Supplementary Retail Impact Analysis
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SUPPLEMENTARY RETAIL IMPACT ANALYSIS PLANNING APPLICATION September 2017 Our ref: 3446 Supplementary Retail Impact Analysis Grantham Designer Outlet Village King 31, Grantham Prepared on behalf of Rioja Developments September 2017 Small Planning Consultancy of the Year 2014 Supplementary Retail Impact Analysis Grantham Designer Outlet Village Contents 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 2 2. Supplementary Sequential Site Assessment ............................................................... 3 3. Supplementary Impact Assessment ........................................................................... 8 4. Conclusions ............................................................................................................. 15 Appendices Appendix NTR 1 Revised RIA Appendix NTR4, Sub-Appendix 7 – Tables 3 and 4 Appendix NTR 2 Revised RIA Appendix NTR4, Sub-Appendix 8 – Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4 NTR Planning Contents Supplementary Retail Impact Analysis Grantham Designer Outlet Village Abbreviations DMRB Design Manual for Roads and Bridges DOV Designer Outlet Village HGV Heavy goods vehicle Ha Hectare NPPF National Planning Policy Framework ONS Office for National Statistics PBA Peter Brett Associates PCA Primary Catchment Area PPG Planning Practice Guidance RIA Retail Impact Analysis SCA Secondary Catchment Area SKDC South Kesteven District Council SRIA Supplementary Retail Impact Analysis Sq.ft Square feet Sq.m Square metre NTR Planning Abbreviations Supplementary Retail Impact Analysis Grantham Designer Outlet Village 1. Introduction 1.1 This Supplementary Retail Impact Analysis (SRIA) is prepared in support of Rioja Developments’ planning application for a Designer Outlet Village (DOV) at King 31, Grantham (referenced S17/1262). It has been prepared following the receipt of, and in response to, Peter Brett Associates’ (PBA) Retail and Town Centre Planning Advice dated September 2017, prepared to advise South Kesteven District Council (SKDC). 1.2 PBA is satisfied that the RIA has adopted a number of appropriate assumptions including in respect of the methodology adopted in the Sequential Site Assessment; the catchment area of the proposed development; the estimated retail turnover of the scheme in the design years; and the broad trade draw assumptions that have been applied in respect of the primary and secondary catchment areas. However, PBA has asked us to consider two additional sequential sites and have highlighted some queries in respect of the existing comparison retail turnovers of town centres estimated within the RIA. These are addressed in this SRIA. 1.3 Section 2 provides a Supplementary Sequential Site Assessment; Section 3 provides a Supplementary Impact Assessment; and Section 4 provides conclusions. 1.4 The fundamental conclusions of the RIA remain robust. NTR Planning 2 Supplementary Retail Impact Analysis Grantham Designer Outlet Village 2. Supplementary Sequential Site Assessment 2.1 At paragraph 5.2 of PBA’s Advice, they confirm that they are satisfied that the RIA has adopted an appropriate area of search for the Sequential Site Assessment and that the search criteria has demonstrated a considerable degree of flexibility, taking into account the purpose of the development and the applicant’s objectives. They agree that all the sites identified in the Sequential Site Assessment are either unavailable or unsuitable for the proposed development. They do however identify two further sites which they consider should be assessed as part of the sequential assessment. These are considered below. Jessop Way, Newark 2.2 PBA has considered this site to be suitable for assessment based on its size, availability and proximity to the A1 and have requested that consideration be given as to whether it is sequentially preferable in terms of its accessibility and connectivity to Newark Town Centre. In considering the site we have adopted the same methodology used to assess other sites, as agreed with PBA. 2.3 The site is being marketed by Gazeley as ‘G.PARK Newark’. The marketing details identify the site as having units available from 100,000 sq.ft. to 768,000 sq.ft ‘for warehouse, industrial and production uses’. The site is identified as an ‘Industrial Estate/Existing Employment Policy Area and an Employment Site with Planning Permission’ on the Council’s Policies Map. Accessibility 2.4 One of the key elements of the adopted methodology is that any site ‘should be accessible to the strategic highway network’1. Although close to the A1, the Jessop Way site has no direct access to it. SYSTRA (the applicant’s highways consultant) has confirmed that the formation of a direct access to/from the A1 would not be achievable as this would be too close to the existing junctions to the north and south and therefore would not accord with the relevant standards set out in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) for junction design. 2 Planning permission 17/0360/FUL NTR Planning 3 Supplementary Retail Impact Analysis Grantham Designer Outlet Village 2.5 The route to and from the A1 is convoluted, with a number of roundabouts and traffic signal junctions. The route runs through an industrial estate which has significant vehicular movements and on-street HGV parking, despite the presence of double yellow lines (witnessed during our site visit). The site does not therefore provide suitable access to/from the strategic highway network, and, for this reason alone, can be dismissed as being unsuitable for the form of development proposed. Furthermore, the experience of the route to the site does not offer the ‘sense of arrival’ required for a Tier 1 DOV and is therefore entirely unsuitable. Image 1.The site Image 2. View south from site down Jessop Way Image 3. Jessop Way/Brunel Drive roundabout Image 4. Brunel Drive, close to A1 junction 2.6 Traffic generated by a DOV in this location (on roads unsuitable to accommodate it) would be in conflict with existing commercial/industrial traffic. This would be detrimental to other businesses accommodated in the industrial estates, which prevailing planning policies seek to protect and promote. NTR Planning 4 Supplementary Retail Impact Analysis Grantham Designer Outlet Village 2.7 We can conclude that whilst the site is in close proximity to the A1, it is not suitably accessible to/from it. On this point alone the site fails the sequential test. Connectivity to Newark Town Centre 2.8 Connectivity to Newark Town Centre is poor. The network of roads is narrow, with limited pavement widths, and is intersected by numerous wide (15-20m) access points serving the industrial estates, which compromise the safe passage of pedestrians. There is no bus route connecting the site to Newark Town Centre and cycle route provision is substandard. The majority of the walk (from the site to the junction with Beacon Hill Road) is defined by its industrial nature and is unattractive as a route between a quality tier 1 DOV and a town centre. It does not promote the sense of arrival which a Tier 1 DOV demands. East Road, Sleaford 2.9 PBA identify this site (paragraph 3.30) as being marketed by Brown and Co. They state that the land is undeveloped and comprises seven plots (with planning permission for B Class development) and assume that it is available. They state the total site area as 17 Hectares, however the marketing details identify the combined plots as totalling 6.96 Hectares (17.17 acres): Table 1 – East Road Site - Plot Sizes and Availability Plot Number Size (acres) Size (ha) Status Available (ha) 1 1.72 0.70 Vacant 0.70 2 3.82 1.55 Developed 0.00 3 2.17 0.88 Unclear 0.88 4 4.36 1.76 Vacant 1.76 5 2.00 0.81 0.00 Under construction2 6 2.64 1.07 0.00 7 0.46 0.19 Developed3 0.00 Totals 17.17 6.96 3.34 2 Planning permission 17/0360/FUL 3 Planning permission 16/0742/FUL NTR Planning 5 Supplementary Retail Impact Analysis Grantham Designer Outlet Village 2.10 The site therefore fails to meet the minimum size criteria of 7.5 hectares, and can be dismissed on this point alone. Furthermore, several of the plots are under construction or recently developed, leaving only 3.34 hectares of disjointed land available. An extract of the plots is provided below, along with a photograph of some recently developed units. Image 5. Land at East Road, Sleaford (marketing detail) Image 6. Implemented planning permission 16/0742/FUL (Plot 7) NTR Planning 6 Supplementary Retail Impact Analysis Grantham Designer Outlet Village 2.11 The site therefore fails the sequential test on site size alone. Access to the site is along East Road, which is a single carriageway road with a single footway (see Image 6, below). The road itself is narrow and would not be able to accommodate traffic flows associated with a Tier 1 DOV. 2.12 As well as being too small to be considered sequentially preferable, the site does not provide sufficient accessibility to the strategic highway network4; is not accessible to the Catchment Area5 and is therefore unsuitable. Image 6. East Road close to junction with A17 4 See RIA para. 6.15 5 See RIA para. 6.65 NTR Planning 7 Supplementary Retail Impact Analysis Grantham Designer Outlet Village 3. Supplementary Impact Assessment Population figures 3.1 At paragraph 4.16, PBA query whether the population figures for the 20 Study Area Zones are based on ONS population projections. We have contacted Experian and they have confirmed that they are. Turnover of existing destinations 3.2 PBA request that we compare the