The Government has abandoned plans to ease planning restrictions on security shutters for shops, following a consultation by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
The consultation proposed shops should be able to install security shutters without approval from local authorities.
Relaxing the rules on shutters was suggested to Parliament by the prime minister in the wake of last August’s riots. David Cameron told MPs it was ‘difficult’ for shops to put up protective shutters and vowed to ‘weed out unnecessary planning regulations’.
However DCLG officials have concluded the plans would be a ‘disproportionate over-reaction’ following the consultation, which took the form of letters to local planning chiefs.
‘Responses to the consultation recognised external shutters did not a deter rioters, and that laminated glass or internally fitted shutters or grilles neither of which require planning permissions offer more security in nearly all cases,’ officials said.
A DCLG spokesman added: ‘The Government has taken the strongest possible action to prevent rioting again, and will continue to do so. Police and councils advised that relaxing these rules could have the opposite effect and increase crime and anti social behaviour by giving high streets the appearance of being under siege.
‘Town centres should be attractive and family friendly places to visit, and the current protections already available for shops offer more security and don’t require planning permission.’
