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PART
ll VOLUME 2
Policy Reasoned Justification |
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| Retailing |
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7.1 THE ROLE OF THE PLAN |
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7.2 GOVERNMENT POLICY GUIDANCE |
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7.3 RETAIL TRENDS |
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7.4 ISSUES |
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7.5 OBJECTIVES |
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7.6 POLICY JUSTIFICATION |
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| 7.1 THE ROLE OF THE PLAN |
| 7.1.1 Retailing is a major industry and
a key, dynamic and buoyant sector of the national economy. It is an important
component of everyone's life and is unique in its contribution to the structure
of towns and cities. Retailing is also a major source of employment, accounting
for 11% of all employment and providing approximately 11,900 - jobs in the
District. The location, scale and quality of shopping facilities are important
components in the development and use of land. Consequently, the Unitary
Development Plan incorporates the Council's planning policies to foster
and control the development of new retail facilities. |
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| 7.2 GOVERNMENT POLICY GUIDANCE |
| 7.2.1 The Government's latest planning
policy guidance on retail development is contained in the revised editions
of PPG6 (Town Centres and Retail Development), published in June 1996, and
PPG1 published in February 1997. |
| 7.2.2 The guidance emphasises the importance
of town centres and the need to foster sustainable development. Development
Plans should promote development in town centres, both through policies
and the identification of sites, adopting a sequential approach, in favour
of town centres, to selecting sites for development, for retail, employment,
leisure and other key town centre uses. |
| 7.2.3 Equally, the guidance promotes town
centre management and encourages the preparation of town centre strategies,
in partnership with the private sector. Mixed-use development should be
encouraged in town centres, through the identification of suitable areas
and sites. |
| 7.2.4 The guidance clarifies the key tests
for assessing retail proposals. The onus is placed on a developer to demonstrate
that, in making any proposal for out-of-centre retail, or other town centre
use development, all potential town centre and edge-of-centre options have
been assessed thoroughly. Major out-of-town developments have no place in
the Green Belt nor are they generally acceptable in the open countryside.
Regional Planning Guidance interprets national guidance for Yorkshire and
the Humber. |
| 7.2.5 The policies in Section 7.6 and
the Community Area proposals have been prepared within the context of this
guidance. |
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| 7.3 RETAIL TRENDS |
| 7.3.1 In order to assess retail trends
and shopping patterns the Council has participated in the West Yorkshire
Retail Study (1999). This study provides the background for the retail policies
incorporated in the Plan and are available separately from the Regeneration
Department. |
| 7.3.2 The key retail trends to emerge
and which will continue to influence shopping patterns, retail developments
and planning policies are growth in consumer expenditure and aspirations,
increasing customer mobility, the general trend towards larger shops and
shopping developments and convergence between retailing and leisure activities. |
| 7.3.3 Since 1988 the steady growth in
consumer expenditure has been shadowed by a parallel increase in retail
floorspace and continued growth in spending is likely to require additional
retail floorspace during the period to 2006. |
| 7.3.4 Consumer expenditure and shopping
patterns will reflect consumers growing aspirations. Consumers, who are
becoming more affluent and mobile, are seeking and demanding a better quality
and range of shopping facilities and products, and better shopping environment.
Sophisticated "lifestyle" considerations are increasing the emphasis on
quality and creating new markets. Despite these trends there remains a requirement
to satisfy basic shopping needs conveniently. |
| 7.3.5 Customer mobility, likewise, continues
to improve through the increase in car ownership. The proportion of households
owning cars increased from 54% to 62% between 1981 and 1991. Invariably,
where a car is available it is used for shopping purposes. |
| 7.3.6 In recent years there has been a
marked trend towards larger shops to increase efficiency, achieve economies
of scale and offer a wider range of goods to the customer. This trend has
gone hand in hand with the growth of large retail corporations. The largest
firms in retailing are amongst the largest companies in Britain. Increasingly
many retail sectors are dominated by a few large corporate chains, looking
to expand through extra outlets, by acquisition, segmentation and diversification. |
| 7.3.7 Expansion plans are increasingly
based on a clear corporate strategy and as a result store locations are
becoming more closely matched to store formats. A particular location is
sought for a particular type of outlet and consequently a variety of sites
are sought to accommodate the range of outlets. |
| 7.3.8 A synergy has developed between
retailing and leisure whereby the shopping trip is becoming seen as a day
out rather than simply a regular routine or chore. Further segmentation
has also occurred in the retailing scene, with cafe, snack bar, speciality
coffee shop, restaurant and licensed retail operators responding to the
trend of people choosing to eat out more regularly and contributing to the
concept of the evening economy in town centres. |
| 7.3.9 From these trends is emerging a
polarisation of retailing, both in terms of size of retail units and attractiveness
of shopping centres. The growth of small units is reflected in several innovative
forms, discount stores, convenience 'C' stores, 'metro' stores, small specialist
retailers and single theme retailers. At the other extreme are large units
aimed at economies of scale and dominated by corporate chains, including
freestanding superstores, retail warehouses and retail warehouse parks. |
| 7.3.10 People being increasingly able
to exercise choice in where they go shopping has led to some centres becoming
more attractive. Generally, centres offering a wider range and higher quality
of shopping facilities have prospered. This is reflected in the importance
attached to Wakefield and Leeds. Similarly, large modern purpose built retail
parks catering for bulk purchases of food and a range of comparison goods
have developed in response to this dynamic process and benefited accordingly. |
| 7.3.11 The role of the less attractive
centres, particularly the smallest, will need to change and evolve. In some
centres general shopping facilities can be improved, in others a more specialist
retailing role might be appropriate, whereas others may evolve around a
few key retail units with an increasing number and variety of associated
service activities. |
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| 7.4 ISSUES |
| 7.4.1 A number of important issues have
emerged from the Council's appraisal of shopping patterns, retail trends
and shoppers' comments. These issues are summarised below:- |
- Scope for an additional 3,500 sq. m. net retail floorspace in Wakefield
District in the period 1998 to 2006, to accommodate projected consumer
expenditure growth on comparison goods. This figure is based on maintaining
the existing market shares of centres and excludes any additional requirement
to improve the quality and range of provision. It reflects, in part,
scope for an additional 18,900 sq. m. net retail floorspace in the main
town centres, (notably Wakefield 11,700 sq. m., Pontefract 4,400 sq.
m. and Castleford 2,100 sq. m.) and an oversupply of free-standing retail
warehouse provision of 16,500 sq. m. in the District.
- Need to recognise the importance of town centres as locations for
shopping, particularly for people without access to a car, and the importance
of retailing as the dominant economic activity underpinning the social
and economic life of town centres. The future of town centre shopping
may depend on the decisions of a few multiple retail businesses about
where to locate, so it is important to understand and accommodate their
requirements.
- Need to reconcile a commitment to town centre shopping facilities,
as the basis for the provision of comprehensive shopping facilities
which are accessible to and best serve the community as a whole, with
the location and site requirements of modern retail developments and
car borne shopping.
- Concern about the viability range and quality of shopping provision
in certain centres and the implications of retail decline for land uses,
environmental quality and existing investment in and around the town
centres.
- Importance of a shopping environment which is acceptable to major
retailers and shoppers, with particular emphasis on traffic conditions,
car parking provision, pedestrian / vehicular conflict, ancillary facilities
and quality of urban environment.
- The attraction of town and city centres outside the District, particularly
among car owning households and for clothes and footwear shopping.
- Popularity of modern supermarkets / superstores and local shops for
food and grocery shopping and retail warehouses for furniture, electrical
goods, household furnishings and DIY shopping.
- Implications of retail development for urban regeneration and employment
opportunities and the use of industrial land.
- Need to recognise the convergence between retailing and leisure activities
and encompass both in centres.
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| 7.5 OBJECTIVES |
| 7.5.1 To address these issues and provide
the framework for formulating policies which reinforce the overall aims
of the UDP the following retail objectives have been adopted: |
| i) |
To encourage the provision and distribution
of the fullest range of shopping facilities and modern retailing concepts
which maximise the benefits to the community, and acknowledge the needs
of all sections of the community for convenient access to a wide range of
shops. In particular to: |
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- Support and enhance the role of Wakefield
as a sub-regional centre |
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- Improve the range of national multiple comparison
goods retailers in Castleford and Pontefract. |
| This objective seeks to secure a balance between
the economic, social and environmental considerations associated with the
location of retail investment. It seeks to safeguard the needs of the least
mobile sections of the community: those without a car, the elderly, the
disabled, families with young dependant children, and people on low incomes.
It recognises and seeks to encourage and accommodate modern retailing concepts
which can provide benefits both for the retailers and consumers through
increased efficiency, quality and range of facilities, shop design and shopping
environment. |
| ii) |
To support the continuing role of town and city centres as
the foci of shopping activity and as far as possible to sustain and enhance
their viability and vitality acknowledging the role of individual centres
will change and evolve in a dynamic retail environment. |
| This objective recognises town centres function
as multi-purpose centres, underpinned by retailing, which provide an excellent
distribution of shopping facilities in locations most easily accessible
to the communities which they serve. It is based on the belief that the
general public interest, and especially the needs of the least mobile sections
of the community are best served by these centres which are generally well
served by public transport and which provide a wide and valuable range of
associated facilities, thereby minimising the need for additional trips.
Nevertheless, it recognises that the role of these centres will change and
evolve in a dynamic retail environment in response to modern retailing concepts
and consumer aspirations. |
| iii) |
To renew and improve the shopping environment in town and
city centres, with particular attention to be paid to traffic conditions,
car parking provision, pedestrian / vehicular conflict, provision of associated
facilities and quality of the urban environment. |
| This objective recognises that the shopping environment
in town centres has in many cases been neglected and consequently deteriorated,
that in order to secure the commercial viability and attractiveness of these
centres it is necessary to provide the high quality shopping environment
demanded by investors, retailers and consumers alike. Failure to rectify
the deficiencies will lead to loss of patronage and increase pressure for
free-standing retail developments. |
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| 7.6 POLICY JUSTIFICATION |
| 7.6.1 Shopping policies have been developed
to reflect the changing retail environment, accommodate the aspirations
of both retailers and consumers, satisfy the principles identified in Regional
Planning Guidance and reinforce the Council's development strategy. |
| 7.6.2 The objectives outlined above and
the policies identified below are based on promoting a sequential approach
whereby first preference should be for town centre sites, where suitable
sites or buildings suitable for conversion are available, followed by edge-of-centre
sites, district and local centres and only then out-of-centre sites in locations
that offer a realistic choice of access by public transport, walking and
cycling, in order to maximise the benefits to the community as a whole,
foster regeneration, conserve the environment, and to encourage the efficient
and effective use of infrastructure and finite resources. |
| 7.6.3 It should be noted that all proposals
for retailing development will also be subject to Environment, Transport
and Open Land Policies in addition to those included in this Chapter. |
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| Retail Development in Shopping
Centres |
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| S1 |
RETAIL DEVELOPMENT WILL BE ENCOURAGED AND PERMITTED IN THE
RETAIL AREA OF THE TOWN AND CITY CENTRES AS DEFINED ON THE PROPOSALS MAPS.
IN OTHER RECOGNISED CENTRES RETAIL DEVELOPMENT WILL BE ENCOURAGED ON AN
APPROPRIATE SCALE TO THE NEEDS OF THE AREA SERVED BY THESE CENTRES. DEVELOPMENT
WILL BE SUBJECT TO LOCAL PLANNING, TRAFFIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
AND VIEWED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OR NEAR THE
AREAS AFFECTED. |
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| 7.6.4 Policy S1 reflects the Council's
commitment to town and district shopping facilities, as the basis for the
provision of comprehensive shopping facilities which are accessible to and
best serve the community as a whole. It recognises the current importance
of town centres as locations for shopping, particularly for people without
access to a car, and the importance of retailing as the dominant economic
activity underpinning the social and economic life of town centres. |
| 7.6.5 Policy S1 seeks to reinforce the
role of existing centres as the foci of shopping activity by encouraging
new retail development, redevelopment or refurbishment in these centres
to improve the quality and quantity of shopping provision in line with retailer
and consumer aspirations and needs. Town centres account for approximately
41% of the spending on convenience goods (food and grocery shopping) in
the District, and approximately 78% for comparison goods (non-food shopping). |
| 7.6.6 The town centres in the District
provide an excellent distribution of local facilities in locations most
easily accessible to the free-standing communities which they serve. Indeed,
the smaller the town the more important in its life and that of the surrounding
area is its centre. The value of the range of services and social facilities
available and readily accessible within even the smallest centre must not
be overlooked or prejudiced by inappropriately located retail development.
These centres and facilities are particularly valuable to the least mobile
sections of the community. |
| 7.6.7 Wakefield city centre is the dominant
shopping centre in the District, attracting 7% of the spending on food and
grocery shopping and 48% on non-food shopping, and is likely to remain so.
Nevertheless, in view of major retail attractions, including Leeds city
centre and Meadowhall, outside the District and projected expenditure trends
there is scope, and indeed a need, to supplement the shopping provision.
In particular there is a need to expand the range and quality of comparison
goods shopping in order that Wakefield city centre protects its position.
In this respect the Council will seek to influence and encourage retailers
to introduce quality into retail development and character into the retail
environment. Policy S5 is designed to assist this process. |
| 7.6.8 Wakefield city centre is no longer
a significant destination for food and grocery shopping, spending is lost
to competing modern free-standing superstores. Expanding the range and quality
of convenience goods shops will make Wakefield more attractive for this
type of shopping. |
| 7.6.9 Castleford and Pontefract town centres
provide the most important shopping centres in the Five Towns area, although
Wakefield and Leeds exert a strong influence. Pontefract in particular is
an important shopping destination, attracting 17% of the spending on food
and grocery shopping in the District. Castleford and Pontefract provide
a more restricted range of comparison goods shopping than Wakefield, each
centre suffering from the proximity of the other, neither centre being dominant
and attracting the higher order comparison goods retailers in their full
trading format. |
| 7.6.10 Limited scope exists for new comparison
goods floorspace in Castleford and Pontefract related to growth in consumer
expenditure by 2006. In order to meet residents shopping needs locally and
secure the future of the town centres, it is considered necessary to encourage
development to broaden the range and quality of comparison goods shopping
in the area. |
| 7.6.11 The remaining town centres in the
District provide predominantly convenience shopping facilities for their
immediate locality, supplemented only in South Elmsall by a basic range
of comparison goods provision. There is little likelihood of any of these
centres developing significantly, in view of their small catchment population
and the proximity of large centres. Nevertheless, qualitative improvements
will be encouraged and concentrated in the town centres to reinforce the
economic basis of these centres and to sustain the range of associated commercial
and social facilities available. Certain centres such as Horbury provide
an opportunity to develop a specialist retailing environment based on the
characteristics of the centre and surrounding catchment population. Opportunities
for development in Wakefield city and the other town centres are identified
on the Proposals Maps. |
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| Retail Development on the edge
of Shopping Centres |
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| S2 |
LARGE RETAIL OUTLETS (FOODSTORES AND RETAIL
WAREHOUSES) WHICH CANNOT BE ACCOMMODATED WITHIN THE DEFINED RETAILING AREAS
OF CENTRES WILL BE PERMITTED ON THE FRINGE OF THESE AREAS PROVIDED THAT
THE DEVELOPMENT: |
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LIES WITHIN THE EXISTING URBAN AREA; |
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ii) |
IS READILY ACCESSIBLE BY PEOPLE WHO RELY
ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT, WHETHER AS SHOPPERS OR PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS OF THE WORKFORCE; |
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iii) |
DOES NOT INVOLVE LAND ALLOCATED FOR OTHER
USES; |
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iv) |
IS ON A SCALE APPROPRIATE TO THE NEEDS
OF THE AREA SERVED BY THE ESTABLISHED SHOPPING CENTRE. |
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DEVELOPMENT WILL BE SUBJECT TO LOCAL PLANNING,
TRAFFIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS AND VIEWED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE
NEEDS OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OR NEAR THE AREAS AFFECTED. THE RETAIL OUTLETS
SHOULD COMPLEMENT THE PROVISION WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED SHOPPING CENTRE. |
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| 7.6.12 Policy S2 recognises that certain
modern large retail outlets cannot be accommodated satisfactorily within
established shopping centres. It seeks to locate such outlets on the fringe
of centres within reasonable walking distance and where they might function
as a continuous extension of the centres, although it has to be recognised
that this is not always achieved. |
| 7.6.13 This policy seeks to make provision
for modern retailing concepts which bring benefits to retailers and consumers
alike, in locations which safeguard accessibility by people who rely on
public transport, on land which is often neglected or under-utilised on
the fringe of town centres, providing an opportunity to revitalise traditionally
run-down fringe areas. However, it seeks to avoid retail development on
land allocated for other uses, so that the "hope value" associated with
retail development does not preclude other desirable uses close to the town
centres. To ensure retail development complements the provision within the
established shopping centre planning conditions will be attached, where
appropriate, to regulate the minimum size and sub-division of retail units
and the range of goods sold. It is considered desirable that such outlets
should congregate in the form of a retail warehouse park, wherever possible,
to provide a range of facilities in a single location which can be adequately
served by highway infrastructure and public transport, thereby minimising
the need for additional trips. |
| 7.6.14 A successful form of this type
of development has been encouraged at Ings Road, Wakefield. The original
area has been extended with the development of 20,952 sq. m. net of new
floorspace at the Cathedral and Westgate retail parks, which opened in 1996,
and Albion Mills, which opened in 1999. Equally, this form of development
has provided the opportunity to rectify the lack of retail warehouse provision
in Castleford and Pontefract. The Park Road retail park, which opened in
two phases in 1995 and 1998, provides 6,083 sq. m. net of new floorspace
in Pontefract, supplementing the provison at Enterprise Way, Castleford
and South Baileygate, Pontefract. It is anticipated there will only be limited
smaller scale development associated with other town centres in the District. |
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| Out-of-Centre Retail Development |
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| S3 |
RETAIL DEVELOPMENT IN OUT-OF-CENTRE LOCATIONS
WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED WHERE THE APPLICANT HAS DEMONSTRATED: |
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i) |
THERE IS A CLEARLY DEFINED NEED WHICH CANNOT
BE MET IN AN EXISTING CENTRE WITHIN THE CATCHMENT THAT THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
SERVES; |
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ii) |
THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED, HAVING
BEEN FLEXIBLE ABOUT THE SCALE, FORMAT, DESIGN AND CAR PARKING, CANNOT BE
SATISFACTORILY ACCOMMODATED IN, OR ON THE EDGE OF, EXISTING CENTRES; |
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AND IN SUCH CASES |
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iii) |
IT DOES NOT UNDERMINE THE VIABILITY AND
VITALITY OF EXISTING CENTRES OR SOCIALLY NECESSARY LOCAL SHOPPING FACILITIES,
OR LEAD TO SUBSTANTIAL OVER PROVISION OF SHOPPING FACILITIES; |
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iv) |
IT OFFERS A REALISTIC CHOICE OF ACCESS
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT, WALKING AND CYCLING; |
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v) |
IT DOES NOT INCREASE THE NEED TO TRAVEL
OR RELIANCE ON THE CAR; |
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vi) |
IT DOES NOT INVOLVE LAND ALLOCATED FOR
INDUSTRY / BUSINESS OR OTHER USES, DESIGNATED GREEN BELT OR OPEN LAND; |
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AND IN THE CASE OF LARGE FOOD / CONVENIENCE
OUTLETS: |
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vii) |
IT IS IN A PART OF THE MAIN URBAN AREAS
OF WAKEFIELD, CASTLEFORD OR PONTEFRACT, PROVIDING THAT SUCH DEVELOPMENT
IS ON A SCALE APPROPRIATE TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE LOCALITY. |
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DEVELOPMENT WILL BE SUBJECT TO LOCAL PLANNING,
TRAFFIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS AND VIEWED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE
NEEDS OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OR NEAR THE AREAS AFFECTED. |
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| 7.6.15 Policy S3 recognises there is a
certain degree of retailer and consumer interest in out-of-centre retail
developments. The policy also accommodates outlets selling predominantly
heavy and/or bulky raw materials, motor vehicles and parts, garden centres
and supplies. |
| 7.6.16 Policy S3 seeks to establish the
principles on which out-of-centre development would be acceptable, bearing
in mind the sequential approach and the oversupply of free-standing retail
provision in the District, if existing centres are to retain their market
share, outlined earlier. |
| 7.6.17 The Council has granted planning
consent for a factory outlet centre, consisting of approximately 23,200
sq. m. gross of new floorspace at Glasshoughton, Castleford, which opened
in Autumn 1999. Factory outlet centres group together large numbers of manufacturers
and distributors selling discounted brand name goods. The centre should
offer a range of goods not available in town centres and provide a facility
of regional significance which should attract custom to the Five Towns area
from a wide catchment. |
| 7.6.18 The policy seeks to avoid substantial
over provision of shopping facilities, protect the viability and vitality
of existing centres, which provide an excellent distribution of shopping
facilities well suited to the settlement pattern in the District, and to
safeguard the interests of the least mobile sections of the community. Beyond
this it seeks to maximise the range and quality of shopping provision available
to residents of the District, in locations where it will not lead to an
increase in travel, particularly involving motorised journeys, or reliance
on the car. |
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| Local Shops |
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| S4 |
THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL SHOPPING FACILITIES
TO SERVE THE DAY-TO-DAY NEEDS OF THEIR IMMEDIATE LOCALITY WILL BE ENCOURAGED
AND PERMITTED, SUBJECT TO LOCAL PLANNING, TRAFFIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS. |
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| 7.6.19 Policy S4 makes provision for local
shopping facilities to serve the day-to-day needs of the community. Local
shops remain a major feature of community life, despite a long-term contraction
in numbers. In recent years, however, the concentration of food and convenience
shopping in fewer larger supermarkets has been accompanied by the emergence
of innovative local shop provision, associated with petrol stations, off
licenses and extended opening hours, shops on farms etc. |
| 7.6.20 The Council will seek to ensure
the development of local shops does not contribute to an increase in motorised
journeys, road accidents or other local traffic and environmental problems.
Particular attention will be given to proposals to convert properties to
retail use on principle traffic routes, where the conflicts between traffic,
parked vehicles and pedestrians are potentially most hazardous. Policies
relating to traffic management and car parking associated with development
are incorporated in the Transport section. |
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| Town Centre Management |
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| S5 |
WITHIN TOWN CENTRES THE COUNCIL WILL ENCOURAGE
AND CO-ORDINATE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR INVESTMENT AND ACTION. THE EMPHASIS
WILL BE ON EXPLOITING THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BETTER QUALITY RETAIL DEVELOPMENT,
IMPROVING THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT (INCLUDING PEDESTRIANISATION), TRAFFIC AND
CAR PARKING MANAGEMENT SCHEMES, PROVISION OF HOUSING, ANCILLARY LEISURE
AND SOCIAL FACILITIES, AND PROMOTING THE HERITAGE, ADVANTAGES AND ATTRACTIVENESS
OF TOWN CENTRES. |
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| 7.6.21 Policy S5 recognises that in addition
to controlling the location of new retail investment it is necessary to
improve the environment and management of town centres, if they are to command
the continued support of retailers and consumers. The pressure for out-of-centre
retail development is closely associated with the environment and managerial
problems in town centres. |
| 7.6.22 The town centre needs to be managed
and marketed as an entity and the Council's departmentalised investment
and service delivery programmes need to be co-ordinated and re-orientated
so that the different elements of the centre's role can be woven together
and the inherent conflicts resolved. Close co-operation with the many private
sector interests and investment programmes in the town centres is necessary
to maximise the commitment and benefits accruing to the providers and consumers
of town centre services. The Council will seek to maximise the opportunities
that retail development provides for complementary development to integrate
additional facilities and activities in the town centre and elsewhere. |
| 7.6.23 To facilitate this process the
Council has launched a wide ranging Town Centre Management Initiative. In
Wakefield, a Wakefield City Centre Partnership has been established. The
Council is sharing the funding of this partnership with the private sector
over the first three years. A dedicated town centre manager was appointed
in 1996. The Partnership is working to implement the Wakefield City Centre
Partnership Business Plan 1997 - 2001 "Making the most of your city", aimed
at securing the commercial, social and environmental competitiveness of
Wakefield. In another eight town centres within the District, partnerships,
consisting of local interested persons and organisations of a similar nature
to those involved in the Wakefield City Partnership, have been established.
The centres involved are Castleford, Featherstone, Hemsworth, Horbury, Normanton,
Ossett, Pontefract and South Elmsall. The partnerships are co-ordinating
local initiatives to improve the vitality and viability of the centres.
Town centre strategies will provide the focus for action, including monitoring,
and encompass renewal, widening the range of uses, improving accessibility
as well as new development, within the planning framework set by the UDP. |
| 7.6.24 Town centres must provide a high
quality environment if they are to continue to attract people and prosper.
Opportunities should be taken to improve the urban / civic design associated
with the development, re-development and re-use of large sites in or on
the edge of town centres, as well as for small sites and individual buildings.
Urban design analysis should be undertaken as part of town centre strategies,
to underpin the principles incorporated in the UDP. |
| 7.6.25 Diversity of uses in town centres
and their accessibility to people living and working in the area, make an
important contribution to their vitality and viability. Opportunities for
development in Wakefield city and the other town centres, including suitable
areas and sites for mixed use development, are incorporated in the Plan
as Community Area proposals (Volumes 3, 4, and 5) and identified on the
Proposals Maps. |
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| Non-retail Uses in Shopping
Frontages |
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| S6 |
IN TOWN CENTRES NON-RETAIL USES WILL BE
PERMITTED SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA IN DESIGNATED CENTRES: |
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i) |
IN PRIMARY SHOPPING FRONTAGES NON-RETAIL
USES ARE RESTRICTED TO CLASS A2 AND A3 OF THE USE CLASSES ORDER 1987; |
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ii) |
IN PRIMARY SHOPPING FRONTAGES ONLY IN EXCEPTIONAL
CIRCUMSTANCES WILL CORNER PROPERTIES BE PERMITTED TO CHANGE FROM RETAIL
TO A NON-RETAIL USE; |
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iii) |
IN PRIMARY FRONTAGES THE PREDOMINANTLY
RETAIL CHARACTER AND FUNCTION OF THE FRONTAGE MUST BE RETAINED. |
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SUBJECT TO LOCAL PLANNING, TRAFFIC AND
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS. |
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| 7.6.26 This policy aims to ensure that
changes of use within the shopping frontages of town centres take place
without undermining their shopping function. It is hoped that this will
encourage the entrepreneur and give certainty to existing traders. |
| 7.6.27 The policy recognises that space
in shopping frontages can usefully be taken by non-retail uses. Such uses
can add to the variety, attractiveness and economic activity of the centre,
but only so long as they do not concentrate within primary frontages so
that the retail character of the immediate area is undermined, and do not
deter the movement of shoppers in a particular direction within the centre. |
| 7.6.28 The policy applies different levels
of planning control to primary and secondary shopping locations. It is recognised
that certain non-retail uses can be satisfactorily located in primary frontages
subject to the safeguards set out. These frontages are the backbone of the
shopping centre. Certain non-retail uses can enhance the facilities offered
to shoppers, but safeguards are required to ensure that the predominantly
retail character of these frontages is not undermined. Other non-retail
uses would have this effect and are therefore not acceptable. |
| 7.6.29 To help retain the continuity of
these primary frontages, adjoining non-retail uses will only be permitted
where there are no detrimental effects. The Council will also seek to prevent
the over-intensification of a particular type of outlet in a frontage, where
the cumulative effects can cause local problems, and in order to retain
interest and variety in the street scene. Whether a particular non-retail
service is sufficiently represented in a shopping centre is not a material
consideration, but a matter of commercial judgement. |
| 7.6.30 Non-retail uses can be located
in other shopping frontages, subject to more limited safeguards. These shopping
frontages already provide a range of non-retail services. There is no objection,
in principle, to changes to non-retail uses which can usefully take frontage
space, provided that the frontage remains broadly retail in character and
does not lead to unacceptable new concentrations of single uses. |
| 7.6.31 To implement this policy, the designated
town centres and their relevant shopping frontages are identified on the
Proposals Maps. Only those parts of the centres occupied primarily for retail
purposes and having a recognised central area shopping function are included.
Fragmented shopping uses in peripheral locations are not included because
it is recognised that these areas are the most sensitive to market changes
and to be over restrictive in terms of permitted uses could damage their
economic viability and vitality. Certain centres, particularly the smaller
ones, are not designated so as to provide greater flexibility for these
centres to adapt and evolve in a dynamic retail environment, to ensure the
centres continue to prosper and provide a valuable range of relevant services
and facilities for their surrounding communities. |
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| Supplementary Planning Guidance |
| 7.6.32 A series of Development Control
Guidelines have been approved by the Council to further assist the control
of development. These guidelines are listed in Appendix 1 and they will
constitute material considerations in the determination of planning applications.
Here attention is drawn to guidelines relating to: Shopfront Design; Shopfront
Signs and Advertisements; Shopfront Security, which provide design guidance
consistent with the Environment policies. |
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