Policies to support and retain existing community facilities are ‘unclear in most local plans’, the Theatres Trust has claimed.
The trust said it was ‘unfortunate’ that policies to protect and provide community and cultural infrastructure did not affect the soundness of local plans.
In evidence submitted to a communities and local government inquiry, the trust said: ‘While some local planning authorities understand and are sensitive to the inclusion of social and cultural wellbeing in their local plans and relate this aspiration to their cultural infrastructure, many are not.
‘Theatres are a vital part of our communities and provide important stimulus for the evening economies of town centres.
‘Authorities at both a national and local level generally do not understand or value the role of culture and cultural wellbeing in supporting growth and the development of vibrant communities, especially in town centres.
‘We have found that many town centre policies include the word cultural without any explanatory criteria.’
