• the business does not provide, or have potential to have strengthened their retail “offer”. In the City, provide, the high quality job opportunities in it is essential that the correct balance be struck appropriate locations promoted in the Economic between allowing more retail development where Development Strategy; and appropriate and protecting and enhancing the • there is no demand for employment use on the historic character and environment as highlighted site, based on a detailed marketing assessment. in the recent Conservation Area Character Appraisal. The Retail Study forecast a demand for Proposals for the redevelopment to non-employment up to 47,760sq.m. of comparison floorspace and uses of existing employment sites will be refused up to 3,790sq.m. of convenience floorspace in the unless the applicant demonstrates, to the satisfaction District up to 2017. It would not be possible to of the local planning authority, that there is no demand accommodate all this demand in an acceptable for employment use on the site, based on a detailed way . While some renewal and extension of marketing assessment. buildings might be possible, few sites are likely to be suitable for significant redevelopment. Equally, Retailing and retail centres edge-of-centre opportunities are likely to be limited. Any large-scale expansion of retailing in 307. Chichester District has a relatively affluent, but Chichester City is only likely to be possible older age profile when compared to the national through the planned expansion of out-of-town average. This means that there is a strong provision, but extensive out-of-centre available retail spend, although the highly mobile development could damage the centre. local population is able to travel further to purchase a wider range and quality of goods. 311. Delivering Development Opportunities will consider whether additional land should be 308.The Government’s Planning Policy Statement 6, identified for retail uses in and around the City, which deals with retail uses and town centres, but the emphasis for the City may have to be on sets out a clear sequential test for the location of reinforcing the City Centre’s role as a destination, retail uses. Retail uses should be located within making it a highly attractive place to use rather town centres. Only if insufficient land is available than expecting significant new retail development. within town centres, and if the need for the retail Initiatives being introduced on this basis include a development is clearly justified, should sites on the coordinated approach to improving the public edge of the centre be considered. realm and streetscape design, improving the If insufficient sites are available on the edge of accessibility and interpretation of the City Walls, centre, out of centre sites may be considered, and looking to relocate the Chichester Museum to and finally, if no out of centre sites are appropriate, improve its accessibility. out of town sites should be considered. 312. The “management” of the City centre is likely to become more important. Chichester City 313. It will also continue to be necessary to maintain 309.Chichester City is the biggest retail centre in the the predominance of retailing in key shopping District. It draws shoppers from a very wide area, streets. Primary and Secondary Shopping acting as a sub-regional centre ranked below Frontages will be defined in Delivering Portsmouth and Brighton and located inbetween. Development Opportunities, along with a policy A successful shopping centre is important to the explaining how much non-retail City, and to the District as a whole, and the Council floorspace/frontage will be appropriate in these is keen to maintain its success and its areas. Until Delivering Development Opportunities attractiveness. is adopted, Chichester District Local Plan policies 310. The District Council commissioned consultants to S2 and S3 will be saved. review retailing provision across the district and to assess demand for more retail facilities. Whilst a Other Centres large number of retailers expressed a desire to have stores in the City and shop vacancy levels are 314. Shopping is important elsewhere in the District – very low, the study found that Chichester’s Midhurst, Selsey, East Wittering and Petworth position in the national town centre rankings had have retail centres – and the consultants found recently fallen so that it was now outside the them to be relatively “healthy” – but relatively “top 100”. This reflects the fact that little recent little new development is anticipated. Shopping in development has occurred in Chichester, whereas other villages will be provided and supported via other places, e.g. Portsmouth and Southampton policy Act4. Submission Core Strategy 47 Core Strategy: Working Communities Midhurst the surfacing of the pedestrianized areas; improving 315. Midhurst is a relatively healthy and attractive street furniture, seating and lighting; improving and centre, with few vacancies and a good mix of uses enhancing pedestrian routes and the links with public and activities distributed across a number of car parks and public transport facilities; and reducing streets. It mainly serves the day-to-day needs of the impact of vehicles. The predominance of retailing in its local resident population, whilst also meeting key street frontages will also be maintained by a policy the requirements of visitors and passing car borne limiting non-retail uses in Primary and Secondary trade. This provision needs to be maintained and Shopping Frontages, to be defined in Delivering enhanced. Consultants determined that gaps in Development Opportunities. offer exist in terms of fashion retailing and places In the smaller shopping centres, and other sites in Built to eat and drink. Up Areas, the approach is similar, with sites to be identified where possible and enhancements to the street environment. Proposals which are expected to Petworth meet shortfalls in offer will be encouraged. 316. Petworth’s shopping centre has evolved as a niche Where a need is clearly identified for a retail shopping destination for antiques. This specialist development, particularly taking into account the offer, combined with other attractions such as factors set out above, sites within a town centre will be Petworth House, mean that it functions as an favoured. If a site outside a defined town centre is important tourist and visitor destination as well as proposed, then the applicant will need to prove, to the serving the needs of many of its local residents. satisfaction of the local planning authority, that no The provision for both user groups needs to be more appropriate sites are available within or closer to maintained and enhanced. Consultants the centre. determined that gaps in offer exist in terms of food and convenience goods. Horticultural Development East Wittering and Selsey 319. Agriculture is important to the District as a whole because it is a major land use and contributes 317. Both East Wittering and Selsey are small coastal hugely to the appearance of the countryside that settlements with a retail offer underpinned by many people value. As a source of employment, convenience goods. Both centres have a good mix however, it is characterised by declining numbers of smaller independent comparison goods and relatively low wages. In contrast, the retailers, but there is a limited clothing and horticultural industry tends to provide better paid fashion offer. Both centres are largely dominated employment. The south of the District has more by leisure, financial and business services, hours of sunlight, and a longer growing season, particularly cafes, bars and restaurants, which than almost anywhere else in the country, and that reflects their role as tourist and visitor makes the District very popular for growing salad destinations. crops in open fields. Major growers have also 318. Both centres are relatively healthy, although established large scale greenhouse production of proposals which provide quality places to eat and salad crops and flowers. The lighter soils in the drink and fashion retailing, would enhance the north of the District also support salad crops in role of the two centres. open fields. 320.This has meant that the District Council has Policy Wrk3: Retailing and retail centres allowed glasshouses and related facilities, including packhouses, to be built in designated Chichester City cannot accommodate all the retailers areas in the countryside, where their large size and that might wish to have stores in the City. Sites may be bulk would not normally be allowed, but where identified in Delivering Development Opportunities to their impact is minimised. These designations are allow some appropriate expansion of retailing in the known as Horticultural Development Areas (HDA). city based on the sequential approach, i.e. looking first 321. Where horticultural development is proposed in the centre, then edge-of-centre and then, possibly, within HDAs, the District Council will need to out-of-centre. ensure that it does not impact unacceptably on The City Centre environment will continue to be the amenity of local residents, and that soil, water, enhanced through improvements to the street air, noise and light pollution levels are minimised. scene/public realm including extension and renewal of These issues are covered by policies Tls1 and Env6. 48 Submission Core Strategy 322.There are currently four HDA in Chichester District: horticultural developments. Some of this planting HDAs to the south east of Tangmere, and north could take place within the existing HDAs, but and east of Runcton, characterised by large scale Delivering Development Opportunities will also horticultural operators; HDAs between Sidlesham consider whether the HDAs should be expanded and Highleigh, and at Almodington, characterised to accommodate some of this planting. by small scale operators. 328.The large scale horticultural businesses are keen to accommodate some of their workforce in self Large Scale Horticulture contained accommodation close to their place of work. Whilst a significant proportion of workers in 323.