Prenton (Woodchurch Rd) District Centre Action Plan

PRENTON (WOODCHURCH RD) DISTRICT CENTRE ACTION PLAN

By 2016, Woodchurch Rd will be thriving like never before. An improved high street, providing choice and convenience in retail and services, will be at the heart of the unique Prenton offer. Local residents and communities will have contributed to this success, and will be proud to play their part in sustaining improvements and in promoting Woodchurch Rd, Prenton to increasing numbers of visitors.

1 INTRODUCTION

What is the purpose of the action plan?

This action plan provides a framework for the Council, businesses and the local community in Prenton (Woodchurch Rd) to work together towards the shared vision for the town centre. It belongs to everyone who has a stake in the future of the area.

The plan sets out activities and potential improvements which will build on the significant assets of Prenton and shape the regeneration and management of this local district centre.

The plan shows how the Council, businesses and the local community will come together to deliver these activities and potential improvements. The many active traders and community and voluntary groups in Prenton have a vital role to play in championing the vision and gathering local support.

Part 1 of the action plan sets out what Prenton (Woodchurch Rd) district centre is like now.

Part 2 of the action plan sets out the vision for Prenton(Woodchurch Rd) district centre.

Part 3 of the action plan sets out the work programme which will make the vision for Prenton (Woodchurch Rd) district centre a reality.

Part 4 of the action plan provides contact details and further information about the organisations involved in delivering the plan.

How has the plan been developed?

The Prenton Action Plan builds on the Wirral Town, District and Local Centres Study and Delivery Framework 2011 (“2011 Town Centre Study”) which is a broader strategy for the regeneration and growth of the Borough’s 23 local, district and town centres outside Birkenhead. This in turn updated the Wirral Strategy for Town Centres, Retail and Commercial Leisure produced for the Council by Roger Tym & Partners (“the RTP report”) in 2009. Detailed analysis and consultation work was undertaken in producing the 2011 Town Centre Study, including wider consultation at a strategic level (Core Strategy) and more focused consultation with key stakeholders and traders.

The findings and conclusions of this work form the starting point for the Prenton Action Plan .

In producing the latest version of the plan further consultation work has been undertaken with key stakeholders and traders in Prenton, providing the opportunity for their input into the plan. The consultation responses and feedback have been captured within the Prenton Action Plan and have informed the key issues identified.

How does this document link to other plans and strategies?

The Action Plan is related to and should be read in parallel with a number of other strategic planning documents, including the Wirral Unitary Development Plan and the emerging Core Strategy. It will also provide an evidence base to inform more detailed aspects of the Local Plan for Wirral, including the proposed Site Allocations DPD and a potential ‘Town Centre SPD’. The Action Plan for Prenton will not be adopted as a Development Plan Document and will remain non-statutory, but it will be used to shape the future of the area and inform the key priorities emerging from the development of the Constituency Plan for Birkenhead.

2 Further information regarding these documents can be found via the following link: http://www.wirral.gov.uk/my-services/environment-and-planning/planning/local-development- framework/evidence-base

Statutory Non -Statutory

Core Strategy / Town Centre Neighbourhood Strategy Plan (when adopted)

Town Centres Site Town Centre Town Centre SPD Allocations Action Plans Toolkit Local Plan

The Prenton Action Plan sits alongside the Traders Toolkit which can be viewed at www.wirral.gov.uk/my-services/business/investment-strategy/investing-places/town-centres and which provides helpful information to town centre businesses on a range of issues such as planning and licensing.

3 1. WHAT IS PRENTON DISTRICT CENTRE LIKE NOW?

This section sets out what Woodchurch Road is like now in terms of:

• Identity, sense of place and the streetscene • Retail and services offer • Accessibility and transport links • Local events and marketing activities

Theme 1: Identity, sense of place and the streetscene

The Woodchurch Road area of Prenton is recognised as being a relatively small centre with a reasonable convenience sector offer, but with limited non-food provision. It is increasingly dominated by service uses, specifically take away food outlets and estate agencies. The centre generally is attractive, well lit, accessible and adequately meets the convenience and day to day requirements of the local residents.

Woodchurch Road is a very long linear centre which has a range of retail and service uses, although it lacks a distinctive core area. In physical terms the centre functions with a good environment and a strong sense of place and arrival as a destination point.

Prenton has a strong sense of ‘community spirit’ and ‘civic pride’ and this is testament to the commitment of organisations like Prenton Ridge Community Group (PRCG), Mountwood Society (MS) and Friends of the Arno and Oxton Playing Fields to maintain the character of the area . All of these organisations play a proactive role in developing and implementing proposals to make improvements to the streetscape, and to mitigate the effects of developments which have an adverse impact on the area both aesthetically and environmentally.

Whilst the environment and public realm is of a reasonable quality, there are isolated areas that clearly could benefit from some environmental enhancements and renewals to the public realm. The diverse offer and relatively low vacancy rate results in only a few areas of inactive frontage for example the cleared site at the junction of Elm Rd North and Woodchurch Rd and the vacant site opposite, part of which is currently occupied by a car wash.

Theme 2: Retail and services offer

The retail offer is located primarily on both sides of Woodchurch Rd from Vets for Pets at the western end of the centre to Rightway DIY to the east and in planning terms this constitutes the boundary for the town centre designation. There are a cluster of businesses located close to the intersection of Woodchurch Rd and Storeton Rd just outside this designation which includes a mix of service and comparison uses including a public house, restaurant, hairdressers and kitchen showroom.

The 2011 Town Centre Study identified the centre as having a significant service offer (54% of the total number of units), comparison provision at 16% and convenience provision running at 6%. In relation to upper floor uses, the predominant use is residential (36%) followed by offices related to ground floor businesses (31%) and vacant units representing 24% of the total. A resurvey in August 2013 suggests that there have been some changes to these uses in the intervening period – a further growth in service uses (65%), a reduction in comparison units (13%) and an increase in the percentage of convenience units (9%). The proportion of units given over to comparison retailing is below average, which given the size of the centre is surprising, but reinforces Prenton’s role as a convenience and service centre.

4 Convenience retailing is centred on a Sainsbury’s supermarket on the main road along with Aldi and Home Bargains off Duck Pond Lane (in the redeveloped former Kwiksave centre) and out of sight of the main thoroughfare.

The wide range of services in Prenton includes amongst others; estate agents, banks, a solicitors, hairdressers, cafes and a tyre fitters. These are complemented by a mix of restaurants, hot food takeaways, and a pub all of which support the night-time economy. Whilst there are still two banks with a presence on the high street, there are no longer any post office facilities or any medical services within the centre.

The 2011 Town Centre Study highlighted that the percentage of vacant units in the area at 21% which was well above average for the time. A resurvey in February 2014 has identified that vacancy rates are currently running at 10%. The increase in interest amongst investors sends out a positive message that the area is”on the up”. This is particularly encouraging when the trend elsewhere across the borough indicates increasing levels of vacant units.

Whilst some upper floor uses include residential and offices, no ground floor units have been converted into residential uses to date .

Theme 3: Accessibility and transport links

Woodchurch Road is well served by public transport and has a large residential catchment of circa 6,300 people within a 10 minute walk of the centre. The centre lies on a main bus route with excellent links to Birkenhead and Liverpool City Centre, which also provides connections to other parts of the Merseyrail network from as far as Southport to Chester. There are bus priority measures on Woodchurch Road in the Birkenhead direction.

There have been recent improvements to the bus stops on Woodchurch Rd and Merseytravel will be improving the provision of information at the stops in the future. This could potentially include the introduction of real time information. The 472 service between Liverpool and Heswall/Barnston forms part of the Quality Bus Network, which allows passengers to use tickets from Arriva or Stagecoach on either operator’s services.

The busy Woodchurch Rd/Duck Pond Lane junction providing access to Sainsbury’s and Aldi can result in traffic congestion at peak times. Woodchurch Road is four lanes through the centre, which limits pedestrian accessibility to both sides of the centre to the two pedestrian crossing facilities at Duck Pond Lane and by Lloyds Bank.

The centre is well served by off road parking provision with ample free car parking facilities available, although waiting restrictions apply. These are located in the main at Sainsburys (370 spaces and 3 hour limit) Aldi/Home Bargains (97 spaces and 1 ½ hour limit) and at the rear of Farmfoods (28 spaces with a 1 ½ hour limit). There is limited free on street car parking provision on both sides of the carriageway, where a 60 minutes restriction applies. All of the above locations provide more than adequate parking facilities for disabled motorists. There is a residents parking scheme in operation on the streets on the south side of Woodchurch Road in the town centre – Cambridge Road, Cecil Road, Curzon Road and Elm Road North.

Cycle links to Woodchurch Road are good, but there is no provision for cyclists along Woodchurch Road itself and aside from Sainsburys, there are no designated cycle racks on the footway, with bikes often left causing an obstruction to shoppers. This does though clearly indicate a desire by the community to cycle to the centre.

Theme 4: Local events and marketing activities

5 As the centre is on a main thoroughfare, which is linear in nature there are very few natural open or green spaces available to support high street events or activities. However there are ample sized open spaces in the vicinity of the shops to the north of the centre by Duck Pond Lane and the Oxton Playing Fields which back on to the allotments to the rear of the shops and which are accessible from Storeton Rd.

The Oxton Playing Fields double up as car parking for the annual Secret Gardens of Oxton event each May. Opportunities exist for traders to use the profile of the event and the proximity of car parking for it to encourage linked trips to experience Woodchurch Road’s unique offer.

At the time of writing it is not known whether the centre have any specific events or activities programmed during the course of the year or the extent to which the use of social media - Facebook or Twitter is used by local businesses to actively promote the area.

2. WHAT IS THE VISION FOR PRENTON DISTRICT CENTRE?

Woodchurch Road continues to function well as a centre. The socio-economic profile of the catchment area provides reasonably strong support for the centre as a whole and its role for convenience food shopping as well as for lifestyle shopping and services. The centre boasts a number of cafes, take aways and restaurants all of which help to provide a sustainable evening economy. Although relatively small in terms of number of units, the presence of Sainsburys and Aldi, and its location on one of the Borough’s main arterial routes has sustained its role as the main retail and service centre for the Prenton and Oxton area.

The centre is not in need of significant change, however it needs to build on its many positive features and it’s unique ambience to re-establish itself as a refocused, but much improved important district centre that can continue to be self sustaining and prosperous in its own right. Existing traders/local businesses will be expected to play a key role in this.

Integral to any success will be the opportunity to sensitively develop the vacant sites to the south at the junction of Elm Rd North and to the north where the land is currently home to a car wash and valeting business. The opportunity to facilitate improvements to the environment and public realm will also be critical to the centre’s future. This sense of “community spirit” is being driven forward by Prenton Ridge Community Group and Mountwood Society, who have been instrumental in identifying imaginative opportunities and associated resources to revitalise the centre, through a wide range of environmental improvements.

Prenton is designated as a Key Town Centre in the UDP and is proposed to be designated as a District Centre in the emerging Core Strategy for Wirral, alongside Hoylake and Bromborough Village. At the time of writing, it is not envisaged that the centre boundary shown on the UDP Proposals Map will be contracted or expanded in a future site-specific Local Plan, other than to incorporate the Primarily Commercial Area (the area around the car wash and Rightway DIY) within the main centre boundary. Woodchurch Road was identified as an area of vulnerability in the 2011 Town Centre Study, characterised by the disproportionate number of service and non-retail uses within the centre. Future change in this area will be monitored through the rolling programme of surveys undertaken in all the Borough’s centres: If the eastern end of the centre continued to be seen as an area of vulnerability, one potential option would be to identify it as a secondary frontage within the overall centre boundary, where non-retail business uses could be focused to complement the main retail core.

The small parade of shops beyond the junction with Storeton Road is envisaged to remain within the Primarily Residential Area for planning purposes.

There is very little opportunity for major additional physical works within the centre, which is constrained by the existing layout in terms of the built environment and being situated on a busy main road. There are however several activities that have been identified which could improve the environmental quality and enhance the “feel” of the centre overall.

Woodchurch Road is well served by public transport and benefits from a large residential catchment within easy walking distance of the centre. Additional facilities, such as dedicated routes and cycle parking for cyclists would be beneficial and may help to reduce traffic congestion in the area.

There are limited opportunities to promote the offer of shops and services in the centre through an annual programme of events and activities, however opportunities for local businesses and the wider community to promote the area in general through communication channels such as social media cannot be understated. Opportunities should be explored to tie in any environmental improvements with a rebranding of the centre i.e. “Pride in Prenton”.

There are therefore significant opportunities to improve the identity of the centre and to introduce an improved and more balanced offer, by attracting new retailers and users to Prenton, in order to secure its sustainable future. Local businesses, community groups and residents will have a key role to play in maximising these opportunities.

Taking all this into account the vision for Woodchurch Road centre is that:

3. HOW WILL THE VISION BE DELIVERED?

The detailed analysis undertaken as part of the Town Centre Study for Woodchurch Rd and the work involved in developing the Action Plan have helped identify key issues, objectives and potential interventions, which if implemented can help the centre maximise its potential.

These are summarised within the delivery plan below:

7 Theme 1: Identity, Sense of Place and the Streetscene

AIM WHAT WE COULD ACHIEVE TOGETHER….. HOW WE WILL ACHIEVE IT….. BY WHEN & BY WHOM Improving the A cleaner, greener and more attractive high Introduce new trees and or planters to footway and PRCG/MS/Traders & Wirral environmental quality street hanging baskets to lighting columns through Council of the centre and secured grants (Community First), donations and ( Aug 2014) provide an interesting sponsorship opportunities and active streetscene An enhanced public realm which is Secure permission to maintain flowerbeds/verges PRCG/MS/ & Wirral Council accessible and useable and engage community volunteers/schools in any (Aug 2014) planting activity

Introduction of festive Christmas lights to centre PRCG/MS/ Traders & Wirral Council (Dec 2014)

High quality shop fronts and conversions PRCG/MS to continue to play an active role in PRCG/MS/Traders throughout the centre reviewing planning applications in the area in order (ongoing) to preserve the character of the town centre

Consider Neighbourhood Planning Forum PRCG/MS & Wirral Council designation (Mar 2015)

Theme 2: Retail and Services Offer

AIM WHAT WE COULD ACHIEVE TOGETHER….. HOW WE WILL ACHIEVE IT….. BY WHEN & BY WHOM A sustainable town A nucleus of retail and service uses to serve Working with property owners/landlords to actively PRCG/MS/Traders centre the needs of the local community encourage new and appropriate businesses into (ongoing) empty units

A place where people choose to shop and a Engage the wider businesses and larger multiples PRCG/MS/Traders retail offer that is able to attract and retain (Aldi & Sainsburys) to act as “champions” for the (Dec 2014) customers all year round and resist loss to centre in conjunction with Prenton Ridge Community other areas Group & Mountwood Society

Individual businesses (existing and new) to be more Traders proactive in meeting and identifying the needs of town (ongoing) centre users

Promote the Trader’s Toolkit to help existing/new PRCG/MS/ Wirral Council businesses (Dec 2014)

8 Theme 3: Accessibility and Transport Links

AIM WHAT WE COULD ACHIEVE TOGETHER….. HOW WE WILL ACHIEVE IT….. BY WHEN & BY WHOM Improve the pedestrian Environmental & public realm improvements that Introduce a colourful trellis feature along the wall at the PRCG/residents experience of the centre would soften the traffic impact from the centre rear of properties in Cecil Rd (using Love Wirral (Aug 2014) funding)

Introduction of improved access point by Benricks for Wirral Council wheelchair users/visually impaired through Council’s (Dec 2015) ‘pedestrian dropped crossing programme’

Reinstatement of a litter bin to the footway by bus stop Wirral Council opposite Sainsbury’s (Sept 2014)

Improve cyclists Introduce dedicated cycle routes and parking Seek financial support to install cycle routes and cycle PRCG/MS/Traders experience of the centre facilities as part of environmental & public realm parking facilities at key strategic points in the centre Sustrans improvements to soften the traffic impact on the (outside cafes/restaurants) (March 2015)) centre

Theme 4: Local Events and Marketing Activities

Increase visitors to the A sustainable centre, with a unique and well Proactive marketing and networking of businesses Traders centre and encourage marketed offer that retains existing clientele through the use of local media and social media (ongoing) people to shop in whilst attracting new ones network and websites Prenton Continued support and development of Prenton PRCG Ridge Community Group website to act as a (ongoing) dedicated forum for the centre

Introduce incentive initiatives – ‘shop local’, loyalty Traders cards (March 2015)

Promote greater participation in Wirral wide and local PRCG/MS/Traders community events (i.e. Secret Gardens of Oxton) to (ongoing) encourage linked trips to the centre

9 4. Key Contacts and Support

Wirral Council

Neil Mitchell (Regeneration Team) - 0151 691 8423 / [email protected] Dawn Tolcher (Constituency Manager - Birkenhead) - 0151 691 8295/ [email protected]

The Wirral Events Advisory Group acts as a one stop shop to provide organizers of public events in Wirral with appropriate advice and guidance to enable events to take place safely. Tel 0151 691 8269 or e-mail [email protected] for advice and a fee copy of the guide Organising Public Events in Wirral.

Useful websites Association of Town Centre Management - www.atcm.org 100 Ways - www.100ways.org.uk/ British Retail Consortium – www.brc.org.uk Department for Business, Innovation and Skills - www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for- business-innovation-skills Department for Communities and Local Government - www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for- communities-and-local-government Design Council www.designcouncil.org.uk/ Sustrans – www.sustrans.org.uk

All Council services (including Councillors) – www.wirral.gov.uk

Other local websites and contacts of interest

Prenton Ridge Community Group – www.prentonridgecommunitygroup.org.uk The Friends of the Arno and Oxton Fields - www.friendsofthearno.btik.com