Lib Dem Group Welcomes Costa Coffee U Turn

South Hams District Councillor Keith Baldry (Yealmpton)

Please reply to: 14 Hillside Drive

01752 881402 Yealmpton

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Cllr.Baldry@southhams.gov.uk PL8 2NT

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NEWS RELEASE 29 October 2012

Lib Dem Group Welcomes Costa Coffee U Turn

South Hams Council Liberal Democrats greatly welcome the decision of Costa Coffee not to impose a coffee shop on Totnes against the wishes of local people and businesses. Group Leader Keith Baldry said: "It is because we feel that local people should have the right to decide the nature of shops in their towns and villages that we proposed at the last South Hams Council meeting that there should be a change in the law to give councils powers to take into account whether shops are locally owned when granting planning permission. The present law does not allow this. If localism means anything it should include making it possible for a community to have a say in how many national chains have shops in a town or village. We very much regret that the Conservative majority group defeated out motion."

Councillor Julian Brazil added:" It is clear that the Costa management has taken our views on behalf of local people into account. We will continue to argue that local residents are empowered to stimulate local vibrancy"