The report urges a 拢90m annual investment for the next ten years in Scottish towns from the Scottish National Investment Bank and the UK Stronger Towns Fund. FSB argues that these funds are needed for projects to make Scottish towns better places to work, live and run a business.聽聽聽聽
It also calls for a new Scottish government commission to tackle empty properties and for banks to deliver on their promise of shared banking hubs and for new help for independent traders to make better use of digital technologies.
The study, Transforming Towns, said that big businesses and the public sector have announced at least 414 bank branch, shop and local premises closures for Scotland鈥檚 towns and villages by since the start of 2016.
Andrew McRae, FSB鈥檚 Scotland policy chair, said: 鈥淢ore people in Scotland live in towns than cities. That鈥檚 why governments in Edinburgh and London must make a generational investment in our towns to overcome their current challenges and prepare them for how we鈥檒l work and live in the future.鈥�
The report highlights innovative work to fill empty units, but urges ministers in Edinburgh to establish a commission to tackle the rise of vacant properties. FSB also sets out its case for the Scottish government to investigate rolling out a standard small business lease for commercial premises.
McRae added: 鈥淔ollowing FSB campaigning, last year the Scottish government announced extra funding to boost Scottish towns. We need to build on this initiative because inclusive growth can鈥檛 only be a priority for city-dwellers.
鈥淎fter the wave of recent closures, we need to rethink how we use our high streets. A new commission should investigate the barriers to bringing vacant properties back into use, even if that means turning offices into housing, or department stores into art galleries.
鈥淪imilarly, we need to make it cheap and easy for independent businesses to take up high street property and we believe a standard small business lease could be part of this solution.鈥�
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
