask anyone for example what they like about Brighton - The answer is The Lanes. No brainer really.
But the general public must shop at independents as well to keep them going.
- Roberto Carballeiro, Basingstoke, UK, 15/11/2007 12:50
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Livingstone will back anything that will get him re-elected.
- Chris Taylor, Woking, UK, 15/11/2007 12:40
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This would be the same man who vowed to save the Routemaster?
- Andy, London, UK, 14/11/2007 21:27
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Nice to see small businessman Peter Simon, founder of the Monsoon fashion chain, and Sir Terence Conran doing there bit! Maybe Ken could get Mr Walmart on board.
- Nigel Stratton, Brighton, UK, 14/11/2007 21:13
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Ken's a joker, do you really think residents in E&C want small shops? They want all the the big cheap chains. Another example of his blind vision.
- Nigel Stratton, Brighton. UK, 14/11/2007 21:05
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Only thing he wants to save is his skin as mayor (elections next year which he will lose). The rest is a show - he knows how ineffective and unpopular he is!
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London, 14/11/2007 18:53
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It would be lovely if there was a website devoted to the independent, small-scale shop. It could cover both specialist outlets and general stores. I try to buy as much as possible from local and independently-owned shops, and would be willing to go out of my way to support them, if only I knew who, and where the were.
If the mayor is serious about supporting this, why not make it a planning requirement to have a number of low-rent units in every new shopping development in London?
- Sarah N., London, 14/11/2007 17:01
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He could make life a lot easier by getting rid of the congestion tax and easing the punitive parking rules.
- Paul, Kilburn, London, 14/11/2007 16:56
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