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Planning for Small-scale Retailing: Evidence from Scotland

Small-scale retailing raises issues, both generally for society and specifically for local authorities and other planning bodies. There is ambiguity in relationships with small-scale retailers. Consumers claim to want and love them--but actually use them less and less. In the UK, planning authorities claim to support them--but often in words not deeds. The government sees local retailing as fundamental to resolving issues of social inclusion--but does not provide the means to achieve that aim. This article reports on surveys with planning bodies and professionals in Scotland, with the aim of understanding the planning issues for, and responses to, small-scale retailing. It concludes that small-scale retailing is important at the local level but that land-use planning fails in its approach to the subject. A more proactive and positive planning and development policy towards small-scale retailing is needed.