Plan To Boost Town Centres

The Scottish Government publishes a paper to prioritise town centre investment.

The Scottish Government and COSLA are working together to encourage the public sector to continue to invest in their town centres and help communities thrive.

Local Government and Planning Minister Derek Mackay is calling on public bodies to sign up to the new Town Centre First Principle.

The Principle requests that public bodies such as local authorities, the NHS and Police Scotland weigh up the potential impact of closing town centre facilities, against the benefits of keeping their town centres healthy and vibrant.

Speaking on a visit to Barrhead in East Renfrewshire, which is one of the first local authorities to adopt the Town Centre First Principle, Mr Mackay said:

"Our town centres should be vibrant, attractive and safe places where local people want to spend their time and money.

"The Scottish Government made a commitment to recognise and prioritise the importance of town centres in our Town Centre Action Plan last year, and we are taking this one step further by introducing the Town Centre First Principle, and asking all public bodies to sign up.

"The Principle will encourage public bodies to put the health of town centres first and consider what impact any investment decisions, will have on them. In particular, when it comes to investment, public bodies adopting the principle are requested to consider town centre locations first, and look beyond immediate pressures when they are making decisions about closing a town centre facility.

"We understand that for some businesses or services the town centre may not be a suitable location, but in signing up to the Principle, public bodies will make sure the rationale for locating elsewhere is evidenced and transparent.

"It is encouraging to see our local authorities, like East Renfrewshire Council, applying the principle and recognising how important it is to regenerate our town centres. East Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire Councils are also supporting this ethos by relocating their council offices into town centres.

"By working in partnership with local authorities, the wider public sector, private and community organisations, we can ensure our town centres are vibrant and are a focal point for the community."

Prioritising town centre investment was a key recommendation made by the independent Town Centre Review Group, led by Scottish architect Malcolm Fraser. The Scottish Government and COSLA responded to the call in the Town Centre Action Plan when it was launched in November 2013.

Councillor Stephen Hagan, COSLA Spokesperson for Development, Economy and Sustainability said:

"Undoubtedly town centre regeneration remains a priority for local authorities, along with partners in the wider public sector, businesses and communities themselves.

"To help reinvigorate Scotland’s town centres a collective approach which understands the long term vision for each town centre is required, which will make our town centres fit and viable places to interact, do business, and access facilities and services.

"Given the importance of town centres to local communities across Scotland, we hope that the Town Centre First Principle is the first step in helping to ensure the viability of Scotland's town centres going forward."