AN action plan to revive Scotland's town centres has been devised to bring a new era to the high street.
The blueprint unveiled by the Scottish Government includes £2 million to help bring empty town centre properties back into use and more rates relief for businesses that take on these properties.
Fresh ideas will be encouraged through community involvement and a contest for entrepreneurs.
However, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said the measures were insufficient to revive town centres.
FSB Scottish policy convener Andy Willox warned: "Independent businesses expecting the town centre cavalry will be waiting a while longer."
Key issues for firms like parking, planning, traffic management, access and rents have been "neglected" by the Government plans, he said, as well as an earlier review into town centres.
He also accused councils of showing "scant regard for the health of our local economies with many choosing brand new edge of town or out of town facilities over investment in our centres."
Mr Willox added: "This report cannot be the end of the story and the small business community is certainly not giving up the fight.
"We would welcome the opportunity to make the case for more ambitious measures to make the Scottish high street fit for the 21st century."
The action plan comes after an independent review which looked at how to breathe life into Scotland's town centres.
Architect Malcolm Fraser chaired the National Review of Town Centres, a panel of independent advisors, which concluded that high streets need to broaden their appeal by bringing in a mix of leisure and public facilities and housing.
The review also urged the adoption of a "town centre first" policy, meaning public bodies should consider helping local high streets before thinking about developments elsewhere.
Local Government Minister Derek Mackay said: "The Scottish Government is determined that our town centres should be vibrant, attractive and safe places where local people and visitors alike want to spend their time and money.
"They should be accessible places which invite business start-up and inspire innovative ideas from all walks of the community."
The Small Business Bonus Scheme, which gives rates relief to small businesses, will continue for the lifetime of the current parliament and Fresh Start, which halves business rates for firms taking on empty property, will be expanded to apply to pubs, hotels and restaurants from April, and will include property with a rateable value of £65,000, up from £45,000.
Powers for local authorities to establishment town centre investment zones are also proposed, along with a competition for entrepreneurs in an attempt to regenerate local centres.
Mr Mackay added: "The plan marks a new era for Scotland's town centres and we will continue to work in partnership with local authorities, private and community organisations to ensure they are vibrant places to live, work and socialise."
Mr Fraser, chairman of the town centres review, said he believed the action plan represented "a change of Government mindset" and is a "reversal of the throw-away habit that abandons old towns".
However, Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Gavin Brown MSP criticised the plans.
He said: "This appears to be a collection of reheated, half-reasonable ideas, mixed in with some banal new suggestions.
"Even the sums involved are low.
"For example for the town centre housing fund would give councils an average of £62,5000 each - I'm not sure how many properties could be brought in to use with that."
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