Retail Statement On behalf of: In respect of: “Outline mixed use proposal for retail (Use Class A1) with associated petrol filling station and car parking (providing space for mobile library), food and drink (Use Classes A3, A4 and A5) / day nursery (Use Class D1) and residential (Use Class C3) alongside the provision of a community and sports facility (Use Classes D1 and D2), public open space (including formal playing pitch provision), and other associated infrastructure (inclusive of linkage to consented Langarth/Stadium sites). [Means of access to be determined only]” Date: August 2014 Reference: GH/MO/R0001 Cardiff Sophia House, 28 Cathedral Road, Cardiff CF11 9LJ Tel: 029 20660265 Executive Summary This application proposal will deliver the Western District Centre, residential units, community facilities and will enable the Stadium for Cornwall to be built. The application proposals meet the identified retail need and provide residents with a choice of retail offer. It meets this need at a site which is a natural extension to the approved Langarth mixed-use scheme and one which provides strong links to the Stadium for Cornwall and the wider development of the surrounding area, thereby meeting the requirements of the sequential test. The application proposal will principally compete with similar developments both within and outside of Truro. Whilst the city centre will experience some trade diversion, the over trading of existing shops and the annual growth in retail expenditure means that the impact will not be significantly adverse and the turnover of the city centre will still increase even with the proposals. Crucially, the application proposals will deliver economic, social and environmental benefits to the local community. The enabling of the construction of the Stadium of Cornwall will also deliver a once- in-a-lifetime opportunity for Cornish professional sport and community groups. The proposals represent a high quality comprehensive development generating hundreds of jobs and drawing people to the area. Crucially, the proposals do this without significant adverse impact on Truro City centre. As such, the proposals meet a number of long held objectives of the Council and have significant community support. The planning balance is clearly in favour of approving the proposals. Contents 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 The Proposal 4 3.0 Planning Policy Context 11 4.0 The Retail Context 15 5.0 The Sequential Test 20 6.0 The Impact of the Proposal 34 7.0 Summary and Conclusions 51 Appendices A Retail Impact Tables 56 Table 1 Population Estimates Table 2A Convenience Goods Per Capita Expenditure Estimate Table 2B Comparison Goods Per Capita Expenditure Estimate Table 3A Total Convenience Goods Expenditure Table 3B Total Comparison Goods Expenditure Table 4A Turnover of Foodstore Element of Proposal Table 4B Turnover of Non-Food Element of Proposal Table 5A Turnover of Existing Convenience Goods Stores and Centres 2014 Table 5B Turnover of Existing Convenience Goods Stores and Centres 2019 Table 5C Turnover of Existing Comparison Goods Stores and Centres 2014 Table 5D Turnover of Existing Comparison Goods Stores and Centres 2019 Table 6 Solus Convenience Goods Trade Diversion to Proposal Table 7 Convenience Goods Turnover in 2019 with Solus Impact Table 8 Solus Convenience Goods Impact Summary Table 9 Cumulative Convenience Goods Trade Diversion to Proposal Table 10 Cumulative Convenience Goods Turnover 2019 and Impact Table 11 Solus Comparison Goods Trade Diversion to Proposal Table 12 Comparison Goods Turnover in 2019 with Solus Impact Table 13 Solus Convenience Goods Impact Summary Table 14 Cumulative Comparison Goods Trade Diversion to Proposal Table 15 Cumulative Comparison Goods Turnover 2019 and Impact Table 16 Total Solus and Cumulative Impact on Truro City Centre West Langarth, Truro 2 1.0 Introduction 1.1 This retail statement has been prepared on behalf of Inox Group and Henry Boot Developments Limited in support of an outline planning application at West Langarth for: “Outline mixed use proposal for retail (Use Class A1) with associated petrol filling station and car parking (providing space for mobile library), food and drink (Use Classes A3, A4 and A5) / day nursery (Use Class D1) and residential (Use Class C3) alongside the provision of a community and sports facility (Use Classes D1 and D2), public open space (including formal playing pitch provision), and other associated infrastructure (inclusive of linkage to consented Langarth/Stadium sites). [Means of access to be determined only]” 1.2 Section 2 of this assessment sets out details of the site and the application proposals. Section 3 sets out the planning policy context. Section 4 sets out the retail context for the proposals. Section 5 considers the proposal against the sequential test and Section 6 assesses the application proposals against the policies relating to retail impact. Section 7 provides a summary and conclusions. West Langarth, Truro 3 2.0 The Proposal 2.1 The application is submitted in outline with all matters except access reserved for future consideration. The proposal comprises the following elements: • 1 no. Class A1 Foodstore (5,574 sq m gross); • 1 no. Petrol Filling Station (12 pumps); • Class A1 Comparison Goods Units (4,645 sq m gross); • Class A3, A4, A5, D1 Use (929 sq m gross); • Associated car parking with an area suitable to accommodate the mobile library; • Up to 130 Residential Units (Use Class C3); • 1 no. Community/Sports Building (Use Class D1/D2) (500 sq.m gross); and • 3 no. sports pitches and areas of public open spaces. 2.2 Whilst expressions of interest have been lodged, at this stage, there are no confirmed operators for any of the proposed A1/A3/A4/A5/D1 units. As such, the application is made in outline in order to agree the principle of development. Details of the exact nature, design and location of the units will be considered at the reserved matters stage. 2.3 As set out in detail in the Design and Access Statement which accompanies the planning application, the proposal creates direct physical link with the adjacent Langarth scheme and beyond to the approved Stadium for Cornwall and the existing park and ride facility. The commercial element of the application proposal has been designed to act a as ‘dumb-bell’ to the approved stadium and the local centre approved as part of the Langarth scheme. The provision of strong vehicular/public transport links and a ‘green’ route for pedestrians and cyclists will draw people east to west within the site. This linkage reflects that this application proposal should be read as one with the approved Langarth and stadium schemes. 2.4 The linkage between the existing approved stadium and Langarth schemes means that the proposals will benefit from linked trips between the different attractions. In addition, the proposals will encourage linked trips to the city centre, particularly those people who are drawn to the stadium for matches who might otherwise not visit Truro. 2.5 In light of the above, it is necessary when considering the proposals to also consider not only the elements specifically applied for as part of this application the approved Langarth scheme and the Stadium for Cornwall proposal, which is enabled by the application. West Langarth, Truro 4 Deliverability of the Proposal 2.6 As outlined above, at this stage, there are no operators contractually tied to the application proposal. We contend that this does not weaken the case in support of the application, not least because the applicants have confirmed interest from two supermarket operators are interested occupying a store in this part of Threemilestone/Truro. Given that there are four current opportunities for supermarkets in close proximity to one another, it is inevitable that the supermarket retailers will wait to see which scheme is approved before committing. Equally, whilst Asda are a named operator on the Willow Green application, this will almost certainly be a subject to planning contract, meaning that if planning permission is not secured, Asda will be able to ‘jump-ship’ to the successful site. 2.7 In terms of the non-food floorspace and A3/A4/A5/D1 units, the applicant has identified a number of operators with live requirements for floorspace in Truro, who have confirmed that subject to the granting of planning permission, they would take space at the development. These operators are those typically found at similar sites to that proposed rather than in city centre locations. Moreover, where operators who occupy city centre locations have expressed potential interest, they see the application site as complementary to the city centre offer, rather than instead of it. 2.8 On the basis of an outline planning application and in the absence of a named operator, the ability of the applicant to deliver the proposals could be a concern for the LPA. Clearly, in a competitive ‘either-or scenario’ such as that present in Threemilestone, the LPA need confidence that the approved scheme can and will be delivered. This need for certainty of delivery is why Inox Group entered into a joint venture with Henry Boot Developments Limited (HBDL); a leading force in the UK property development market, and are vastly experienced in delivering schemes like this. 2.9 HBDL have delivered mixed-use schemes throughout the UK. They are not reliant on external funding to deliver schemes meaning that they are not as exposed as other developers to the difficulties in securing finance to deliver projects. In addition, their track record of delivering development schemes since 1886 means that they have exceptionally good links with retailers and commercial occupiers. As such, we contend that HBDL’s involvement in this project means that if planning permission is granted, occupiers will be confirmed and the scheme will be delivered without delay. 2.10 In light of the absence of any named operators, in order to assess the impact of the retail elements of the proposal a number of assumptions have been made.