Tunbridge Wells Retail, Commercial Leisure & Town Centre Uses Study Update on behalf of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council February 2021 Contact Holmes House 4 Pear Place London SE1 9HA T: 020 7261 4240 E: [email protected] Job reference no: 34911 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Retail, Commercial Leisure & Town Centre Uses Study Update Contents 1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 2.0 National and Local Policy Context ....................................................................................................................................... 6 3.0 Property Market Trends ........................................................................................................................................................ 16 4.0 Consultation and Engagement ........................................................................................................................................... 75 5.0 Town Centre Health Check Assessments ....................................................................................................................... 94 6.0 Office Market Review ........................................................................................................................................................... 123 7.0 Quantitative Capacity Assessment .................................................................................................................................. 146 8.0 Recommendations ................................................................................................................................................................ 165 Glossary of Terms Appendix A: Study Area Plan Appendix B: Online Survey Questionnaire Appendix C: Student Survey Questionnaire Appendix D: Statistical Capacity Assessment Appendix E: Office Stock Assessment Appendix F: Goad Plans Appendix G: Royal Tunbridge Wells Town Centre Boundary Appendix H: Site Allocation Summary Nexus Planning | AspinallVerdi | Durlings 3 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Retail, Commercial Leisure & Town Centre Uses Study Update 1.0 Introduction Instruction 1.1 Nexus Planning (Nexus), alongside AspinallVerdi, NEMS Market Research (NEMS), and Durlings have been commissioned by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in July 2020 to produce a Retail, Commercial Leisure & Town Centre Uses Study for the Borough. The Council are currently preparing the Local Plan for the plan period up to 2038. As such, this 2020 Study will form part of the evidence base upon which the emerging Local Plan will be based. 1.2 The approach adopted by Nexus and the project team has been refined to reflect the latest Government guidance provided in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (February 2019), Planning Practise Guidance (PPG), and the Use Classes Order (2020 amendments). 1.3 Accordingly, a fundamental objective of the Study is to produce a NPPF and NPPG compliant Study, which provides the Council with an up-to-date objective assessment of town centre needs and provision, the health of Royal Tunbridge Well Primary Regional Town Centre, Cranbrook, Paddock Wood and Southborough Town Centres, and Hawkhurst Rural Service Centre, and a consideration of possible strategic policy responses to any prevalent or emerging issues in those centres. 1.4 This Study was undertaken and drafted during a period of ‘lockdowns’ and social distancing measures necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic. References to temporary closures of various retail and commercial leisure facilities may have changed following publication, as Government legislation responds to the constantly evolving picture presented by the pandemic. Scope of Works 1.5 In accordance with the Brief, we have conducted this Study in two parts, as follows: Stage 1. Update to the numerical retail capacity assessment, taking account of population, expenditure and trading changes since 2016; Review of the current office market; Commentary on the potential capacity for new town centre developments, as well as a review of relevant Town Centre allocations; Nexus Planning | AspinallVerdi | Durlings 4 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Retail, Commercial Leisure & Town Centre Uses Study Update Commentary on appropriate retail and leisure provision for a planned new settlement (Tudeley Village) and urban expansion (Paddock Wood); Consideration of the Town Centres’ long term recovery from the first lockdown in 2019, and any subsequent lockdown’s adapting to social distancing, reductions in spending and other impacts associated with post-Covid-19 trading. Stage 2. Summarise changing market trends how those will impact on the Borough; Updated health-checks of Royal Tunbridge Wells Primary Regional Town Centre and SWOT analysis as well as assessment of the Borough’s key Town and Rural Service Centres; Analysis of future demand for office floorspace; Assessment of the potential for development of key sites and allocations, and recommendations on viable and deliverable opportunities; Community engagement, through targeted meetings with key stakeholders as well as interview with local business owners and retailers and online survey-based local consultation; Recommendations and conclusions on appropriate town centre planning policy for the new Local Plan. 1.6 The project team has reported the initial findings throughout the Study process, and we go on to set out the assessment and key findings as a consolidated report. Nexus Planning | AspinallVerdi | Durlings 5 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Retail, Commercial Leisure & Town Centre Uses Study Update 2.0 National and Local Policy Context 2.1 Prior to discussing the vitality and viability of the centres within Tunbridge Wells Borough, it is important to set out the prevailing national planning policy context for retail in the UK, as well as the Tunbridge Wells Development Plan. 2.2 The following chapter of this assessment sets out the recent updates to the planning policy context, including updates to the National Planning Policy Framework (2019), hereafter, referred to as the NPPF; the National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG), as well as the recent changes to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order and Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development Order). National Planning Policy Framework 2.3 The National Planning Policy Framework was initially adopted on 27 March 2012, and the Government published the updated National Planning Policy Framework (‘NPPF’) on 24 July 2018, which was further revised on 19 February 2019. 2.4 The NPPF remains pro-growth with a “presumption in favour of sustainable development”. It effectively instructs decision makers to support development unless there are clear negative environmental, social and/or economic impacts. The NPPF provides the national guidance against which all planning applications should be considered. 2.5 At paragraph 8, the NPPF asserts that the planning system must help build a strong, responsive and competitive economy. This overarching economic objective is supported by Chapter 6, which emphasises that significant weight must be given to supporting economic growth and productivity, and that local business needs and wider opportunities for development must be taken into account. 2.6 Chapter 7 of the NPPF seeks to ensure the ongoing vitality of town centres. In particular, within this chapter, Paragraphs 85 to 90 promote and support new development and investment within the defined boundaries of town centres, recognising that town centres are the heart of communities. Where town centres are in decline, the NPPF directs local planning authorities to plan positively for their future to encourage economic activity. The NPPF recognises the need for local authorities to Nexus Planning | AspinallVerdi | Durlings 6 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Retail, Commercial Leisure & Town Centre Uses Study Update promote the vitality and viability of their towns and cities through the promotion of competition and growth management. 2.7 Specifically, Paragraph 86 requires local planning authorities (LPAs) to enforce a sequential approach when assessing planning applications for main town centre uses located outside of existing centres or not in accordance with an up to date Local Plan. To do this, local authorities should require applications for main town centre uses to be located in town centres, then in edge of centre locations and only if suitable sites are not available should out-of-centre sites be considered. When reviewing edge of centre and out-of-centre proposals, they should give preference to accessible locations well connected to the town centre. 2.8 Paragraph 89 specifies that LPAs should require an impact assessment for retail and leisure development outside of town centres that are not in accordance with an up to date Local Plan and if the development is over a proportionate, locally set threshold. Where there is no locally defined threshold, the default threshold will be 2,500 sq m. The impact assessment should assess: i) the impact of the proposal on existing, committed and planned public and private investment in a centre or centres in the catchment area of the proposal, and ii) the impact of the proposal on town centre vitality and viability, including local consumer choice and trade in the town centre and wider area, up to five years from the time the application is made. 2.9 In summary, the NPPF endorses a ‘town