Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council Joint Local Plan Issues Consultation City, Town and Other Centres Technical Paper Contents 1.0 What we are required to do: ............................................................... 4 National Planning Policy ................................................................................ 4 2.0 Our approach in the Past: .................................................................. 4 Local Planning Policy ..................................................................................... 4 Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent Core Spatial Strategy 2009 to 2026. ............................................................................................................. 4 Figure 1 - Retail Hierarchy – Core Spatial Strategy 2009 ............. Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 2 - Stoke-on-Trent – Location of Centres .......................................................... 6 Figure 3 - Newcastle-under-Lyme – Location of Centres ............................................. 7 3.0 Other Strategies: ................................................................................. 9 Local and sub-regional plans, policies and programmes ................................ 9 4.0 Past Trends: ...................................................................................... 12 Completions Data ........................................................................................ 12 Stoke-on-Trent Retail Completions .............................................................. 12 Table 1 – Stoke-on-Trent Retail Completions 2004-15 .............................................. 12 Newcastle-under-Lyme Retail Completions ................................................. 12 Table 2 – Newcastle-under-Lyme Retail Completions 2004-15 ................................. 12 Stoke-on-Trent Office Completions .............................................................. 13 Table 3 – Stoke-on-Trent Office Completions ............... 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Newcastle-under-Lyme Office Completions ................................................. 13 Table 4 – Newcastle-under-Lyme Office Completions ............................................... 13 Stoke-on-Trent Leisure Completions............................................................ 14 Table 5 Stoke-on-Trent Leisure Completions ............................................................. 14 Stoke-on-Trent & Newcastle-under-Lyme - Retail Commitments (gross figures) ........................................................................................................ 14 Table 6 Total Retail (A1 Commitments) ..................................................................... 15 Table 7 Breakdown of Retail Commitments within Centres ...................................... 15 Table 8 - Total Office Commitments in Stoke-on Trent ............................................. 15 Table 7 – Leisure Commitments ................................................................................ 16 Vacancy rates (units) ................................................................................... 16 Newcastle-under-Lyme Vacancy Rates ....................................................... 16 Table 8 – Newcastle-under-Lyme Vacancy Information ............................................ 16 Stoke-on-Trent Vacancy Information............................................................ 17 Table 9 – Stoke-on-Trent Vacancy Information ......................................................... 17 Graph 4 – Stoke-on-Trent Vacancy Information ........................................................ 17 5.0 What we are doing now: ................................................................... 18 Page 2 Evidence Base: ............................................................................................ 18 Stoke-on-Trent City Council ......................................................................... 18 Table 10 - Summary of Convenience Goods Capacity by Zone .................................. 19 Table 11- Summary of Comparison Goods Capacity by Zone (with & without planning consent) ...................................................................................................... 20 Newcastle-under-Lyme ................................................................................ 20 Table 12- Newcastle-under-Lyme Capacity Information ........................................... 21 6.0 City, Town and Local Centres Strengths and Weaknesses ........... 22 Table 13 – General Retail Industry - Strengths & Weaknesses .................................. 22 The City Centre of Stoke on Trent ............................................................... 22 Table 14 – The City of Stoke-on-Trent Strengths & Weaknesses ............................... 23 Newcastle Town Centre ............................................................................... 23 Table 15 – Newcastle Town Centre - Strengths & Weaknesses ................................. 24 Longton Town Centre .................................................................................. 24 Table 16 – Longton Town Centre - Strengths & Weaknesses .................................... 24 Tunstall Town Centre ................................................................................... 25 Table 17 – Tunstall Town Centre - Strengths & Weaknesses ..................................... 25 Stoke Town Centre ...................................................................................... 26 Table 18 – Stoke Town Strengths & Weaknesses ...................................................... 26 Kidsgrove Town Centre ............................................................................... 26 Table 19 – Kidsgrove Town Centre - Strengths & Weaknesses .................................. 26 Burslem Town Centre .................................................................................. 27 Table 20 – Burslem Town Centre - Strengths & Weaknesses .................................... 27 Fenton Town Centre .................................................................................... 27 Table 21 – Fenton Town Centre - Strengths & Weaknesses ...................................... 27 Meir Town Centre ........................................................................................ 28 Table 22 – Meir Town Centre - Strengths & Weaknesses .......................................... 28 7.0 Appendix ............................................................................................ 29 Appendix A – list of Neighbourhood and Local Centres in Stoke-on-Trent ... 29 Appendix B – list of Centres in Newcastle-under-Lyme ................................ 30 Page 3 1.0 What we are required to do: National Planning Policy 1.1 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires local authorities to ensure the vitality of town centres and develop policies that are positive and promote competitive town centre environments. As part of the Local Plan process we need to set out a strategy which supports the management and growth of centres over the plan period and therefore as part of developing an overall strategy, local planning authorities should: Recognise town centres as the heart of their communities and pursue policies to support the viability and vitality; Define a network and hierarchy of centres that is resilient to future economic changes Define the extent of town centres and primary shopping areas, based on a clear definition of primary and secondary 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 and which reflect the individuality of town centres; Retain and enhance existing markets and, where appropriate, reintroduce or create new ones, ensuring that markets remain attractive and competitive; Allocate a range of suitable sites to meet the scale and type of retail, leisure, commercial, office, tourism, cultural, community and residential development needed in town centres; Allocate appropriate edge of centre sites for main town centre uses that are well connected to the town centre where suitable and viable town centre sites are not available. If sufficient edge of centre sites cannot be identified, set policies for meeting the identified needs in other accessible locations that are well connected to the town centre; 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 set out policies to encourage residential development on appropriate sites; and Where town centres are in decline, local planning authorities should plan positively for their future to encourage economic activity 1.2 The NPPF defines ‘main town centre uses’ as including retail, leisure, entertainment, offices, arts, culture and tourism development. Specific types of leisure and cultural uses referred to include cinemas, restaurants, bars and pubs, nightclubs, casinos, health and fitness centres, theatres, museums, hotel and conferencing facilities. 2.0 Our approach in the Past: Local Planning Policy Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent Core Spatial Strategy 2009 to 2026. Page 4 2.1 There are a number of strategic aims and policies within the adopted Core Spatial Strategy (2009) that relate to the City, Towns