Mark Oaten Criticises Proposed Supermarket Planning Law Changes

Mark Oaten, Member of Parliament for Winchester, has criticised the Competition Commissions proposals for more out of town supermarkets and called for greater support for local businesses.

The Competition Commission has suggested, in its provisional findings on the groceries market, that a lack of competition in some areas requires planning laws to be altered allowing supermarket chains to build more branches on the edge of urban areas and out of town.

Fears have been expressed in local Winchester communities however that this could place further strain on small and specialised local food businesses that are already under pressure and struggling to compete with larger food retailers.

Receiving a large amount of correspondence on the matter from constituents Mark Oaten has also voiced his objections to any planning law change which may threaten local businesses.

Mark has written to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Communities and Local Government raising these objections and seeking clarification from the Government. He has also leant his name to Early Day Motion 550 calling on Government to introduce a presumption against out of town retail development and new tests for diversity, local economic impact and carbon emissions.

Mark Oaten stated:

“These proposals add another threat to local businesses and local communities at a time when we should be encouraging the preservation of our local character.

“Building more supermarkets is not the way to increase competition. The answer is to provide the necessary conditions for local businesses to flourish providing consumers with the best range of goods and locally produced food.