Roger Tym & Partners t: 01392 210868 11-15 Dix's Field e: 01392 210869 Exeter e: [email protected] Devon EX1 1QA Taunton Deane Borough Council Retail and Leisure Study Volume 1: Final Report Final Report December 2010 ROGER TYM & PARTNERS 11-15 Dix's Field Exeter Devon EX1 1QA t (01392) 210 868 f (01392) 210 869 e [email protected] w This document is formatted for double-sided printing. RTP Job Number - A655 CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................... 1 Scope and Purpose of the Study .....................................................................................1 Research Inputs...............................................................................................................1 2 POLICY REVIEW...................................................................................................... 3 PPS12..............................................................................................................................3 PPS4................................................................................................................................3 Practice Guidance............................................................................................................4 Competition Commission’s Investigation of the UK Grocery Market ...............................4 The Requirements of the Current and Emerging Regional and Sub Regional Policy......5 3 TOWN CENTRE VISITORS SURVEY........................................................................ 9 Introduction ......................................................................................................................9 Main Purpose of Visit to the Centres................................................................................9 Intended Visitor Purchases ............................................................................................12 Expenditure during visit..................................................................................................13 Other Shopping Destinations .........................................................................................15 Mode of Travel and Car Parking ....................................................................................16 Duration and Frequency of Visit.....................................................................................18 Visitor Perceptions .........................................................................................................19 New Cinema Provision...................................................................................................21 4 TAUNTON TOWN CENTRE .....................................................................................23 Introduction and Context................................................................................................23 Position in the Shopping Hierarchy (Management Horizons Europe Index)..................23 Mix of Uses in Taunton Town Centre.............................................................................24 Availability of Property ...................................................................................................29 Property Indicators.........................................................................................................30 Occupier Demand ..........................................................................................................31 Pedestrian flows.............................................................................................................32 Accessibility and Movement...........................................................................................36 Environmental Quality....................................................................................................37 Safety, Security and Perceptions of Crime ....................................................................37 Summary........................................................................................................................37 5 WELLINGTON TOWN CENTRE ...............................................................................40 Introduction and Context................................................................................................40 Position in the Shopping Hierarchy (Management Horizons Europe Index)..................40 Mix of Uses in Wellington Town Centre .........................................................................40 Availability of property....................................................................................................45 Property Indicators.........................................................................................................45 Occupier Demand ..........................................................................................................46 Pedestrian flows.............................................................................................................46 Accessibility and Movement...........................................................................................46 Environmental Quality....................................................................................................47 Safety, Security and Perceptions of Crime ....................................................................47 Potential Development Opportunities ............................................................................48 Summary........................................................................................................................48 6 CURRENT PATTERNS OF RETAIL SPENDING.......................................................50 Household Survey Methodology ....................................................................................50 Convenience Market Shares and Expenditure ..............................................................53 Comparison Market Shares and Expenditure ................................................................56 Patterns of Spend on Leisure Services..........................................................................65 Summary: Current Patterns of Retail Spending.............................................................67 7 QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RETAIL NEED.................................................69 Methodology for Assessing Quantitative Retail Need....................................................69 Findings in Relation to Quantitative Retail Need ...........................................................77 Qualitative Retail Need ..................................................................................................79 Summary: Quantitative and Qualitative Retail Need......................................................84 8 ASSESSMENT OF SCOPE FOR ADDITIONAL COMMERCIAL LEISURE AND CULTURAL FACILITIES..............................................................................................................86 Distribution of Leisure Expenditure ................................................................................86 Current and Future Leisure Expenditure........................................................................87 Retention and Leakage of Leisure Spend in the Study Catchment ...............................88 Conversion of Expenditure Increases into Additional Leisure Requirements ................89 Summary of Need for Additional Commercial Leisure and Cultural Facilities..............101 9 STRATEGY & RECOMMENDATIONS....................................................................102 Taunton Deane Retail and Leisure Study Final Report 1 INTRODUCTION Scope and Purpose of the Study 1.1 Taunton Deane Borough Council commissioned Roger Tym & Partners (RTP) to undertake this study in February 2010. This study is intended to build on the previous Retail Study completed in 2005. 1.2 This study will form an important element of the evidence base used to underpin the preparation of Taunton Deane’s Local Development Frameworks (LDFs) and in particular the Core Strategy. 1.3 The broad objectives of the study are to: . Advise on the capacity of further development (food and non-food goods) within Taunton Deane between 2010 and 2016, 2021 and 2026. To undertake a vitality and viability health check of Taunton and Wellington town centres . To advise on the capacity for additional leisure provision in the Borough between 2010 and 2026 . To ensure that research is consistent with earlier assessments to enable direct comparison of trends to be made Research Inputs 1.4 This study includes in-depth ‘health check’ assessments of Taunton and Wellington town centres. The health checks have informed an analysis of whether the centres are meeting the retail needs of the local population and the relationships that exist between shoppers and residents in Taunton Deane and other locations outside of the Borough. 1.5 An empirical survey of households has been undertaken to help understand the current patterns of retail expenditure, which covers an area within and beyond the boundary of Taunton Deane, including parts of West Somerset, Mid Devon, East Devon, Sedgemoor, South Somerset and West Dorset. 1,500 telephone interviews were conducted, which as per the objective above uses the same survey catchment area and survey questions as the 2005 Retail Study. The survey of households explores the pattern of resident expenditure on retail goods and leisure visits. The household survey is used to assess the impact