Shopping centres: Difference between revisions

According to the research results, majority of purchasing population got very quickly adapted to new possibilities that are offered by super and hypermarkets and these are more often preferred by them. Small traders whose contributions to town treasuries are not inessential perceive supermarkets as unequal fight and “unfair rivals”. They initiate petitions, call for market protection and its regulation. Unlike those who oppose construction of large markets, majority of both laymen and experts in this field think that “reasonable” construction of super and hypermarkets is necessary for trade competition. However, legal means in the sense of predefined principles on construction of large-scale stores in the area are minimal and towns are dealing with the situation Instead of that, we keep facing the situation that shows us that towns and cities are not able to direct the development. Moreover, they cannot co-ordinate procedures in the decision making processes in the field of territorial planning and thus the non – regulated construction of trade complexes is attributed wider regional aspects. From the perspective of the territorial development concept, development of retail network up to now can be considered as rather accidental than systematic whereas we do not speak of big trade companies but of bodies of public administration that are accountable for harmonisation of territorial development. Independent towns that recently used to be parts of bigger administrative units are nowadays of special issue because they do not communicate and co-operate properly as partners with their “counterparts” in the territorial development program. In lieu, development of retail networks in the Czech Republic becomes rather a product guided by visions of investors and “lobbying” groups in the town halls than the work of logical direction.With regard to lower financial resources of smaller towns and some cities, a potential strong investor is mostly viewed positively. His activities play an important role in improving traffic and technical infrastructure of towns (financial contributions to reconstruct sewerage, roads etc.). Frequent pros include new working opportunities and future tax contribution for the town. Possible negative ramifications concerning the location of shopping facility include primarily the overload of communication network and design of buildings that vary from the built up areas up to now. Experts agree today that non regulated and non co-ordinated development can cause the retail network grow beyond dimensions which would lead to subsequent unbalance of the system and bankruptcy of many, especially retail   salesmen. Merciless rules of market economy apply also to the trade area and therefore it is necessary to retain certain proportions. Who else than villages representing the interests of their population should strive for that. Implementation rules of the amended construction Law no. 50/1976 of the Code are very benevolent as for the interpretation, and thus the accepted solutions are results of a whole array of compromises. Starting with as-a-matter- of-fact arguments by town-planners, geographers, ecologists and other professionals and ending with “pressures” of interest groups that enforce the construction from different reasons. Equally the other relevant laws do not represent a real obstacle for the development of big commercial constructions (over 3000 m2 of the builtup area). It is especially the Law no 334/1992 of the Code about the Protection of the agricultural land and

The Planning Analytical materials of 2008 reccomend that no more land is dedicated to big shopping centres except for newly suggested district centres.