Competition as a Planning Consideration for Remote and Rural Communities

That the Parliament considers that remote and rural communities in Scotland such as Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross are disadvantaged by the lack of consumer choice in their areas; further considers that, as remote and rural communities are often serviced by only a limited range of supermarket chains, this can potentially have a negative effect on promoting competition; also considers that, with growing population centres in remote and rural communities in Scotland, there is an increasing demand for more consumer choice; considers further that local authorities across remote and rural Scotland face difficult choices on planning decisions relating to commercial developments, and agrees that the implementation of measures via planning legislation to include competition as a material consideration would help create greater consumer choice in remote and rural communities.