WHITE YOUNG GREEN PLANNING REGATTA HOUSE CLIPPERS QUAY SALFORD QUAYS MANCHESTER M50 3XP TEL 0161 872 3223 FAX 0161 872 3193 Assessment of Major Out-of-Centre Retail Outlets in the UK Black Country Consortium May 2006 CONTENTS Page No 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 BASELINE POSITION OF MERRY HILL 3 3 REVIEW OF EXISTING OUT-OF-CENTRE REGIONAL MALLS 10 4 BLUEWATER, GREENHITHE 14 5 MEADOWHALL, SHEFFIELD 26 6 THE TRAFFORD CENTRE, MANCHESTER 34 7 LAKESIDE, THURROCK 42 8 METROCENTRE, GATESHEAD 51 9 CRIBBS CAUSEWAY, BRISTOL 60 10 BRENT CROSS, BARNET 67 11 WHITE ROSE SHOPPING CENTRE, LEEDS 77 12 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 82 1 INTRODUCTION Scope and Purpose 1.01 WYG Planning have been commissioned by the Black Country Consortium to undertake an assessment of the top 10 out-of-centre regional malls throughout the UK to provide advice on planning history and current/future planning strategy. The purpose of the study is to understand in detail how major regional shopping malls are being dealt with at the relevant local and regional level. 1.02 The research has been undertaken primarily to understand whether or not the case being pursued in the Black Country to identify Merry Hill/Brierley Hill as an established town centre is unique and whether or not the circumstances against which this strategy has been developed are also unique or could easily be applied to other major regional shopping malls throughout the UK. 1.03 The research seeks to provide an up-to-date baseline position with regards to the 10 major out-of- centre shopping malls as identified by the Management Horizons Europe UK Shopping Index. The top 10 centres identified are: • Bluewater; • Meadow Hall; • Trafford Centre; • Lakeside; • Merry Hill; • Metro Centre; • Cribbs Causeway; • Brent Cross; • Braehead; and • White Rose. 1.04 The research undertaken as part of this study not only plots the growth and development of each centre but more importantly focuses on the strategy now being pursued by each of the relevant local planning authorities in dealing with their future growth and expansion. This not only relates to the strategy developed at the local level as part of existing local plans/UDPs and emerging LDFs but also examines any emerging regional strategy being developed as part of the wider spatial strategy relevant to that centre. 1 1.05 In addition to the appraisal of the current and future planning position, the report also examines each centre’s physical relationship with the surrounding environment and whether or not there are unique circumstances which would support its future promotion as an established town centre rather than an out-of-centre shopping mall. 1.06 Finally, the study brings together all this information to summarise the position of each centre and how this relates to the current strategy being pursued at Brierley Hill. The summary identifies any common approaches which may lend support to the strategy being pursued within the Black Country but at the same time seeks to identify those centres which have limited prospects to become established town centres and how such centres are being dealt with at the local and regional level. Overall, the study seeks to establish whether or not the position being pursued at Brierley Hill is in fact unique or is a reflection of wider regeneration initiatives which have been, or are being, pursued elsewhere. Methodology Adopted 1.07 In undertaking this research, a number of key actions were required to provide robust up-to-date information as to the current position of each of the 10 centres identified. In doing so, WYG completed the following key tasks: • Organised a review of all the planning files relating to the history and development of each centre; • Undertook consultation with relevant planning offices responsible for each centre’s development and the strategy being pursued at the local level; • Consulted with relevant officers at the regional planning bodies, to understand in detail the strategy and policy being developed as part of emerging spatial strategies; • Undertook a comprehensive site visit of each centre; and • Undertook a site visit and assessment of the surrounding area and development. 2 2 BASELINE POSITION OF BRIERLEY HILL/MERRY HILL Background 2.01 Brierley Hill is situated at the heart of Dudley Borough, in the West Midlands and includes the Merry Hill Shopping Centre. It is located approximately 12 miles west of Birmingham and is situated five miles from the M5 motorway (accessible via Junctions 2 and 3) and is within easy reach of the M6 and M42 motorways. The shopping centre opened in 1985, and is currently owned by The Westfield Group. 2.02 Merry Hill contains over 220 indoor stores in addition to 28 retailers located on an adjacent retail park. Merry Hill has in excess of 10,000 parking spaces, available free to shoppers. The centre attracts 21 million visitors every year. Anchor stores include Argos Extra; Asda; Bhs; Debenhams; H and M; Matalan; Marks and Spencer; Next, Sainsbury’s; and TK Maxx. In total the area covers approximately 1.5 million sq. ft (139,355 sq. m). 2.03 Merry Hill Shopping Centre was developed in a number of stages. They can be summarised as follows: 1980 - The Round Oak Steelworks, which operated on the Merry Hill Site, closed, 1981 - The Merry Hill area was declared an enterprise Zone 1984 - The land occupied by the former Round Oak Steelworks was incorporated into the Enterprise Zone. Also in this year the redevelopment of the Waterfront area begins 1985 - Phase 1 Merry Hill retail warehousing opened (Approximately 163,000 sq ft/ 15,143 sq m) Phase 2 Merry Hill shopping mall opened (Approximately 203,000 sq ft/ 18,859 sq m) 1986 - Phase 3 Merry Hill retail warehousing opened (Approximately 214,000 sq ft/ 19,881 sq m) 1988 - Phase 4 Merry Hill Shopping Mall opened (Approximately 137,000 sq ft/ 12,728 sq m) 1989 - Phase 5 Merry Hill Shopping Mall opened (Approximately 818,000 sq ft/ 75,995 sq m) 1995 - Waterfront complete 1996 - Phase 4 shopping mall redeveloped 1997 - Canal development started between merry Hill and Brierley Hill Street 1998 - A4036 traffic improvements completed 2002 - Pedestrian link between Merry Hill, the Dudley Canal and the Waterfront improved with the opening of Jubilee Walk Regional Planning Guidance 2.04 The Regional Spatial Strategy for the West Midlands (formerly RPG 11) covers the West Midlands region including the urban area of Birmingham, including Dudley, and was published in June 2004. The overarching vision for the West Midlands which is communicated within this document is a 3 Region which has economic success, a rich culture and environment, and one which firmly supports the principles of sustainability. 2.05 In order to achieve this vision, the document seeks to adopt positive measures to address the observed decline in the Regional economy, reverse the movement of people and jobs out of the Major Urban Areas, tackle road and rail congestion and achieve a more balanced, sustainable pattern of development. In light of this, four major challenges for the Region are identified. These are: urban renaissance; rural renaissance; diversifying and modernising the Region’s economy; and modernising the transport infrastructure of the West Midlands. 2.06 Specifically in relation the Black Country one of the key priorities is will be: ‘creating a balanced network of vital and vibrant town and city centres as the strategic focus for major retail, leisure and office developments.’ 2.07 The document indicates that the development of a balanced network of town and city centres to act as the focus for major investment for retail, leisure and office development is crucial to the Region. Within the Black Country this will mean: ‘continuing its economic, physical and environmental renewal focused around improved infrastructure and the regeneration of town and city centres (including Walsall, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton) to create modern and sustainable communities.’ 2.08 Chapter 4 ‘Urban Renaissance’ seeks to revitalised city and town centres. It recognises that whilst all centres have a function to serve their communities, many centres occupy distinctive roles, serving a sub-regional, Regional or national function. The retail function is only one element of such centres. To this end, Policy UR2: Enhancing the role of City, Town and District Centres aims to ensure that identified city, town and district centres play a leading role in urban renaissance programmes to provide services for communities. This will be achieved through: ‘i) maintaining and enhancing the pattern of urban centres according to their function and role in the Region; ii) developing strategies to maintain and enhance the underpinning role of all urban centres to serve their local communities in terms of retail provision, access to services and cultural/leisure activities; iii) developing strategies to promote a sense of identity and local distinctiveness; iv) identifying and creating opportunities for development, particularly for business, retail, leisure, tourism, cultural, educational and other services which are accessible to all; v) adopting strategies to encourage more people to live in or close to centres through the reuse of sites, development of mixed-use schemes, the conversion of property and initiatives such as “living over the shop”; 4 vi) ensuring the highest standards of design are adopted, building on the existing character and identity of centres; and vii) enhancing urban centres as the primary nodes of the public transport network.’ 2.09 Later in the RSS, Chapter 7 ‘Prosperity for All’ also details the approach to be taken towards town and city centres. Policy PA11 sets out a network of town and city centres. The network of 25 centres will be the focus for major retail developments, uses which attract large numbers of people, and large scale leisure and office developments.