'How the planning laws were TESCO-ed'

A story in the Mail on Sunday reveals the pressure that supermarkets exerted on the Government's recent White Paper on planning. In particular, the proposed new planning laws will remove the 'needs test' that forces supermarkets to demonstrate the need for a new store before planning permission can be given. The Mail on Sunday argues that,

'the disclosure will fuel suspicions that Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda have a stranglehold over Government policy, while small business owners struggle to be heard'.