Retail Health Check
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Fareham Borough Retail Health Check Summary Paper 2017 Contents Introduction……………………………………………………….. 1 National Planning Policy Context…………………………........ 1 Local Planning Policy Context………………………………….. 2 Diversity of Uses…………………………………………………. 3 Centre Analysis………………………………………………….. 4 Fareham Town Centre……………………………………. 4 Portchester District Centre……………………………….. 6 Locks Heath District Centre……………………………… 7 Stubbington Local Centre………………………………… 8 Park Gate Local Centre…………………………………... 9 Footfall Count: Fareham Town Centre………………………... 10 Method of Data KPI Definition/Function Timescale Introduction Collection Review of units in town Annually (September) The amount of space in use for different uses such as offices; centre by observation. This summary paper provides an annual update on the retail Diversity of uses expect for Fareham TC (6 shopping; leisure, cafes and hotels. GIS used to calculate total monthly) health of the Borough’s main shopping centres, which are floorspace. defined as: Annually (Summer) Proportion of vacant street The ratio of vacant ground floor units to the total number of issues. except for Fareham TC (6 Review by observation • Fareham Town Centre level property monthly) • Portchester District Centre Demonstrates the confidence of investors in the long-term Commercial yields on non- New/updated Local Plan • Locks Heath District Centre profitability of the centre for retail, office and other commercial Long-term domestic property evidence studies. • Stubbington Local Centre developments. Regular surveys to help authorities in monitoring and evaluating the • Park Gate Local Centre Customers’ views and New/updated Local Plan effectiveness of town centre improvements and in setting further Long-term behaviour evidence studies. priorities. The Retail Health Check (RHC) assesses these core retail Centres to provide information on: ground floor unit occupancy; Retailer representation and Existence and changes in representation of retailer, including street New/updated Local Plan intentions to change markets, and the demand of retailers wanting to come into the Long-term performance against adopted Local Plan (LP1 and LP2) policies evidence studies. relating to retail development; and footfall (Fareham Town representation centre. Centre only). The first RHC was undertaken by the Council in Demonstrates the confidence of investors in the long-term New/updated Local Plan Commercial rents profitability of the centre for retail, office and other commercial Long-term 2009. This paper provides comparative analyses of the Centres evidence studies. against previous annual assessments in order to illustrate developments. particular changes and trends. A key indicator of the vitality of shopping streets, measured by the 6 monthly for Fareham Footfall counts at set Pedestrian flows numbers and movement of people on the streets. Town Centre locations. The data collected from monitoring the Borough’s core Centres Ease and convenience of access by a variety of travel options, including – the quality, quantity and type of car parking; the New/updated Local Plan in the RHC helps inform the development of the Draft Fareham Accessibility Long-term Local Plan 2036. It is also used to inform development frequency and quality of public transport, the quality of provision for evidence studies. pedestrians, cyclists and disabled people. management decisions on planning applications within the core centres and approaches to Centre management. However, it is Views and information on safety and security, and where Perception of safety and New/updated Local Plan appropriate, information for monitoring the evening and night-time Long-term important to note that the RHC is not intended to be viewed as a occurrence of crime evidence studies. retail study. economy. Includes information on problems (air pollution, noise, clutter, litter State of town centre New/updated Local Plan and graffiti) and positive factors (trees, landscaping and open Long-term environmental quality evidence studies. spaces). Table 1: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) National Planning Policy Context The majority of the KPIs were already monitored through the National Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) sets out Key RHC, prior to the publication of the PPG in March 2014, with Performance Indicators (KPIs) which can be used to monitor the exception to the commercial yields on non-domestic property ‘health’ of town centres. Table 1 sets out how these KPIs are and shopping rents. It is therefore proposed that the current captured as part of the Retail Health Check and other evidence monitoring framework remains unchanged, as historically it studies. has been difficult to obtain accurate and reliable information on the commercial yields on non-domestic property and shopping rents. Maintaining the same indicators also allows for consistency and an accurate long-term comparison of data. 1 Local Planning Policy Context Local Plan Part 1: Core Strategy Local Plan Part 2: Development Sites and Policies Plan The Core Strategy contains one strategic policy relating to retail The Development Sites and Policies Plan (DSP) Plan, adopted health, Policy CS3; whilst all lower level retail policies are set out in June 2015, contains a number of policies that are aimed at in the Local Plan Part 2: Development Sites and Policies (DSP) maintaining and improving the retail health of the Borough’s Plan. The primary concern of the Core Strategy policy is to Centres. The policies in the Core Strategy and DSP Plan have maintain the overall retail hierarchy of the Borough’s Centres, replaced the Local Plan Review (2000) Saved Policies. Policies with Fareham Town Centre remaining the largest. Core Strategy from the DSP Plan that make reference to retail health are Policy CS3 is set out below. listed below. CS3: Vitality and Viability of Centres • DSP20 New Retail Development in Fareham Town Centre Development proposals within the Borough's identified centres • DSP21 Primary Shopping Area will be encouraged to promote competition and consumer • DSP22 Secondary Shopping Area choice, whilst maintaining and strengthening the individual • DSP27 Market Quay character, vitality and viability of the centre. Development will be • DSP34 Development in District Centres, Local Centres permitted provided it maintains the current hierarchy of the retail and Local Parades centres: • DSP35 Locks Heath District Centre • DSP36 Portchester District Centre • Town Centre - Fareham • DSP34 Development in District Centres, Local Centres • District Centres - Locks Heath, Portchester, North of and Local Parades Fareham Strategic Development Area • DSP38 Local Shops • Local Centres - Stubbington, Broadlaw Walk (Fareham), • DSP37 Out-of-Town Shopping Highlands Road (Fareham), Gull Coppice (Whiteley), Titchfield, Warsash and Park Gate N.B.: The performance indicator used for the monitoring of Local Plan Review (2000) Policy S7 remains applicable to the Whilst each centre will be developed to promote its unique performance monitoring of DSP34: Development in District identity, the overall retail hierarchy should be adhered to. Centres, Local Centres and Local Parades. The DSP Plan can be accessed from: Further policies from the Core Strategy (2011) that make reference to retail health are listed below. http://www.fareham.gov.uk/PDF/planning/LP2DSPAdopted.pdf • CS8 Fareham Town Centre • CS9 Development in the Western Wards and Whiteley • CS11 Development in Portchester, Stubbington and Titchfield The Core Strategy (2011) can be accessed from: http://www.fareham.gov.uk/pdf/planning/ CoreStrategyAdopted.pdf 2 Diversity of Uses Council officers collected data on the use of each unit in the As well as looking at use class, each unit was classified Borough’s main Centres. From this, every occupied unit was depending on the type of occupier, put into the following attributed a use class, providing an overall picture that categories: demonstrates the diversity of uses in each Centre. • Automotive (inc. car sales and repair) The basic definitions of the use classes frequently referred to in • Clothing (inc. jewellery, shoes and accessories) this document are: • Convenience (inc. food stores, bakers, butchers) • Eating Out (inc. takeaways, restaurants, pubs) Shops for retail sale or the display of goods (other than hot • Home & Electronics (furniture and appliances, mobile food), Sandwich shops, hairdressers, funeral directors, travel phones) A1 and ticket agencies, post offices, hire shop for domestic or • Mixed Retail (department stores, charity shops, large personal goods, showrooms, pet shops and internet cafes. supermarkets) Financial or professional services (other than health/medical • Other (inc. church, vets and others that fit no other A2 services) or any services including betting office. category) Restaurant and Cafes. Sale of food and drink for • Recreation (inc. sporting goods, cinemas, gyms) A3 consumption ON the premises. • Services (inc. banks, estate agents, hotels) • Wellness (inc. dentists, hairdressers, opticians) A4 Pubs, bars or other drinking establishments. Takeaways. Sale of hot food for consumption OFF the Furthermore, it was essential to highlight the number of vacant A5 premises. units as a key indicator of retail centre health. Business. Office (other than an A2 use), research and B1 development of products and processes, studios, In terms of assessing floorspace, the total floorspace of each laboratories, high tech, any light industry. unit was calculated using GIS analysis. Although sales floorspace was