Borough agrees charter to save small retailers

A radical package of measures to save small shops has become the official policy of a London borough.

Tory-run Kensington and Chelsea council has adopted proposals drawn up by a panel that included Peter Simon, founder of the Monsoon fashion chain, and Sir Terence Conran.

The move is a breakthrough for the Evening Standard's Save Our Small Shops campaign.

The measures, which will help protect the individualistic character of streets, include:

Free 30-minute parking meters so people can "pop in" to small shops.

Forcing developers to include "affordable retail" as part of their plans as well as affordable housing.

A commitment to take tough and swift action against developers who flout planning rules.

Appointing a "czar" to oversee retail policy in the borough.

Turning Portobello Road into a protected area.

Today campaigners said the council's decision to adopt 45 proposals out of 54 put forward by the Commission on Retail Conservation could mean the tide was turning in the struggle to preserve small, independent shops.

Some of the radical ideas rejected by Kensington and Chelsea included banning upward-only rent reviews and raising a levy on new large stores.

The commission was set up by the council in 2005 after Tesco acquired a string of convenience stores operating under the Europa, Cullens and Harts brands. It was chaired by former mayor Tim Ahern and published its findings in May. Mr Ahern will be given responsibility for ensuring the proposals are enforced.

Commission member Andrew Ashenden, former chief executive of the Howard de Walden estate, said: "This is good news - the question now is will they do anything about it?" Andrew Simms, policy director of the New Economics Foundation and author of the Clone Town Britain report, said: "There is a real opportunity and responsibility in a borough like Kensington and Chelsea. If you can start to see a turn in the tide there, then you hope other authorities will follow the example.

"They show a real appetite for change and it will be very interesting to compare their response with what the Competition Commission comes up with in its report on the supermarkets later this month."

Tim Burke, of the Friends of Portobello, said: "It is the first local authority in Britain to shift so far on this issue. To reach out in this way is incredibly positive.

"But unless these issues are addressed, we will have streets of nothingness in Kensington and Chelsea. Places like Portobello Road will just disappear unless we protect them very carefully. The British planning system is incredibly structured to produce bland outcomes."

Measures adopted
Introduce free, 30-minute parking in local shopping areas.
Make small shops a separate class in planning law, so a retail chain would need permission for change of use if it wanted to take on an independent trader's site.
Fund the appointment of a full-time champion for local shopping areas.
Promote consultation between developers, retailers and residents at all stages of a major retail development.
Designate Portobello Road a Special District Centre.

Measures Rejected
Abolish automatic upward-only rent reviews for new leases.
Reason: Research suggests the impact of upward-only reviews is diminishing.
Introduce a levy on new major stores to support nearby independent shops.
Reason: Requiring retailers to support competitors financially "is not considered reasonable".