Retail and Town Centre Capacity Study 2011 London Borough of Merton 12 August 2011 FINAL REPORT Technical report for consideration by the London Borough of Merton. This document does not constitute Council policy. Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners 14 Regent's Wharf All Saints Street London N1 9RL nlpplanning.com © Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Ltd 2010. Trading as Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners. All Rights Reserved. Registered Office: 14 Regent's Wharf All Saints Street London N1 9RL All plans within this document produced by NLP are based upon Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. © Crown Copyright reserved. Licence number AL50684A Retail and Town Centre Capacity Study 2011 Contents 1.0 Executive Summary 1 Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................1 Survey Findings..........................................................................................1 The Potential for Retail Development............................................................2 Commercial Leisure and Entertainment Facilities...........................................3 Accommodating Growth ..............................................................................3 The Role of Centres....................................................................................4 Future Strategy Implementation and Monitoring.............................................5 2.0 Introduction 7 3.0 Retail and Commercial Leisure Trends 9 Introduction...............................................................................................9 Retail Trends .............................................................................................9 Leisure Trends.........................................................................................10 4.0 The Shopping Hierarchy 13 Centres in Merton and the Surrounding Area...............................................13 Analysis of the Main Centres in Merton ......................................................17 5.0 The Need for New Retail Development 31 Introduction.............................................................................................31 Population and Spending ..........................................................................33 Existing Retail Floorspace 2010 ................................................................33 Existing Spending Patterns 2010...............................................................33 Quantitative Capacity for Convenience Floorspace .......................................36 Quantitative Capacity for Comparison Floorspace ........................................37 Qualitative Need for Retail Floorspace........................................................39 Non-Retail Services ..................................................................................41 Local Shopping Provision ..........................................................................42 Occupier Demand.....................................................................................44 Street Markets.........................................................................................45 6.0 Commercial Leisure/Other Town Centre Uses 47 Introduction.............................................................................................47 The Potential for Leisure and Entertainment Uses .......................................47 Hotel Provision.........................................................................................55 7.0 Scope for Accommodating Growth 57 Floorspace Projections..............................................................................57 Accommodating Future Growth ..................................................................58 Potential Development Opportunities .........................................................59 1698652v2 Retail and Town Centre Capacity Study 2011 8.0 Affordable Retail Rents 63 Policy Background.................................................................................... 63 Analysis.................................................................................................. 63 Options for Council Intervention ................................................................ 64 9.0 Conclusions and Recommendations 67 Introduction ............................................................................................ 67 Meeting Shopping Needs in the Borough.................................................... 67 Accommodating Future Growth.................................................................. 68 Convenience Goods Development ............................................................. 68 Comparison Goods Development .............................................................. 69 Commercial Leisure and Other Town Centres Uses ..................................... 70 Scale of Development .............................................................................. 70 The Designation of Centres and Boundaries............................................... 71 Future Strategy Implementation and Monitoring .......................................... 75 698652v2 1 Retail and Town Centre Capacity Study 2011 1.0 Executive Summary Purpose of the Study 1.1 Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners (NLP) was commissioned by Merton Borough Council to prepare a retail and leisure study, including an assessment of the main centres: Wimbledon, Colliers Wood, Mitcham and Morden and local centres. The study assesses the future need for additional retail, commercial leisure facilities and other town centre uses. The study includes: • a survey of 1,000 households within Merton and parts of neighbouring authorities; • a street survey of 306 visitors to the four main centres; • a survey of 200 businesses in the four main centres and local centres; • a canvas of over 300 national multiple operators; and • key stakeholder feedback. Survey Findings 1.2 Large food stores (over 1,000 sq m net) are the primary destinations for main food shopping. Generally residents visit stores near to their home, and a relatively high proportion of people walk to buy food and grocery items. Most households also undertake small scale shopping or top-up shopping trips. 1.3 Food and non-food shopping are both important reasons why visitors are attracted to the main centres in Merton. The average expenditure on food shopping was highest in Mitcham followed by Wimbledon and Morden. Colliers Wood had the highest average spend per visitor on comparison (non-food goods) followed by Wimbledon and Mitcham. Wimbledon town centre is the dominant shopping destination in the north of the Borough for most types of non-food goods. Kingston is the dominant destination in the west of the Borough (Raynes Park) area, with Sutton dominant in the south west (Morden area) and Croydon in the south east (Mitcham area). Residents in the Borough have a wide choice of shopping destinations both within and in adjoining Borough, and the catchment areas of these destinations overlap. As a result shopping patterns are complex. 1.4 The four main centres were rated by visitors against 19 separate aspects. Colliers Wood (positive scores for 14 out of 19 aspects) and Wimbledon (positive scores for 17 out of 19 aspects) achieved the highest overall scores and Morden achieved the lowest score (negative positive scores for 15 out of 19 aspects). Key concerns amongst visitors raised in all centres related to traffic congestion, public toilets and entertainment in the evenings (except Wimbledon). Overall the main improvements respondents in all centres would like to see include improving the range/quality of specialist shops, the range of multiple retailers and improvements to the appearance of the centre. 1698652v2 P1 Retail and Town Centre Capacity Study 2011 1.5 Participation for all leisure activities generally high i.e. cinemas, tenpin, bowling, bingo, theatre, nightclub, bars and restaurants. Residents in the Borough visit facilities within Merton and neighbouring boroughs. Central London is also a popular destination. 1.6 The four main centres were rated by business occupiers against 19 separate aspects. Wimbledon (positive scores for 15 out of 21 aspects) and Colliers Wood (positive scores for 13 out of 21 aspects) achieved the highest overall scores and Mitcham achieved the lowest score (negative positive scores for 19 out of 21 aspects). Key concerns amongst businesses raised in all centres related to availability of car parking, rents/rates and traffic congestion. Overall the main measures suggested to help businesses in all centres include improving car parking, better security (CCTV/police), better marketing/promotion/events and an effect town centre forum. 1.7 Views on trading performance amongst occupiers were mixed, but the highest proportions of respondents reporting declining trade over the past 12 months were in Morden and Colliers Wood. However, the majority of occupiers in all centres were optimistic about future trading levels over the next 12 months. The Potential for Retail Development Convenience Goods (Food and Grocery) 1.8 An assessment of available expenditure and existing shopping patterns suggests that convenience goods sales floorspace within Merton are collectively trading about 13% above the expected levels, over £40 million above average. 1.9 Food store provision in the Borough and the wider study area is good in terms of the number of stores and spatial distribution. In qualitative terms some of the existing stores do not