ANOTHER MP has joined the fight to stop betting shops taking over the high street.

Greenwich and Woolwich MP Nick Raynsford has written to Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to declare his support for tougher planning regulations on bookies.

Joan Ruddock, whose Lewisham Deptford constituency has been swamped by betting shop applications in recent years, has already put forward a bill arguing the premises should be put into a different planning 'use class'.

Currently, bookies are grouped with banks, building societies and other professional and financial services in the same class. Current rules mean when such a building changes use to a betting shop, only a licensing application is needed, not a planning application.

Mr Raynsford said: "There are concerns locally about the huge increase in the number of betting shops in Woolwich town centre in the last few years, and also more and more betting shops opening in East Greenwich and in Blackheath.

“This contributes towards the erosion of retail diversity, and can worsen the problems of anti-social behaviour and problem gambling.

The problem is at its most serious in deprived areas, many of whose residents can ill-afford a gambling addiction.”