The effect of planning policies and practices on the growth and development of black businesses : a case study of Leicester
The purpose of this project was to establish whether or not the development of black owned businesses has been impeded by policies and practices in environmental planning. This question was explored in a series of operational hypotheses using data collected in Leicester for the period 1971-81. The m...
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University of Nottingham
1989
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| Online Access: | http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.256392 |
| Summary: | The purpose of this project was to establish whether or not the development of black owned businesses has been impeded by policies and practices in environmental planning. This question was explored in a series of operational hypotheses using data collected in Leicester for the period 1971-81. The main sources of data were a large sample of planning applications records and an extensive survey of businesses who had applied for planning permission since 1984. It was found that Asian businesses had grown in number during the period and had shown increasing spatial dispersal and sectoral diversification. Some of this growth was the result of the displacement of white businesses. There was also evidence that the formation of new Asian firms contributed to increased activity in the local economy. The increase in economic activity generated demands for additional commercial space. This demand was often frustrated by the refusal of planning permission which occurred twice as often for Asian businesses as for white businesses. The high levels of refusal of planning permission were consistent with the restrictive nature of planning policies in respect of commercial land uses. There was no evidence that black businesses were discriminated against directly. The hypothesis that there was indirect racial discrimination arising out of differing policy impacts on different racial groups was found to be untestable. The apparent disadvantage of black businesses in planning terms was related to their inner city location and their relative lack of influence on local politics. The latter attribute was characterised as a perception-gap that exists between planners and entrepreneurs. These problems could be addressed by placing increased emphasis on personal contacts between planners and applicants and in the creative use of existing inner city policy instruments. |
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