Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Retail Paper 1 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Retail Paper Contents 1. Introduction 2. Aims of this paper 3. Policy Context 4. The role, function and vitality of Identified Retail Centres 5. Survey Areas 6. Hierarchy of BBNPA Centres 7. Town centre Retail Health and Vitality 8. Accommodating Growth in retail 9. Accessibility 10. Visitors Survey 11. Place Plans and Retail Centres 12. Conclusions 13. References 2 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Retail Paper 1. Introduction Purpose of the document Welsh Government’s Local Development Plan Manual Edition 2 (2015) states the following: ‘Section 69 of the 2004 Act requires a Local Planning Authority to undertake a review of an LDP and report to the Welsh Government at such times as prescribed. To ensure that there is a regular and comprehensive assessment of whether plans remain up-to-date or whether changes are needed an authority should commence a S69 full review of its LDP at intervals not longer than every 4 years from initial adoption and then from the date of the last adoption following a review under S69 (Regulation 41). A plan review should draw upon published AMRs, evidence gathered through updated survey evidence and pertinent contextual indicators, including relevant changes to national policy’. This document has been prepared to provide an evidence base and to examine retail in the Brecon Beacons National Park’s retail centres to inform policy for the replacement Local Development Plan. Evidence gathering information on past and existing circumstances to inform any changes to the retail strategy. This has been done through the analysis of time series data to help identify changes over recent years and any emerging patterns. The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Local Development Plan (adopted 17th December 2013) sets out the current local planning policy on retail and retail centres, which includes Brecon, Hay-on-Wye, Crickhowell and Talgarth. This background paper has been prepared to consider whether the existing LDP policy position is still appropriate and whether any changes should be made. Retail and Town Centres Change has been an important feature of retail in the UK since the 1960s. This has included: - Alternative, out of town, shopping centres - Larger shopping outlets, superstores, retail warehouses and retail parks - Shift towards a consumer society with retail as a leisurely activity - Increase use of online shopping and click and collect services. More specifically to the National Park, there are 4 town centres which have been designated and retail centres. These include Brecon, Hay-on-Wye, Crickhowell and Talgarth. Summary of issues relating to retail - Whether the identified Retail Centres should be protected - Whether a retail hierarchy should provide a framework for retail development within the Park - The need for additional retail space - Location of retail stores in key settlements only - Ensuring the vitality and viability of Town Centres 3 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Retail Paper Identifying centres for analysis Following the analysis of previous policy documents it is evident that they support the Brecon Beacons Management Plan’s identifying four towns as the main retail centres within the National Park. The four centres that warranted extensive analysis given their importance within the Park were Brecon, Hay-on- Wye, Crickhowell and Talgarth. Although these centres serve the daily needs of the local residents, they would also be construed as destination shopping centres given the importance of the tourist sector within the park, which ultimately can result in these centres specialising in certain types of retail or services in order to attract visitors. Current possible issues Given the uniqueness of the National Park and existing transport networks it is evident that a large number of residents look to strategic centres on the periphery to meet their retail needs in areas such as Cardiff, Swansea, Merthyr Tydfil, Llandeilo, Ystradgynlais, Abergavenny or Pontypool. Also, a key retail park outside the boundary of the park is the Cyfartha Retail Park in Merthyr Tydfil, which a lot of the National Park’s residents commute to. Given the amount of people who travel from more remote areas to larger settlements or retail parks in order to meet their retail needs, this emphasizes the issue of over reliance on the private car which has to be viewed as a growing concern, thus increasing the need for local centres to provide for its residents. 2. Aims of this paper To establish an understanding of the Policy Context underpinning retail To understand the success of the existing policy through providing sufficient evidence relating to the current retail provision and the function of local centers within the National Park To set out the current situation in the Brecon Beacons National Park through the analysis of available baseline data, To assist in identifying objectives, issues, options and necessary policy to ensure a vital and viable future for our retail sector 3. Policy Context In order to meet the requirements of National Policy it was important to establish an understanding of the Policy Context underpinning National Parks and retail as is shown below: Environment Act 1995 A National Park, in pursuing its first and second purposes, has a duty to seek to foster the economic and social well-being of local communities within its area. 4 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Retail Paper National Policy Context Planning Policy Wales (Edition 10, December 2018) Theme 2 – People and Places This theme encourages the creation of sustainable places which are attractive, social, accessible, active, secure, welcoming, healthy and friendly. Development proposals should create the conditions to bring people together, making them want to live, work and play in areas qith a sense of place and well-being, creating prosperity for all (paragraph 2.3). Theme 3 – Strategic and Spatial Choices This theme supports planning authorities to locate major generators of travel demand, such as housing, employment, retailing, leisure and recreation, and community facilities within urban areas or areas which are, or can be, easily reached by walking or cycling and are well served by public transport (paragraph 3.46) Theme 4 - Active and Social Places One of the goals in Planning Policy Wales is for Wales to become more ‘Globally Responsible’ and one of the objectives for this is to locate housing development within existing settlements so that this enables the public to take advantage of the local facilities including retail services and to diversity and capitalise retail and commercial centres so that can adapt to future retail trends, such as the continued rise in internet shopping, so that Wales can continue to meet the needs of its local communities. The theme supports and enables the provision of a range of well-designed and located homes which are well connected to existing retail and commercial centres situated at the heart of communities and job opportunities. It promotes retail and commercial centres as hubs, for a range of activities, recognising their social, cultural and economic importance (paragraph 4.02). ‘Development plans should: Promote viable urban and rural retail and commercial centres as the most sustainable locations to live, work, shop, socialise and conduct business; Sustain and enhance retail and commercial centres’ vibrancy, viability and attractiveness; and Improve access to, and within, retail and commercial centres by all modes of transport, prioritising walking, cycling and public transport; Establish through their development plan a clear strategy for retail development, supported by policies, to achieve vibrant, attractive and viable retail and commercial centres; Establish a hierarchy of retail and commercial centres in their development plan strategy, identifying boundaries on the proposals map; Identify and categorise retail and commercial centres by the functions they fulfill, consider their future roles, and recognise opportunities to support Welsh Government retail and commercial centre objectives; Adopt a sequential approach to the selection of new sites in their development plan and when determining planning applications for retail and other complementary uses; 5 Brecon Beacons National Park Authority Retail Paper Take a positive approach, in partnership with the private sector, in identifying sites which accord with the sequential approach and are in line with the development plan retail strategy in terms of the size, scale and format of new developments needed; Include policies in their plans to protect existing retail sites from inappropriate development; May wish to consider extending the list of uses controlled in out-of-centre retail developments if the location of such uses are likely to lead to the loss of existing provision in retail and commercial centres; Assess retail and commercial centre performance and the effectiveness of development plan policies by monitoring their health; Adopt a positive approach to applications for conversion of suitable village properties to shops and for extensions to village shops designed to improve their viability. Technical Advice Note 4: ‘Retailing and Town Centres’ (2016) Technical Advice Note 4 should be read in conjunction with Planning Policy Wales (PPW). This advice note takes a ‘town centres first’ approach to the location of retail and commercial centres, and focuses on promoting established town,