Retail and Leisure Monitoring Report December 2006
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PLANNING SERVICES Retail and Leisure Monitoring Report December 2006 www.basildon.gov.uk/planning Contents Retail 1 Introduction 5 © Basildon 2 Policy Background 7 National 7 Regional 8 District Local 9 Council 3 Retail Provision in Basildon District 11 Basildon District Retail Centres Hierarchy 11 Retail Retail Development Since 1996 12 Proposed New Retail Development with Planning Permission 13 and Summary of District Retail Floorspace 14 Leisure 4 Basildon Town Centre 15 Overview of Basildon Town Centre 15 Monitoring Sub-Regional Rent Comparison 16 New Town Rent Comparison 17 Regeneration and Investment 17 Changes in Occupancy Since 2005 20 Report Distribution of Shop Units in Basildon Town Centre by Store Category 22 Distribution of Floor Space in Basildon Town Centre by Store Category 26 2006 Basildon Town Centre - At a Glance 29 5 Billericay Town Centre 31 Overview of Billericay Town Centre 31 Regeneration and Investment 32 Changes in Occupancy Since 2005 32 Distribution of Shop Units in Billericay Town Centre by Store Category 35 Distribution of Floor Space in Billericay Town Centre by Store Category 39 Billericay Town Centre - At a Glance 42 6 Wickford Town Centre 43 Overview of Wickford Town Centre 43 Regeneration and Investment 43 Changes in Occupancy Since 2005 44 Distribution of Shop Units in Wickford Town Centre by Store Category 45 Distribution of Floor Space in Wickford Town Centre by Store Category 49 Wickford Town Centre - At a Glance 52 7 Pitsea Town Centre 53 Overview of Pitsea Town Centre 53 Regeneration and Investment 53 Contents Changes in Occupancy Since 2005 54 Distribution of Shop Units in Pitsea Town Centre by Store Category 55 Distribution of Floor Space in Pitsea Town Centre by Store Category 59 Pitsea Town Centre - At a Glance 62 8 Laindon Town Centre 63 Council Overview of Laindon Town Centre 63 Regeneration and Investment 63 District Changes in Occupancy Since 2005 63 Distribution of Shop Units in Laindon Town Centre by Store Category 65 Distribution of Floor Space in Laindon Town Centre by Store Category 69 Basildon Laindon Town Centre - At a Glance 72 © 2006 9 Analysis of Non-A1 Uses in Basildon, Billericay and Wickford Town Centres 73 Summary 73 Report 10 Local Centres 75 Distribution of Units in Local Centres 2006 76 Average Retail Distribution of Units in Local Centres 77 Monitoring Individual Retailers 79 11 Retail Warehousing 81 Leisure Mezzanines 81 and Schedule of Retail Warehouse Parks in Basildon District 81 Retail 12 Foodstores 87 Mezzanines 87 Schedule of Foodstores in Basildon District 87 Leisure 13 Leisure 91 Introduction 91 Policy Background 91 Town Centre Leisure 91 Out of Centre Leisure 92 Festival Leisure Park 92 Leisure Floorspace 92 Appendicies 1 Schedules of Retail Operators 93 Basildon 93 Billericay 113 Wickford 126 Contents Pitsea 138 Laindon 142 © 2 Local Centres 145 Basildon Basildon Local Centres 145 Billericay Local Centres 156 District Wickford 161 3 Schedule of Leisure Operators 165 Council 4 Glossary 171 Retail 5 Local Agent Details 173 and 6 Useful Information and Contacts 175 Leisure Monitoring Report 2006 Introduction 5 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Planning Policy Statement 6 (PPS6): Planning for Town Centres, advises Local Planning Authorities to keep retail policies and proposals up to date. To assist in this process, ‘comprehensive, relevant and up-to-date monitoring is essential to the effective planning and management of town centres’ and it should be regularly updated. The Basildon District Retail and Leisure Monitoring Report 2006 contains information intended to achieve the above, and, in addition, includes data relating to a wide range of topics across the retail hierarchy Council relevant to developers, retail operators, investors and the general public. 1.2 The 2006 Report is divided into two sections, which separately deal with Retail and Leisure: District Retail Retail Policy background Basildon Comparison to other town centres, at a sub-regional level and in comparison to other New Towns © Profiles of Basildon, Billericay, Wickford, Pitsea and Laindon Town Centres 2006 Profiles of District Local Centres and Independent convenience retailers Retail Warehousing Foodstores Report Leisure Leisure Policy Background Leisure Operators Audit in the District Monitoring 1.3 Appendices set out the Schedules of Retail Operators for each town centre, an assessment of non-A1 uses in Basildon, Billericay and Wickford, Schedule of Local Centres and Leisure facilities. A glossary, list of Leisure local agents and related information are also provided. and 1.4 The Retail and Leisure Operators survey was conducted in July 2006 and, as such, can only offer a "snapshot" of uses at that time. Retail units undergoing construction or being fitted-out at the time of survey Retail have been recorded as vacant within the schedules as the operator and type of unit were unknown. 1.5 The floorspace figures used in this survey are in Gross Square Metres, and therefore include storage and other non-retail or leisure related floor space. The measurements are taken from a GIS system, and accordingly, may vary from those commercially available. This measurement approach is consistent with all units and previous surveys. Where mezzanine floors have been accounted for, unless planning records providing accurate measurements exist, an estimation of the additional floorspace over and above original retail floorspace has been provided. oduction ntr I 1 © Basildon District Council Retail and Leisure Monitoring Report 2006 6 Policy Background 7 2 Policy Background 2 National Planning Policy Statement 6 (PPS6) Council 2.1 Government advice on retailing is set out in Planning Policy Statement 6 (PPS6) - Planning for Town Centres, published in 2005. PPS6 recognises the importance of: District Planning for the growth and development of existing centres Promoting and enhancing existing centres, by focusing development in such centres and encouraging a wide range of services, in a good environment, accessible to all Basildon Enhancing consumer choice by making provision for a range of shopping, leisure and local services, © which allow genuine choice to meet the needs of the entire community, and particularly, socially-excluded groups 2006 Supporting efficient, competitive and innovative retail, leisure, tourism and other sectors, with improved productivity Improving accessibility, ensuring that existing or new development is, or will be, accessible and Report well-served by a choice of modes of transport Appropriate Development in Town Centres 2.2 PPS6 (paragraphs 1.8 and 1.9) sets out a range of uses considered acceptable in town centres: Monitoring Retail (including warehouse clubs and factory outlet centres) Leisure and Entertainment facilities, and the more intensive sport and recreation uses (including Leisure cinemas, restaurants, drive-through restaurants, bars and pubs, nightclubs, casinos, health and fitness and centres, indoor bowling centres and bingo halls) Offices, both commercial and those of public bodies Arts, culture and tourism facilities (including theatres, museums, galleries and concert halls, hotels Retail and conference facilities). Housing will also be an important element in most mixed-use, multi-storey developments The Sequential Test Approach 2.3 PPS6 advises Local Planning Authorities to apply a sequential test when determining the location of new retail development. New retail development should be considered in the following order of priority: Priority Location First Town Centres Second Edge-of-Town Centres (i.e. within 300 metres of a town centre) Third District Centres Fourth Local Centres Fifth Out-of-Centre sites, where accessible by a choice of means of transport Table 2.1 The Sequential Test 8 Policy Background Sustainable Communities Plan 2 2.4 In February 2003 the Government launched its Sustainable Communities Plan, which seeks to create sustainable communities, particularly within defined Growth Areas, like the Thames Gateway. The © Government sets out in the Plan, the key requirements of a sustainable community, which include: Basildon a flourishing local economy effective participation in the planning process District safe and healthy environment with well designed open spaces good public transport; buildings that can meet different needs over time a sense of place and a good mix of uses and tenures Council Town centres and the planning approach for retail-related developments have a critical role to play in helping to achieve sustainable communities. Retail Regional and Regional Planning Policy Leisure 2.5 Regional Planning Policy is a major consideration in setting local planning and economic development policies. In terms of approved regional policy, Basildon District is included within Regional Planning Guidance 9 for the South East (RPG9)), published by the Government in March 2001. RPG9 confirms Basildon New Monitoring Town's inclusion within the Thames Gateway and supports urban renaissance through the regeneration of town centres and central urban areas. Draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England Report 2.6 The draft East of England of Plan (2004) (revision to the Regional Spatial Strategy) will replace RPG9 as the regional planning policy for the Basildon District. The draft RSS has been prepared by the East of 2006 England Regional Assembly (EERA) on behalf of the Secretary of State. The Examination in Public (EiP) into the draft RSS was heard between November 2005 and March 2006 before an independent Panel. On 21st June 2006, the