"Ministers ignore concerns over out-of-town retail plans"

Link to ACS web site

"Association of Convenience Stores public affairs director Shane Brennan said: 

"... Ministers may think that by not intervening in many out-of-town retail planning applications they are promoting 'localism', but instead, they are failing to provide the clear and consistent leadership that councils need.

Providing a rule-book without a referee does not empower councils, it leads instead to confusion, inconsistency and bad decisions."

"The government ignored Mary Portas' [sic] recommendation in her high street review, for all out-of-town planning applications to be called in for approval by ministers."