Report Report GVA 10 Stratton Street London W1J 8JR Cambridge Retail and Leisure Study Update 2013 Cambridge City Council May 2013 gva.co.uk Cambridge City Council Contents CONTENTS 1. Introduction ...............................................................................................................1 2. Policy Framework .....................................................................................................3 3. Retail and Leisure Trends........................................................................................14 4. Cambridge City Centre..........................................................................................25 5. Cambridge District and Local Centres.................................................................36 6. Cambridge Out-of-Centre.....................................................................................44 7. Quantitative Need Assessment.............................................................................47 8. Commercial Leisure Assessment ..........................................................................63 9. Conclusions and Recommendations .................................................................101 Plans Plan 1 Household Survey Area Plan 2 Existing Retail Hierarchy Plan 3 Cambridge Foodstore Provision Plan 4 Foodstore Provision beyond Cambridge Plan 5 Cambridge Retail Warehousing Provision Plan 6 Cambridge City Centre Comparison Goods Market Share Plan 7 Cambridge Out-of-Centre Comparison Goods Market Share Plan 8 Cambridge Historic Core Character Areas Appendices Appendix 1 Local Centre Matrix Appendix 2 Convenience Capacity Forecasts Appendix 3 Comparison Capacity Forecasts Appendix 4 Leisure Expenditure Forecasts May 2013 I gva.co.uk Cambridge City Council Cambridge Retail & Leisure Study Update 2013 1. Introduction 1.1 In September 2012, GVA was instructed by Cambridge City Council to undertake a Retail and Leisure Study for the City which provides an update to the Cambridge Sub-Region Study (CSRS) previously prepared by GVA in 2008. The purpose of this report is to provide a sound and robust evidence base to inform the strategic options and development management policies set out within the City’s emerging Local Plan which will cover the period up to 2031. 1.2 Our terms of reference are to: • Establish the extent to which the current retail and leisure provision in the City satisfies the level and nature of consumer demand within its catchment; • Estimate the scale and nature of changes in this position that may arise in the light of potential increases in population, and forecast changes in retail and leisure expenditure; • Identify the scale and nature of additional retail provision that may be appropriate in the City to the period 2031 and intervening five year periods; • Assess the scope for new retail development and the potential to accommodate this within the City; and • Advise on the appropriateness of the existing hierarchy of centres, shopping frontages and the need for specific development management polices. 1.3 In order to address these requirements, our methodology incorporates a comprehensive up-to-date review of retailing and leisure needs in the City with a particular emphasis on Cambridge City Centre. We have also looked at the current performance and role of the three district and 22 local centres, and the potential for new centres to be defined over the forthcoming plan period. 1.4 In addition to our own on-site and desk-based evidence gathering, we commissioned a new and up-to-date telephone survey of 1,000 households across 10 zones (see Plan 1). We have also drawn on the Council’s detailed audits of existing uses, which were completed in October 2012. The results of our analysis are drawn together to provide the May 2013 I gva.co.uk 1 Cambridge City Council Cambridge Retail & Leisure Study Update 2013 Council with a clear set of recommendations and advice to inform the ongoing preparation of the new Local Plan. Structure 1.5 This report is structured as follows: • Section 2 sets out our review of national, strategic and local planning policies relevant to retail and leisure planning in the City; • Section 3 highlights some of the key trends which are currently influencing the retail and leisure industries. • Sections 4, 5 and 6 presents our qualitative assessment of Cambridge City Centre, the District and Local Centres and out-of-centre retail provision. • Section 7 sets out the global capacity forecasts for new retail provision; • Section 8 presents our review of existing leisure facilities and the need for additional provision. • Section 9 draws together the evidence from all previous sections and sets out our conclusions and recommendations. May 2013 I gva.co.uk 2 Cambridge City Council Cambridge Retail and Leisure Study Update 2013 2. Policy Framework 2.1 In this section we review the key national, regional and local planning policy documents which provide the context for this study and identify the key policies influencing the future retail and leisure planning strategy for Cambridge City Council. National Policy National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012) 2.2 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published on 27 March 2012 sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and replaces the suite of national Planning Policy Statements, Planning Policy Guidance and some Circulars with a single, streamlined document. 2.3 At the heart of the NPPF is a ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’, which should be seen as a golden thread running through both plan-making and decision- taking. The NPPF encourages Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) to positively seek opportunities to meet the development needs of their area. 2.4 The NPPF continues to recognise that the planning system is plan-led and therefore Local Plans, incorporating neighbourhood plans where relevant, are the starting point for the determination of any planning application. In line with the Government’s aim to streamline the planning process, each LPA should produce a single Local Plan for its area with any additional DPDs or SPDs to be used only where clearly justified. 2.5 Consistent with PPS4, the NPPF advocates a ‘town centres first’ approach, and requires planning policies to positively promote competitive town centre environments and manage the growth of centres over the plan period. In planning for town centres LPAs should: • Recognise town centres as the heart of their communities and pursue policies to support their viability and vitality; • Define a network and hierarchy of centres that is resilient to anticipated future economic changes; May 2013 I gva.co.uk 3 Cambridge City Council Cambridge Retail and Leisure Study Update 2013 • Define the extent of town centres and primary shopping areas, based on a clear definition of primary and secondary shopping frontages in designated centres and set policies that make clear which uses will be permitted in such locations; • Promote competitive town centres that provide customer choice and a diverse retail offer which reflect the individuality of town centres; • Retain and enhance existing markets and, where appropriate, re-introduce or create new ones, ensuring that markets remain attractive and competitive; • Allocate a range of suitable sites to meet the scale and type of economic development needed in town centres. Where town centre sites are not available, LPAs should adopt a sequential approach to allocate appropriate edge of centre sites; • Set policies for the consideration of proposals for main town centre uses which cannot be accommodated in or adjacent to town centres; • Recognise that residential development can play an important role in ensuring the vitality of centres; and • Where town centres are in decline, plan positively for their future to encourage economic activity. 2.6 The NPPF requires Local Plans to be aspirational but realistic. They should address the spatial implications of economic, social and environmental change and set out opportunities for development and clear policies indicating what will or will not be permitted and where. 2.7 LPAs should ensure that the Local Plan is based on adequate, up-to-date and relevant evidence about the economic, social and environmental characteristics and prospects of the area. These assessments should be integrated and take full account of relevant market and economic signals. LPAs should use the evidence base to assess, inter alia; • The needs for land or floorspace for economic development, taking account of both quantitative and qualitative requirements for all foreseeable types of economic activity over the plan period, including retail and commercial leisure development; • The existing and future supply of land available for economic development and its sufficiency and suitability to meet the identified needs; May 2013 I gva.co.uk 4 Cambridge City Council Cambridge Retail and Leisure Study Update 2013 • The role and function of town centres and the relationship between them, including any trends in the performance of centres; • The capacity of existing centres to accommodate new town centre development; and • Locations of deprivation which may benefit from planning remedial action. Relevant Government Research The Portas Review (December 2011) 2.8 In May 2011, Mary Portas was appointed to lead an independent review into the future of the high street, largely in response to the far-reaching effects of the recession on the retail industry and local high streets in particular. The report,