Planned progress

However, in concentrating on retailing, it misses my main point, which was a call for consistency from the Scottish Government and from local authorities in policy and practice for town centres.

The Scottish Government commissioned an External Advisory Group to report on town centres.

The Deputy First Minister  stated that “we want to take every measure possible to ensure that our town centres are vibrant places”.

In response to the group’s  report we now have a cross- government Town Centre  Action Plan.

I argued that investment and disinvestment in public buildings should be consistent with these statements of policy.

John Munro (Letters, 26 December) argued that: “Where public actions/policies ignore the forces of change, they cause major problems.” I would not disagree.

However, I would suggest that public actions in our town centres have themselves been “forces of change”, for example when they have closed council buildings or relocated schools to the edge of the town.

Similarly, the role of public policy is to steer change, not just to react afterwards. Not all urban change is benign or beyond  influence.

As we enter a year in which we are invited to choose a future for Scotland, we equally need to build a vision for the future of our towns and their town  centres.

(Emeritus Prof) Cliff Hague

Chairman

Built Environment Forum Scotland

Manor Place

Edinburgh