Padiham Town Centre Retail, Office and Leisure Study Final Report January 2010 Burnley Borough Council Padiham Town Centre Retail, Office and Leisure Study CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 1 2. LOCAL CONTEXT ................................................................................................... 4 3. PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK........................................................................ 7 4. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ........................................................................... 13 5. HEALTHCHECK ASSESSMENT........................................................................... 18 6. IN-CENTRE SHOPPER SURVEY .......................................................................... 23 7. RETAILER BUSINESS SURVEY........................................................................... 32 8. TOWN CENTRE MARKET FEASIBILITY .............................................................. 39 9. RETAIL CAPACITY METHODOLOGY .................................................................. 44 10. CONVENIENCE RETAIL ANALYSIS..................................................................... 50 11. COMPARISON RETAIL ANALYSIS ...................................................................... 56 12. BULKY COMPARISON RETAIL ANALYSIS......................................................... 61 13. PPS4 ASSESSMENT............................................................................................. 65 14. LEISURE ASSESSMENT....................................................................................... 79 15. OFFICE MARKET ASSESSMENT......................................................................... 83 16. CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................... 96 APPENDICES 1. RETAIL STUDY CATCHMENT PLAN 2. CONVENIENCE RETAIL CAPACITY ASSESSMENT 3. COMPARISON RETAIL CAPACITY ASSESSMENT 4. BULKY GOODS RETAIL CAPACITY ASSESSMENT 5. RETAIL BUSINESS SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE 6. FOOTFALL SURVEY LOCATION PLAN January 2010 Burnley Borough Council Padiham Town Centre Retail, Office & Leisure Study 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 GVA Grimley was appointed by Burnley Borough Council in September 2009 to prepare a Retail, Office and Leisure Study of Padiham town centre. The study seeks to provide a comprehensive picture of and identify the potential requirements for new floorspace on the basis of current local shopping and leisure patterns and office requirements. 1.2 The study will primarily inform the Padiham Area Action Plan (AAP) which the Council is presently preparing to comprehensively guide investment, regeneration and conservation of the town centre. The study will also provide a robust evidence base to assist the Council to make informed development control decisions on future retail, office and leisure proposals. 1.3 The main terms of reference for the assessment can be summarised as follows: • To understand the existing shopping and leisure behaviour of local residents living within and adjacent to Padiham and to identify convenience, comparison and bulky expenditure patterns through commissioning detailed survey-based evidence. • To undertake a PPS4 compliant healthcheck assessment of the town centre, qualitatively appraising it against previous healthcheck exercises. • To assess the future quantitative capacity and qualitative need for additional retail, office and leisure floorspace in the town centre. • To critically assess the feasibility of re-establishing a regular market in the town; • To provide strategic advice on the overall future retail need and confirm an appropriate forward development strategy for Padiham to be taken forward through the Area Action Plan (AAP) and wider LDF process. 1.4 The study is informed by two independent survey exercises, firstly full in-centre shopper surveys of town centre visitors and secondly a catchment-wide household telephone survey. The in-centre shopper survey has been designed in conjunction with the Council to determine: • The profile of visitors and shoppers to the town centre. • The strengths and weaknesses of the town centre in terms of the existing retail offer, wider facilities and town centre environment. • Patterns of usage for the centre (i.e. frequency of visits, modal split, dwell times). January 2010 1 Burnley Borough Council Padiham Town Centre Retail, Office & Leisure Study • Suggested qualitative improvements which would persuade shoppers to visit or stay in the centre more frequently. 1.5 The household telephone survey exercise informs the quantitative component of the study, identifying the current market share performance of the town and its individual stores. The ability to quantify the survey results in monetary terms enables a detailed understanding of the implications for potential expenditure growth in relation to existing and planned retail floorspace provision. 1.6 The results of the full quantitative analysis and qualitative appraisal (including healthcheck assessment) along with the identification of planned and proposed improvements in competing centres, are drawn together to provide a set of recommendations to enable the Borough Council to proactively plan for future development. 1.7 The conclusions represent a ‘point-in-time’ assessment which can be used to inform policy which in all probability will be expected to endure for a number of years. The current economic conditions may however have a short-term impact on existing provision (e.g. store closures) and the deliverability of developments; the study has therefore sought to reflect the current economic situation through sensitivity testing. 1.8 It will however be important that the Borough Council continues to monitor the health of the town centre through its forward planning function, adopting and revisiting the town centre strategy to address changing circumstances. REPORT STRUCTURE 1.9 In accordance with the terms of the Study Brief this report is structured as follows: PART ONE – BACKGROUND DETAIL AND CONTEXT • Section 2 – Local Context ; profiles the town centre and surrounding centres, detailing the existing and emerging pattern of retail and leisure provision which could potentially impact upon the future performance of Padiham. • Section 3 – Planning Policy Framework ; sets out the emerging national, regional and local planning policy framework which will guide forward policy development. • Section 4 – Background Information ; reviews and summarises the main findings of previous studies for Padiham. January 2010 2 Burnley Borough Council Padiham Town Centre Retail, Office & Leisure Study PART TWO – QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT • Section 5 – Healthcheck Assessment ; assesses the performance of the town centre against the vitality and viability criteria set out in PPS4. The assessment seeks to comparatively assess and benchmark Padiham against available local and regional data and provide a baseline for future monitoring. • Section 6 – In-Centre Survey ; draws out the main qualitative results of the comprehensive in-centre survey undertaken within the town centre. • Section 7 – Business Survey ; summarises the main findings of the retailer survey that was hand-delivered to businesses in the town centre. • Section 8 – Town Centre Market ; critically assesses the commercial feasibility of re- establishing a market in Padiham town centre. PART THREE – QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT • Section 9 - Research Methodology ; sets out the methodology underpinning the quantitative capacity modelling exercise. • Sections 10 to 12 – Quantitative Assessment ; reviews the current and future retail performance and market shares of the town centre in respect to convenience and comparison (high street and bulky durable) retail provision. • Section 13 – PPS4 Assessment ; balances the potential positive and negative benefits arising from provision of a new foodstore in Padiham. • Section 14 - Leisure Assessment ; summarises local residents existing leisure patterns for different leisure activities including cinema, gym and socialising. • Section 15 – Office Assessment ; identifies existing patterns of office activity in the town centre and forecasts future demand. PART FOUR – CONCLUSIONS AND STRATEGIC ADVICE • Section 16 – sets out our recommendations in terms of forward strategy for Padiham. 1.10 The conclusions of the town centre study also inform a critique of emerging development proposals for a new foodstore on the edge of the town centre. Analysis of the applicant’s retail impact assessment is however set out in a separate report. January 2010 3 Burnley Borough Council Padiham Town Centre Retail, Office & Leisure Study 2. LOCAL CONTEXT PADIHAM 2.1 Padiham is the second largest settlement in Burnley with a population of c. 9,000 inhabitants. The town is located 3 miles to the north west of Burnley and serves a wide rural hinterland including the nearby settlements of Hapton, Read, Simonstone, Higham and Sabden. 2.2 The historic core of the town, situated on a meander in the River Calder, is a conservation area and retains much of the character of a pre-industrial market town. Burnley Road and Church Street (A671) form the main route through this linear town centre and accommodate the majority of retail and service uses, most of which are local in nature. This thoroughfare is also the main focus of the evening economy with several pubs and bars complemented by restaurants and hot-food takeaway outlets. 2.3 The built form within the