Retail and Town Centres
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Summary The purpose of this paper is to explore the issues around retailing and town centres. National, regional and local context The key reports, plans and policies relating to the retailing and town centres are: Regional Spatial Strategy (September 2008) - particularly policies W5, LCR5 PPS 6 Planning for Town Centres (2005) Draft PPS4 Planning for Prosperous Economies (May 2009) Cheshire Structure Plan Alteration (December 2005) Chester District Local Plan (2006) Adopted Vale Royal Borough Local Plan First Review Alteration (June 2006) Cheshire Town Centre Study (White Young Green 2007) Chester Retail Study (Donaldsons 2006) The Cheshire Structure Plan Alteration retail policies have been replaced by RSS but did identify the following retail hierarchy: Chester - Sub-Regional Centre Northwich, Ellesmere Port - Primary Town Centres Winsford, Frodsham & Neston - Secondary Town Centres Local Plans identify a large number of village, local and surburban centres. Context and characteristics Chester is by far the largest retail centre in the Borough and draws in significant levels of expenditure from surrounding areas. Chester has a high level of service floorspace (e.g. Restaurants) which reflects its diverse evening economy and tourist role. Northwich is the second biggest centre and is strong in both the convenience and comparison sectors when compared against the national average. The Cheshire Town Centre Study concluded that the centre is healthy but noted that the comparison retail sector was of generally low quality and includes a proliferation of low value retailers. Ellesmere Port has a high level of convenience floorspace compared to the national average and a low level of comparison floorspace. Ellesmere Port serves a relatively small catchment area and there is significant leakage of expenditure to Chester City Centre, Liverpool City Centre, other Merseyside locations and most significantly to Cheshire Oaks. Ellesmere Port was identified as a primary town centre in the Cheshire Structure Plan Alteration but this was based on assisting regeneration rather than its retail function. Cheshire Oaks is not identified as a town centre but is the fourth biggest destination in the Cheshire Town Centre Study area for non-bulky goods after Chester City Centre, Crewe Town Centre and Macclesfield Town Centre in terms of turnover and market share. Cheshire Oaks is predominantly a destination for comparison goods purchases and does not contain the mix of facilities seen in town centres as well as being largely accessed by car. Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Retail 1 and town centres Winsford performs an important convenience role and also has a reasonable level of comparison floorspace but is subordinate to Northwich in terms of turnover and floorspace. Whilst it is likely it will always be subordinate to Northwich the centre still plays an important role in serving the local population. Frodsham and Neston overall have smaller shopping offers than the other centres. They both have relatively low levels of comparison retail floorspace but high levels of convenience floorspace compared to the national average. Both centres serve almost exclusively local shopping needs and are principally food retail destinations. Key Issues Need to update evidence base on retail need and health of town centres since the economic downturn; Developing a retail hierarchy for the Core Strategy to allow appropriate levels of future development in the Borough's town and local centres; The significant decrease in expenditure directed to Chester City Centre as the result of increased competition from out of centre retail developments and how this can be addressed; The future role of Ellesmere Port and whether there is any case for recognising Cheshire Oaks as a 'town centre'; How through the LDF and other strategies the Council can support smaller independent retailers and improve consumer choice as outlined in draft PPS4. 2 Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Retail and town centres 1 Introduction 4 2 National, regional and local context 5 3 Context and characteristics 7 4 Key issues 11 5 Key questions 13 6 Definitions/glossary 15 Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Retail and town centres 1 Introduction 1.1 Whilst the scope of Government guidance and the role of town centres are much wider than solely retail uses this paper concentrates on food and non-food retailing (A1 use class). Other topic papers include discussions on other town centre uses, including the Employment and Economy and Community Facilities Papers and area based papers on Chester, Ellesmere Port, Northwich and Winsford. It is recognised that smaller local centres and village / rural shops are important facilities, however in terms of the Core Strategy policies and developing spatial options for future growth the paper has focused on the larger town centres. 4 Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Retail and town centres 2 National, regional and local context National PPS 6 Planning for Town Centres (March 2005) 2.1 PPS 6 sets out the Government’s objectives for town centres and main town centre uses. Although this paper focuses on retail development PPS6 makes it clear that town centre uses are not confined to retail activities but also include leisure, office, cultural and tourism uses. The key objective of PPS6 is to promote the vitality and viability of town centres (including city, town, district and local centres). The core strategy should set out a spatial vision and strategy for the identified network and hierarchy of centres. LPA’s are also required to assess the need for new retail provision and the capacity of centres to accommodate new development. Draft PPS4 Planning for Prosperous Economies (May 2009) 2.2 Draft PPS4 has been released for consultation and will eventually replace PPS6. The broad messages for protection of town centres remain the same although there is increased emphasis on promoting ‘consumer choice’ and protecting small independent retailers. The requirement to demonstrate retail need for out of centre developments is removed and replaced by an 'impact' test although the LDF is still required to identify and plan for future retail need. There is also an increased emphasis on the climate change agenda which is included in the impact test. Regional Regional Spatial Strategy 2.3 Policy W5 states that plans and strategies should promote retail investment where it assists in the regeneration and economic growth of town and city centres. Future development should be consistent with the scale and function of the centre, should not undermine the vitality and viability of any other centre or result in the creation of unsustainable shopping patterns. Given the presence of Cheshire Oaks in the Borough it is important to note that RSS says there is no justification for out-of-centre regional or sub-regional comparison retailing to be designated as town centres within plans and strategies. 2.4 W5 identifies Manchester and Liverpool as the Region’s primary retail centres. Chester and Northwich are listed among the Region’s 24 second tier of centres where ‘comparison retailing facilities should be enhanced and encouraged to ensure a sustainable distribution of high quality retail facilities’. Below this tier W5 supports investment (of an appropriate scale) to maintain and enhance vitality and viability; support wider regeneration initiatives; and ensure that centres meet the needs of the local community. Policy LCR5 does recognise Chester as a 'key sub-regional' centre for shopping. Cheshire Structure Plan Alteration (December 2005) 2.5 Although the retail policies in the Structure Plan have been replaced by RSS the following hierarchy is included as background information. The large out of centre retail and leisure facility at Cheshire Oaks, near Ellesmere Port, is not classified as a town centre: Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Retail 5 and town centres Table 2.1 Hierarchy Centre Sub-Regional Centre Chester Primary Town Centres Northwich, Ellesmere Port Secondary Town Centres Neston, Winsford, Frodsham North East Wales West Cheshire Sub-Regional Strategy (2006) 2.6 The Sub-Regional Strategy (2006) recognises Chester is a major shopping destination for not only the sub-region, but for the North West of England and North and Mid Wales. Policy RET1 contains a strong presumption against further out of town retail development. Local 2.7 The three current Local Plans identify town centre boundaries and primary and secondary shopping frontages and reflect the hierarchy in the Cheshire Structure Plan. Additionally they identify various lower level centres that will require review through the LDF process (Table 2.2). A number of major allocations are identified through the Local Plans including redevelopment of Chester City Centre (Northgate) and Barons Quay in Northwich. The Northgate major retail led mixed-use redevelopment has been granted planning permission for approximately 30,000 sq m net retail floorspace. Table 2.2 Local Plan Area Designation Vale Royal 5 Large Village Centres (Frodsham, Tarporley, Hartford, Weaverham & Helsby) & 6 Local Centres Ellesmere Port & Neston 4 Local Shopping Centres (Whitby, Little Sutton, Great Sutton, Westminster) & 18 Small Shopping Centres Chester 19 surburban shopping centres e.g. Faulkner Street, Hoole; Boughton Retail Park. 6 Cheshire West and Chester Local Development Framework | Topic Paper - Retail and town centres 3 Context and characteristics 3.1 There are two key evidence bases for future retail development namely the Cheshire Town Centre Study (CTCS - White Young Green 2007) & Chester Retail Study (Donaldsons 2006). 3.2 The CTCS assessed the health of centres in the former Vale Royal and Ellesmere Port and Neston Districts and looked at past and future shopping provision. Whilst it did not look at Chester in the same level of detail it does include data on the Chester catchment area. The CTCS also compares data from 2000 and 2006 so can usefully highlight changes in shopping patterns.