Charnwood Borough Council Retail and Town Centres Study December 2018 Final Report Prepared on behalf of WYG Environment Planning Transport Limited. Quay West at MediaCityUK, Trafford Wharf Road, Trafford Park, Manchester, M17 1HH Tel: +44 (0)161 872 3223 Fax: +44 (0)161 872 3193 Email: [email protected] Website: www.wyg.com WYG Environment Planning Transport Limited. Registered in England & Wales Number: 03050297 Registered Office: Arndale Court, Otley Road, Headingley, Leeds, LS6 2UJ Charnwood Retail and Town Centres Study Contents 1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Instruction ................................................................................................................. 4 1.2 Structure of Report ..................................................................................................... 5 2.0 Current and Emerging Retail and Leisure Trends ...................................................... 6 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Polarisation and the Decline of Secondary Centres ........................................................ 6 2.3 The End of the ‘Big Four Space Race’ and the Rise of the Discounter ............................. 8 2.4 Special Forms of Trading ...........................................................................................11 2.5 Leisure and the Appetite for Additional Food and Drink ................................................13 2.6 Brexit ........................................................................................................................14 2.7 Implications for Charnwood........................................................................................15 3.0 Planning Policy Context ........................................................................................ 18 3.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................18 3.2 National Planning Policy Framework............................................................................18 3.3 Ensuring the Vitality of Town Centres Planning Practice Guidance.................................21 3.4 Relaxation of Permitted Development Rights ...............................................................22 3.5 Charnwood Development Plan Policy ..........................................................................24 3.6 Charnwood Local Plan 2011 to 2028 Core Strategy ......................................................25 3.7 Borough of Charnwood Local Plan 1991 – 2006 ...........................................................29 3.8 Loughborough Town Centre Masterplan ......................................................................29 4.0 Health Checks of Centres in Charnwood Borough .................................................... 33 4.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................33 4.2 Sub-Regional Retail Context .......................................................................................34 4.3 Loughborough Town Centre Health Check ..................................................................38 4.4 District Centre Health Checks .....................................................................................41 4.5 Local Centre Health Checks ........................................................................................52 5.0 Original Market Research ...................................................................................... 61 5.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................61 5.2 Study Area ................................................................................................................61 5.3 Household Survey......................................................................................................63 5.4 Assessment of Retail Shopping Patterns ......................................................................63 www.wyg.com creative minds safe hands Charnwood Retail and Town Centres Study 5.5 Convenience Goods Shopping Patterns .......................................................................66 5.6 Comparison Goods Shopping Patterns .........................................................................71 5.7 Customer Behaviour ..................................................................................................77 6.0 Population and Expenditure .................................................................................. 81 6.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................81 6.2 Study Area Population ...............................................................................................81 6.3 Retail Expenditure .....................................................................................................84 6.4 Convenience Goods Expenditure .................................................................................87 6.5 Comparison Goods Expenditure ..................................................................................88 7.0 Retail Capacity in Charnwood Borough ................................................................... 90 7.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................90 7.2 Capacity Formula .......................................................................................................90 7.3 Future Capacity for Convenience Goods Floorspace .....................................................91 7.4 Future Capacity for Comparison Goods Floorspace .......................................................98 7.5 Qualitative Need ...................................................................................................... 103 8.0 Commercial Leisure Needs .................................................................................. 110 8.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 110 8.2 Participation Rates ................................................................................................... 110 8.3 Bingo ...................................................................................................................... 111 8.4 Cinema ................................................................................................................... 113 8.5 Ten Pin Bowling ...................................................................................................... 115 8.6 Health and Fitness Centres ....................................................................................... 117 8.7 Food and Drink........................................................................................................ 120 8.8 Other Leisure Uses .................................................................................................. 122 9.0 Potential Development Sites................................................................................ 123 9.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 123 9.2 Summary of Site Assessments .................................................................................. 124 9.3 Loughborough Town Centre Masterplan Opportunity Sites ......................................... 127 9.4 Capacity to Meet Identified Needs ............................................................................ 128 10.0 Key Findings and Policy Recommendations ........................................................... 131 10.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 131 10.2 Quantitative Need.................................................................................................... 133 10.3 Qualitative Need ...................................................................................................... 134 www.wyg.com creative minds safe hands Charnwood Retail and Town Centres Study 10.4 Key Findings: Commercial Leisure............................................................................. 137 10.5 Recommended Site Allocations ................................................................................. 139 10.6 Policy Recommendations: Defined Centre Boundaries ................................................ 143 10.7 Recommended Local Impact Threshold ..................................................................... 148 Glossary of Terms ...................................................................................................... 154 Appendices Appendix 1. Study Area Plan Appendix 2. Loughborough Town Centre Health Check Assessment Appendix 3. Loughborough Town Centre Diversity of Use and Recommended Centre Boundary Plans Appendix 4. District and Local Centres Health Check Assessments Appendix 5. District and Local Centres Diversity of Use and Recommended Centre Boundary Plans Appendix 6. Household Survey Questionnaire and Results Appendix 7. Shopping Patterns and Quantitative Retail Capacity Tables Appendix 8. Existing Foodstore Provision and Defined Centre Catchment Plans Appendix 9. Potential Development Site Assessment