Wallasey Village Action Plan

WALLASEY VILLAGE ACTION PLAN This Action Plan is a comprehensive strategy for potential future development and change within the Wallasey Village Local Centre. The Wallasey Village Action Plan builds on the Wirral Town, District and Local Centres Study and Delivery Framework 2011 (“2011 Town Centre Study”) which is a broader strategy for the regeneration and growth of the Borough’s 23 local, district and town centres outside Birkenhead. This in turn updated the Wirral Strategy for Town Centres, Retail and Commercial Leisure produced for the Council by Roger Tym & Partners (“the RTP report”) in 2009. Detailed analysis and consultation work was undertaken in producing the 2011 Town Centre Study, including wider consultation at a strategic level (Core Strategy) and more focused consultation with key stakeholders and traders. The findings and conclusions of this work form the basis of the Wallasey Village Action Plan. In producing the Wallasey Village Action Plan, further consultation work has been undertaken with key stakeholders and traders, providing the opportunity for their input into the plan. The consultation responses and feedback have therefore been captured within the proposed Action Plan and have informed the key issues identified. The Wallasey Village Action Plan provides a more detailed framework for shaping the regeneration of the centre, setting out issues, objectives and potential interventions in respect of regeneration, planning, design, sustainability and transport. It articulates a shared vision for the enhancement of Wallasey Village as a local centre. Its use is therefore neither led nor limited to council officers and it should be utilised by traders, community groups and any one else with an interest in their town centre. It is also important to emphasise that the vision for Wallasey Village cannot be achieved by the Local Authority alone. New businesses will be created by entrepreneurs and investors, not the public sector. Community and voluntary effort will have an important role to play in championing the vision and devising and delivering events and other initiatives in the town centre. The Wallasey Village Action Plan sits alongside the Traders Toolkit (which can be viewed at (link)) which provides general information to town centre businesses about issues such as planning and licensing. The Action Plan is related to and should be read in parallel with a number of other strategic planning documents, including the Wirral Unitary Development Plan and the emerging Core Strategy. It will also provide an evidence base to inform more detailed aspects of the Local Plan for Wirral, including the proposed Site Allocations DPD and a potential ‘Town Centre SPD’. The Action Plan will not be adopted as a Development Plan Document and will remain non-statutory, but will be used to shape the future of the area. Statutory Non -Statutory Cor e Town Centre Strategy Strategy Town Centres Site Town Centre Town Centre SPD Allocations Action Plans Toolkit Local Plan WALLASEY VILLAGE NOW This section presents a portrait of Wallasey Village as it functions today. Here we identify the main elements which define the identity of the centre and the main issues that are impacting upon it. These issues have been grouped into key themes which form the core of the Action Plan and a framework for future targeted action and interventions. Diversification and Identity Wallasey Village is an established local centre which comprises two separate clusters of shops - at the southern end centred on the junction with Leasowe Road (‘Wallasey Village South’), and at the northern end, between the junction with Grove Road and Sandy Lane (‘Wallasey Village North’). Between the two clusters is the St Marys College campus (on the eastern side of Wallasey Village) and predominantly residential use on the western side of the road. Although there is clear physical separation between the two clusters of shops, it is still locally (and for planning purposes) regarded as a single centre and the uses in each cluster are by and large complementary. Uses within the centre The 2011 Town Centre Study identified the centre (both areas) as having a significant service offer (60% of the total number of units) with convenience provision (9%) just below the study average and comparison provision (11%) less than half the study average. A resurvey in November 2012 suggests that the balance of these uses has not significantly changed in the intervening period. Convenience retailing in Wallasey Village South is centred on a Co-op supermarket and Cost-Cutter convenience store at the Murco petrol filling station on Leasowe Road. There is a Nisa Local at the southern end of Wallasey Village North and a Premier Stores/Post office at the Grove road end of the Village. The wide range of services uses in Wallasey Village no longer includes a bank although there is a post office in Wallasey Village North. There are a number of hot food takeaways, pubs and restaurants. St Marys College has a hair and beauty training academy in Wallasey Village North. Wallasey Village Medical Centre is located towards the southern end of the centre. There are a small number of vacant units pepper potted throughout the centre. The 2011 Town Centre Study noted that the percentage of vacant units (12%) matched the study average. No shop units have been converted into residential use to date. The 2012 resurvey identified 13% of units as vacant. Transport and accessibility The centre is well served by public transport, with a number of bus services serving the centre, although north –south buses travel via Green Lane and Bayswater Road. These services could be exploited for attracting inward retail or leisure journeys to Wallasey Village if the centre created this demand. There are railway stations at Grove Rd and Wallasey Village. There is a large 168 space park and ride facility at Grove Road station. The Wallasey Village/Leasowe Road gyratory dominates the southern cluster of shops – there are pedestrian crossings on 2 legs of this roundabout. There is limited off-road parking aside from Grove Road park and ride and the car park for the Co-op. Parking restrictions limit on-street parking within the clusters of shops and parking enforcement at the northern end of Wallasey Village has been tailored to meet the needs of the local businesses. Placemaking The centre is made up of two main areas that are physically and functionally divided. There is a further parade of shops to the west on Leasowe Road that is also included within the centre boundary but the Murco/Cost-Cutter on Leasowe Road appears to isolate this western extent of the centre from the remainder. Given the distance, nature of uses and busy junctions between the southern and northern areas of the centre there is little scope of physically connecting the two areas. There are areas within both areas of the centre that are inactive and appear to be lacking in vibrancy. This is largely due to the high level of service uses and concentrated vacancy such as the corner associated with the former bank. Some of the frontages themselves are in need of improvement. The centre benefits from being in close proximity to two train stations and is well served by public transport. Pedestrian links between the train stations and the two parts of the centre are quite poor. Events and Marketing There is no signage on entering the centre that provides any real sense of identity. We are not aware of any local initiatives to promote the centre or individual businesses. Wallasey Village – Next steps The centre is not in need of significant change. It is a successful centre. However, given that the centre has two separate focal points around separate transport hubs, it needs to ensure it can sustain its retail offer to attract people to use their local offer and services and to bring new customers into the centre. WALLASEY VILLAGE LOOKING FORWARD Vision By 2018 Wallasey Village will be a sustainable, safe, thriving local centre, providing a range of services appropriate to its role and serving the needs of the local community. An improved high street and enhanced convenience and comparison offer will create a vital and vibrant centre and an enjoyable shopping experience, promoting the unique aspects of its offer. This section sets out actions and interventions to achieve this vision. It identifies areas within the existing boundary that can accommodate alternative uses to reduce vacancy rates and increase vitality and vibrancy. There are opportunities to improve the identity of the centre and to introduce an improved offer, attract new retailers and users to the centre and secure its sustainable future. Diversity and Identity A proposed small change to the boundary of the centre is proposed on Leasowe Road to take the parade on Leasowe Road west of the Murco Petrol station/Cost-cutter out of the centre as it has the character and function of a free-standing local parade within a residential area. GOALS/ WHAT WE COULD ACHIEVE TOGETHER… HOW WE COULD ACHIEVE AIMS IT… Making Maintaining a nucleus of retail and service Wallasey uses to serve the needs of the local Encourage temporary or pop-up Village a community uses for empty units within the sustainable centre local centre A more vibrant high street Promote the toolkit to help the A convenience offer that is able to attract and Traders Group and individual retain customers all year round and resist loss businesses to be more proactive to other areas. in identifying and meeting the needs of town centre

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