Submission Document 13.4.1 Liverpool Retail Study Vitality and Viability Appendix September 2016 Prepared by GL Hearn Limited Vantage Point Hardman Street Spinningfields Manchester M3 3HF Liverpool Retail Study, September 2016 Vitality and Viability Appendix INTRODUCTION 1.1 The NPPF and PPG state that LPA’s should identify a network and hierarchy of centres which is resistant to change. The hierarchy of centres in Liverpool has been established in the 2006 Liverpool UDP. This consists of Liverpool City Centre along with 29 District and Local Centres. 1.2 Subsequent to the UDP, GL Hearn was commissioned by Liverpool Council in 2009 to complete a District and Local Centres Study to assess the health of the cities centres and make recommendations for their improvement. The study found that the health of district and local shopping centres across Liverpool varies and with a few exceptions the majority of the centres have deteriorated over time. It was felt that a number of the centres across the City were too large and dissipated and required consolidation. Some centres would benefit from improvements to the public realm and environmental quality of place and shopping experience. 1.3 The study recommended that a strategic approach was required to investment in district and local centres across the city. This should seek to focus investment to deliver a sustainable hierarchy of centres across the City which effectively serve their local catchment, draw together opportunities for public and private sector investments and coordinated the management and marketing of the district and local centres to support trading prospects. 1.4 The study suggested a four tier structure; City Centre, District Centre, Local Centre and Neighbourhood Centres. The study recommended that several current local centres be reclassified as neighbourhood centres. Further to this the study identified a series of local parades of shops which the council may decide are appropriate to identify as neighbourhood centres. 1.5 These changes to the centre hierarchy have not been adopted by the City Council since the District and Local Centres Study was published. The current vitality and viability assessment builds upon this previous work. Objectives and Methodology 1.6 The vitality and viability assessments undertaken seek to; Analyse the role and function of each of the City’s district and local centres including their position in the retail hierarchy and ability to serve the local community in which they are located; Recommend what the overall key priorities for the centres in order to secure their long term vitality and viability; Recommend alterations to centre boundaries and suggest potential development sites. 1.7 The following sections include an overview of Liverpool City Centre covering the following indicators identified in the PPG: diversity of uses proportion of vacant street level property GL Hearn Page 2 of 112 Liverpool Retail Study, September 2016 Vitality and Viability Appendix commercial yields on non-domestic property customers’ views and behaviour retailer representation and intentions to change representation commercial rents pedestrian flows accessibility perception of safety and occurrence of crime state of town centre environmental quality 1.8 For the Local and District Centres a reduced health check assessment has been undertaken. This is reflective of the limited information which may be available for some centres. As a minimum the health check for the Local and District Centres will cover: diversity of uses proportion of vacant street level property observations on pedestrian flows accessibility perception of safety and occurrence of crime state of town centre environmental quality 1.9 Upon the completion of the assessments recommendations have been made regarding the future status of the centre within the retail hierarchy and the level of intervention and investment necessary to support the centres and deliver a sustainable pattern of retailing and services for the local community. GL Hearn Page 3 of 112 Liverpool Retail Study, September 2016 Vitality and Viability Appendix 2 LIVERPOOL CITY CENTRE 2.1 Liverpool City Centre is the Regional Shopping Centre for the Merseyside sub-region. The centre is split into several sub-areas and this vitality and viability assessment is focused on the Main Retail Area. 2.2 Saved policies in the UDP identify the Paradise Street Development Area as a key area of opportunity for investment within the City Centre. The policy intended to bring forward a comprehensive mixed use regeneration scheme which will support and strengthen the existing Main Retail Area and now retains a larger proportion of trade and has become an attractive place to shop within the north west. This area has now been developed into the Liverpool One development, extending the centre’s main retail area. The Liverpool One development has transformed the main retail area and attracted a number of new retailers into the centre. The development has had a positive impact on footfall, spending and visitor numbers within the city. 2.3 Liverpool One is a retail led mixed use development in the City Centre in addition to retail space it contains leisure facilities, apartments, offices, public open space and transport improvements. The development has successfully boosted the local economy and was completed in 2009. 2.4 St Johns is a large covered shopping centre to the east of Liverpool One as well an individual retail units it also contains an indoor market. In spite of investment into the centre including improvements to the food court the public realm surrounding the centre is, in general, poor. However improvements to the public realm are being undertaken including new paving and planting. 2.5 Williamson Square is a large public square to the north of the centre. Liverpool Playhouse is located here and there is a large water feature as well as several retail units. 2.6 Bold Street is located close to Clayton Square and Liverpool Central, the street is known for its bars and cafes as well as independent shopping. It boasts a vibrant night time economy. 2.7 The Met Quarter is a covered shopping centre known for its luxury shops. It is located to the north of Liverpool One and contains around 40 stores. 2.8 The Cavern Quarter is the area surrounding Mathew Street made famous by the Cavern Club. The area attracts many tourists and is largely made up of pubs bars and restaurants. 2.9 The City Centre has a strong diversity of uses (shown in Table 1 below). The Centre offers a broad range and choice of outlets across all use categories. GL Hearn Page 4 of 112 Liverpool Retail Study, September 2016 Vitality and Viability Appendix Table 1: Retail Composition of Liverpool City Centre No. of Floorspace Sector % of Outlets % of Floorspace outlets (sqm) Liverpool UK Liverpool UK Convenience 55 5.38 8.39 20,048 6.06 14.99 Comparison 391 38.26 32.51 155,775 47.05 36.15 Retail Service 67 6.56 14.11 1,068 3.23 7.39 Restaurants, 330 32.29 22.39 103,974 31.41 23.23 cafés, fast food (leisure services) Miscellaneous – 34 3.33 10.87 7,525 2.27 8.22 Financial & Business Services Vacant 145 14.19 11.41 33,063 9.99 9.28 TOTAL 1022 100 100 321,453 100 100 Source: Goad May 2015 2.10 The comparison goods offer is substantial, comprising 391 units and occupying 155,775sqm gross floorspace (1,676,800sqft). The Centre’s role as a higher Regional Centre is evident from the fact that it has a significantly higher proportion of units and floorspace in comparison goods use than the UK average. 2.11 The proportion of units and floorspace in convenience goods use in the City Centre is below the UK average as shown in table 1. This is a common feature in Regional Centres which provide a dominant comparison goods shopping offer, compared with lower order centres. The Centre also provides a good range and choice of convenience goods outlets with 55 units and 20,048sqm (215,800sqft) floorspace in convenience goods use. 2.12 The range and choice of restaurants, cafes and fast food outlets and other leisure services in the City Centre is extensive with Goad recording 330 outlets occupying 103,974sqm gross floorspace. This exceeds the UK average and again, this is in line with its role as a higher order centre. 2.13 The provision of business and financial services is low, but this reflects this being the Main Retail Area, and these uses are located in other sub-areas of the wider city centre. Range of Comparison Goods Shopping Outlets 2.14 The strength of the offer in the clothing and footwear sector is particularly notable and includes strong department store representation in John Lewis and Debenhams. 2.15 The Centre has above UK average representation of comparison goods outlets and floorspace across most sectors except in DIY, Hardware and Furniture. These are not sectors that would typically be GL Hearn Page 5 of 112 Liverpool Retail Study, September 2016 Vitality and Viability Appendix expected to take up a high proportion of units/floorspace in a higher order comparison goods centre, rather they would normally be found in Retail Parks. National Multiple Representation 2.16 There are 440 national multiple retailers in the City centre occupying 199,912sqm gross floorspace. As Table 2 shows, this is significantly above the UK average representation for town centre multiples. 2.17 There are 241 comparison goods national multiple retailers in the centre. These include major footfall drivers such as, John Lewis, Debenhams, M&S, Primark, Next, H&M, and River Island. The Centre also has 30 national multiple convenience goods retailers and 120 multiples in the service sector including in the food and drink sector, Zizzi, Pizza Express, Costa Coffee, Starbucks, Byron Burgers, KFC and McDonalds.