Roger Tym & Partners t: 0116 249 3970 3 Museum Square e: 0116 249 3971 Leicester e: [email protected] LE1 6UF w: www.tymconsult.com North West Leicestershire District Council North West Leicestershire Retail Study — 2012 Update Final Report Final Report March 2013 Unless alternative contractual arrangements have been made, this report remains the property of Roger Tym & Partners until fees have been paid in full. Copyright and other intellectual property laws protect this information. Reproduction or retransmission of the information, in whole or in part, in any manner, without the prior written consent of the copyright holder, is a violation of copyright law. Job number — 27426-002 CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE OF REPORT ....................................................................................................... 1 2 POLICY CONTEXT ............................................................................................................................................... 3 National Planning Policy Context .......................................................................................................................... 3 Local Planning Policy Context ............................................................................................................................... 8 3 STUDY CONTEXT .............................................................................................................................................. 13 Local area context ............................................................................................................................................... 21 4 PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF CENTRES IN NORTH WEST LEICESTERSHIRE DISTRICT ................ 25 Assessment of vitality and viability of Coalville town centre ................................................................................ 26 Assessment of vitality and viability of Ashby-de-la-Zouch town centre ............................................................... 35 Assessment of vitality and viability of Castle Donington village centre................................................................ 41 Assessment of vitality and viability of Ibstock village centre ................................................................................ 45 Assessment of vitality and viability of Measham village centre ........................................................................... 48 5 CURRENT AND FUTURE STUDY AREA SPENDING ....................................................................................... 51 Study area definition ........................................................................................................................................... 51 Source: Experian................................................................................................................................................. 53 Future population and expenditure growth in the SA .......................................................................................... 53 Expenditure available to the SA .......................................................................................................................... 55 6 CURRENT PATTERNS OF RETAIL SPENDING IN THE STUDY AREA ........................................................... 59 Household Survey Methodology ......................................................................................................................... 59 Comparison goods shopping patterns ................................................................................................................. 60 Convenience goods shopping patterns ............................................................................................................... 73 7 QUANTITATIVE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RETAIL FLOORSPACE IN THE STUDY AREA ............................. 82 Quantitative need for convenience goods floorspace.......................................................................................... 91 8 QUALITATIVE NEED FOR ADDITONAL RETAIL FACILITIES IN THE STUDY AREA ...................................... 98 Methodology ....................................................................................................................................................... 98 Gaps in Provision ................................................................................................................................................ 98 Consumer choice and competition .................................................................................................................... 100 Over-trading ...................................................................................................................................................... 101 Location-specific needs ..................................................................................................................................... 102 Quality of Provision ........................................................................................................................................... 104 9 CONCLUSIONS AND STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................ 107 Summary of findings ......................................................................................................................................... 107 Strategic recommendations .............................................................................................................................. 109 Appendix 1 – Health check data Appendix 2 – Quantitative data tables Appendix 3 – Household survey North West Leicestershire Retail Study — 2013 Update 1 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE OF REPORT 1.1 In September 2012 Roger Tym & Partners (RTP), part of Peter Brett Associates (PBA), were appointed by North West Leicestershire District Council (‘the Council’) to update to the Council’s retail capacity evidence base. The study updates RTP’s previous Retail Capacity Study (RCS) for the Council in 2005, and Update Study from 2007. The new study will form a key part of the evidence base for the Council’s Core Strategy and supporting documents. 1.2 Since the previous RCS there have been a number of changes in shopping provision within and outside the District. In addition, the on-going economic downturn has had a significant impact on consumer spending. Accordingly it is an appropriate time to update and refresh the retail evidence base for the District. This study is critically important in providing the Council with advice and guidance on the performance of Coalville town centre and rural service centres in the District, as well as the quantitative and qualitative need for additional comparison (non-food) and convenience (food) retail floorspace over the Council’s Core Strategy period to 2031. 1.3 The focus of the study is on retail uses and does not extend to other ‘town centre’ uses (for example leisure, commercial offices, arts and tourism), although the presence of these facilities are commented on as part of our overall assessment of the centres. The instruction from the Council confirms the principal outcomes which the study seeks to achieve: (i) Provide a review of the updated national and local retail planning policy context; (ii) Review the key retail developments within and surrounding the District since the previous RCS; (iii) Provide updated ‘health check’ assessments of the centres of Coalville, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Castle Donington, Ibstock and Measham; (iv) Provide an updated assessment of shopping patterns of residents in the District, informed by the findings of a new household telephone survey; (v) Provide updated capacity forecasts for comparison and convenience goods floorspace in the District, over the period to 2031; (vi) Based on the findings of (i)-(v), set out a series of strategic recommendations to inform the Council’s emerging Core Strategy. 1.4 Our assessment has been supported by a household survey of shopping patterns of residents of North West Leicestershire District, which was undertaken by NEMS Market Research in October 2012. As no household survey was undertaken in support of the 2007 RCS, this survey supersedes that undertaken in support of the 2005 RCS. Where possible we have sought to keep the key inputs into the household survey — for example the overall study area and disaggregation into survey zones — identical to the previous survey in order to allow for changes in shopping patterns to be evaluated. 1.5 The remainder of the report is structured as follows: . Section 2 sets out the national and local planning policy context for the study; . Section 3 reviews the wider changes in shopping patterns which have taken place subsequent to the previous RCS, including the implications of the economic downturn and the role of online Final Report | March 2013 1 North West Leicestershire Retail Study — 2013 Update shopping. It also contextualises the study by reviewing the major changes in shopping provision which have taken place since the previous household survey, which may influence the shopping patterns of residents; . Section 4 provides updated ‘health check’ assessments of the centres of Coalville, Ashby, Castle Donington, Ibstock and Measham, assessed against indicators set out in national planning policy guidance; . Section 5 sets out the current and expected future levels of spending on comparison and convenience goods shopping within the District (referred to as the ‘study area’ throughout this report); . Section