22/12/11..Protect town centres against supermarkets says AMT Chief

A STATEMENT by the Chief of a charity representing small and Market towns throughout the UK, has today issued a request to the government, very relevant to the future of Thame.

The chief of Action for Market Towns (AMT) which represents areas where 20% of the population live, today reacted to a new analysis from property analysts CBRE showing that supermarkets are planning to open enough new stores in the years ahead to cover 500 football pitches – with more than 80% of the new space in out-of-town developments.

Chris Wade, Chief Executive of Action for Market Towns, said: “Continued out-of-town growth is probably the biggest threat to those still healthy high streets in our small towns. The Government-commissioned Portas Review called an explicit presumption in favour of town centre development.

“Action for Market Towns urges Housing Minister Grant Shapps, with his newly appointed responsibility for reviving town centres, to put this town centre presumption right at the top of his resolutions for 2012 in responding to the Portas Review.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK? The question is, does the Cattlemarket site in Thame count as an ‘out-of-town’ site and, will a new superstore on the site enhance the town centre or help to destroy it?
Contact: editor@thame.net with your views.