Aldeburgh Understanding the Heart of Our Town Town Centre Baseline Report January 2020 2 | P a g e Aldeburgh Understanding the Heart of Our Town Town Centre Baseline Report January 2020 Produced for East Suffolk Council In association with Aldeburgh Town Council & Aldeburgh Business Association This report has been prepared by the People & Places Partnership Ltd. It is based on fieldwork undertaken in Aldeburgh town centre in February 2019 with assistance from East Suffolk Council and in association with Aldeburgh Town Council and Aldeburgh Business Association. 3 | P a g e Contents Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 4 Background: Revitalising Town Centres ........................................................................................ 12 Analysis of Existing Policies & Strategies ...................................................................................... 15 Local Plan Policies ........................................................................................................................ 15 Demographic Details ................................................................................................................... 19 Methodology: The Survey Process ............................................................................................... 22 Key Findings: The Place ..................................................................................................................24 KPI 1: Commercial Units; Use Class ............................................................................................. 24 KPI 2: Commercial Units; Comparison versus Convenience ...................................................... 37 KPI3: Commercial Units; Trader Types .......................................................................................38 KPI4: Commercial Units Vacancy Rates ...................................................................................... 39 KPI5: Markets .............................................................................................................................. 40 KPI 6: Retail Rents and Business Rates ...................................................................................... 42 KPI 7: Footfall ............................................................................................................................... 43 KPI 8: Car Parking........................................................................................................................ 46 Key Findings: The People ............................................................................................................... 49 KPI 9: Business Confidence Survey ............................................................................................ 49 KPI 10: Town Centre User’s Survey ............................................................................................ 66 KPI 11: Shoppers Origin Survey ................................................................................................... 86 KPI 12: Digital Development ....................................................................................................... 87 Local Leadership: Creating a Forward Framework ..................................................................... 92 4 | P a g e Executive Summary Introduction This report was commissioned by East Suffolk Council in association with Aldeburgh Town Council and the Aldeburgh Business Association. The People & Places Partnership offers a proven track-record in evidenced-based, collaborative working for the revitalisation of town and city centres. In 2018 People & Places prepared new national guidance on revitalising town centres for the Local Government Association. These resources focus on helping local authorities and their partners to develop a ‘Forward Framework’ focusing on the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ of town centre revitalisation. The process that will be applied here has four key elements though the initial focus is on the first two: • Analysis of existing strategies & stakeholders • Town centre baseline survey • Stakeholder engagement and partnership development • Mentoring town centre action planning The purpose of the report is understanding issues faced by Aldeburgh town centre and future priorities for sustaining and enhancing the town’s vitality and viability. It is intended to inform future partnership work and project development between public bodies, private businesses and community groups. The Process The People & Places Town Centre Baseline Survey process has been developed to address the real issues of how to understand measure, evaluate and ultimately improve town centres. The approach offers a simple way of capturing data on 12 Key Performance Indicators selected by those involved in town centre management. By having the tools to measure performance, strategic decision-making is both encouraged and improved. By considering performance, forward strategies and action planning can be more focused and effective. The Policies & Population District-wide town centres and retail policies The Suffolk Coastal Local Plan sets-out policies focused specifically on maintaining the character and economic functions of town centres. Robust and comprehensive policies are in place that seek to maintain the distinctiveness, historic character and accessibility of resort and market town centres as hubs for shopping, leisure, employment, business, social and cultural activities. This should also make them popular with tourists and visitors from nearby areas within and beyond the district. The Local Plan recognises that government policy and up-to-date evidence highlight that it is important that town centres offer a shopping and social experience that is different to out-of- town or online shopping. Town centres are recognised as the most accessible places for 5 | P a g e commercial leisure such as entertainment facilities, the more intensive sport and recreation uses (including cinemas, restaurants, drive-through restaurants, bars and pubs, night-clubs, casinos, health and fitness centres, indoor bowling centres, and bingo halls); and arts, culture and tourism development (including theatres, museums, galleries and concert halls, hotels and conference facilities). Aldeburgh-specific policies The Local Plan recognises that Aldeburgh has become a prominent location for cultural events and activities related to arts, music and food which has made the area a popular location and the policies seek to support such activities. A high proportion of dwellings in the town are second homes or holiday homes which mean there can be significant seasonal variations in population numbers. The high number of second homes, high house prices and lack of employment opportunities make it difficult to retain and attract young people to the town. As a result, the resident population is declining and the population profile of the town is ageing. The Plan states that many of the shops and facilities are targeted at the tourism industry rather than the local population and there is a continuing need to ensure that this difference is rebalanced to ensure all year- round services and facilities are viable. The town provides limited employment opportunities outside of the retail, tourist and service sectors. In peak tourist periods, the town is very popular with tourists and visitors, placing greater pressure on existing facilities and infrastructure such as roads and car parking. There are also pressures around maintaining a balance of town centre shops and services that meet the needs of the local community, nearby rural areas and tourists. At the same time, it is recognised that these visitors bring great economic benefit to the District. Aldeburgh is physically constrained by issues of coastal erosion and flood risk and surrounded by high quality landscapes and sites of ecological value, which means that limited opportunities are available for future development. Therefore, no additional specific allocations are identified, for uses such as housing or employment. Aldeburgh has a more acutely locally ageing population than other towns in the District and this requires a more targeted range of facilities to meet these local needs. Over the plan period, the Council will work with service providers to ensure that appropriate infrastructure is delivered. The Local Plan concludes that it is fundamental that the vibrancy of the town is retained and opportunities are brought forward to improve the quality of life of the local community. Encouraging economic opportunities along with the appropriate infrastructure and residential development will enable the community of Aldeburgh to be maintained and enhanced. The population Population data for Aldeburgh by 5-year age groups indicates that the town has an older profile than typical for the England or Suffolk. 50% of Aldeburgh’s population are over 60- year-olds. Only 25% of the population is under 40 years-old, with a lower representation of young adults within this compared to national and county averages. 6 | P a g e Wellbeing An important part of ensuring that town centres serve as a local community hub is reflecting on how they can contribute to improved local wellbeing. The recently published Being Well Together report sets-out the methodology behind the first UK-wide Community Wellbeing Index created by the Coop and the Young Foundation. Aldeburgh scores moderately highly in all three