England's small market towns are in danger of losing their most vital asset - their character and distinctiveness, according to a major survey published this week.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England organised a 'health check' survey, between March and October last year, of more than 100 market towns, the length and breadth of the country.

The health check found many towns to be threatened by bland and uniform new development with nothing local about it, leaving them with serious traffic congestion and services stretched to the limit.

Others were in danger of becoming dormitories, with new housing development merely increasing the number commuting to work outside these settlements. Some have been hit hard by major retail and superstore developments out-of-town, or in big neighbouring towns, which have sucked the life from their high streets.

“Many of our market towns do not have the capacity to cope with major new development,” said Tom Oliver, CPRE's Head of Rural Policy. “Towns are also suffering badly from development which damages their individual character, is insensitively sited, or which threatens local businesses.”

“Traffic and congestion within towns is rising and the car increasingly dominates travel patterns often to the detriment of pedestrians. Local employment is suffering and local businesses are often undermined by the increasing presence of large national retailers.”

Particularly important contributors to this loss of distinctiveness and creeping blandness are:

• New buildings failing to incorporate local materials or local styles
• Local shops failing to sell anything produced locally

CPRE argues that this erosion of character and attractiveness matters - and not just to the millions of people who live and work in these small towns. Our distinctive market towns are part of the lifeblood of the English countryside. They help attract visitors from home and overseas, and contribute to rural prosperity.

Secrets of successful towns

But the survey's findings offer hope. They show that if local people and local authorities act wisely, they can maintain their town's distinctiveness and attractiveness, which in turn, enhances prosperity.

Sandwich, Frome, Market Bosworth, Maldon, Easingwold, Tavistock and Wimborne are cited amongst the successes, each settlement building on a good setting and well-conserved heritage.

Key ingredients of their success include community spirit and civic pride, local markets, events and festivals and good planning.

CPRE believes that successful retention and development of a market town's character and distinctiveness will only be achieved through deliberate policy choices, and taking a long term view.

Local planning policies must recognise that there are limits to the degree of development that each market town can support. Policies should:

• Take account of the need to focus future small-scale economic developments in market towns, rather than in the surrounding countryside.
• Emphasise the need for retail development to take place in the centre of town where possible.
• Strongly encourage the use of previously developed land for development in relation to employment.
• Recognise that the quality of the countryside surrounding market towns directly affects the quality of life of those living there, as well as the attractiveness of market towns to visitors.