272. The town, district and local centres in the Borough are an invaluable resource contributing to sustainable development. They provide a concentration of shops, leisure, cultural and entertainment facilities, public services and places of employment and are accessible by public transport, walking and cycling. Their economic performance has been threatened by the forces of out-of-centre competition and this Plan brings forward a policy emphasis aimed at sustaining and enhancing their vitality and viability in line with the policy objectives set out in PPS6 Planning for Town Centres.

 

273. Retailing is an important feature in everyone's life and of great significance to the economy. Despite periodic dips in the economic cycle, growth in retailing is likely to continue. This generates opportunities both for new forms of retail development and for the modernisation and improvement of town, district and local centres. This Plan includes policies and proposals which seek to ensure that wherever possible this growth takes place in the Borough's centres.

 

274. The Borough possesses two town centres serving two distinct and separate catchment areas. Waterlooville Town Centre serves the western area of the Borough including residential settlements lying within the administration boundary of Winchester. Havant Town Centre serves the eastern area of the Borough including Hayling Island and areas lying within West Sussex. In addition, there are four district shopping centres, at Emsworth, Leigh Park, Cowplain and Hayling Island. The greatest proportion of the Borough's retail floor space (68%) is located within the town and district centres. The small local centres, parades and corner shops account for 16% of total floor space and out-of-centre stores account for the remainder.

 

 

 

 

275. The purpose of this policy is to maintain a balance between centres which recognises the different roles they perform in meeting the shopping and other needs of the populations they serve. Retail hierarchy is determined by a number of factors but principally by the size of the centre, its catchment area and the number and presence of multiple retailers and other facilities.

 

276. The two largest centres in the Borough are Havant and Waterlooville which, whilst providing a convenience day to day shopping function, also provide a comparison role with greater market shares in the non-food sector than district and local centres. Leigh Park District Centre is the principal district centre as it possesses a greater number of multiple retailers in comparison with Mengham/Gable Head, Cowplain and Emsworth. As a consequence Leigh Park District Centre performs a more significant non-food shopping role than the three other district centres. The local centres perform a much more limited role than the town and district centres and generally provide for the day to day shopping needs of local residents. Some local centres include community facilities which help maintain centre vitality and this is acknowledged by the Plan through the definition of centre boundaries.

 

277. The boundaries of all the town, district and local centres are shown on the Inset Maps. Generally the boundaries of local and district centres encompass the commercial core of these centres. The boundaries of the two town centres are drawn more widely to acknowledge their wider role in providing a broader range of facilities and services which fulfil a community and civic function in addition to that of shopping.

 

278. Planning permission may be granted for development which changes the existing retail hierarchy if it can be established that there will be a net benefit to the shopping public by doing so and which does not seriously affect the vitality and viability of nearby centres.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

294. Policies TC6, 7 and 8, controlling changes of use, apply to all town and district centres without distinction as do the target representation percentages for Class A1 uses. Each centre has defined primary and secondary frontages and, in the larger centres, tertiary frontages as well. The criteria applying to applications for changes of use in respect of premises located in primary frontages is stricter than those relating to secondary frontages as it is intended to maintain a higher proportion of Class A1 uses in those locations. Rental tone surveys have been carried out by commercial agents for all centres and these surveys have helped define the boundary between primary and secondary frontages. Whilst it is clearly important to maintain the level of retail activity, there is scope for further diversification in the town centres within the secondary and tertiary frontages for uses such as leisure, showrooms and offices.

 

 

 

295. It is considered vitally important to ensure there is a balance between retail and non-retail uses in the town and district centres if their continued attraction to residents is to be maintained. Whilst branches of the clearing banks, financial institutions and other non-retail uses offering services to the public are important, the Council is concerned that these uses should not be allowed to dominate primary frontages in a way which undermines the retail function of a particular centre. The Council will therefore examine the extent to which the retail function of a centre may be undermined by a proposal as to either the whole of the primary frontages or particular sections of them. In terms of the concentration test the policy is aimed at maintaining a 60% baseline target of Class A1 retail representation. This will be measured by unit count and, in certain circumstances, by linear measurement of shopfronts. When planning permission is granted for a non-retail use it may be appropriate to impose a condition requiring a window display to be installed and maintained.

 

 

 

296. Most non-retail uses will be acceptable in secondary shopping frontages subject to the concentration test. The concentration of continuous non-retail frontages would be detrimental to the vitality and attractiveness of a centre and the Council will have regard to this when considering a planning application for change of use. In terms of the concentration test the policy is aimed at maintaining a 40% baseline target of Class A1 retail representation. This will be measured by unit counts and, in certain circumstances, by linear measurement of shopfronts. When planning permission is granted for a non-retail use it may be appropriate to impose a condition requiring a window display to be installed and maintained.

 

 

Planning applications for residential accommodation, Class A2, A3, A4, A5 and B1(a) and other service sector uses, including leisure and entertainment will be permitted at ground floor level in the tertiary shopping frontages shown on the Proposals Map provided they are appropriate in scale and contribute to the vitality and viability of the centre as a whole.

 

297. Non-retail uses will be encouraged in the tertiary frontages in those centres where tertiary frontages are defined on the Proposals Map. Non-retail uses in these areas can include Class B1 (a) development as small scale business uses can take place without damaging the objective of maintaining a centre's vitality and viability. Such developments often provide cheap accommodation for local enterprises and create employment opportunities for the local workforce. Class A1 target representation will not be applied in the case of tertiary frontages nor will it be necessary for the premises to be open to visiting members of the public. Some commercial property originally built as residential accommodation may be suitable for reinstatement and residential conversion will be encouraged in tertiary frontages, where this would be compatible with adjoining uses and the architectural character of the building.

 

 

 

 

 

298. Food and drink uses, as defined by Class A3, A4 and A5 of the Town and Country Planning (Uses Classes) Order 1987 (as amended by the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes)(Amendment) (England) Order 2005) include all proposals for the sale of food or drink for consumption on the premises or of hot food off the premises, for example, public houses, restaurants, wine bars, cafes, snack bars and hot food take-aways.

 

299. Proposals for food and drink outlets can create environmental problems such as noise, fumes, smell, litter, traffic generation and inadequate parking. Of particular concern is the effect this can have on residential amenity, particularly when there is a concentration of residential accommodation nearby. It is recognised that the prevailing characteristics of town and district centres and local centres differ significantly. The existing mix of uses (including other Class A3, A4 and A5 uses), the provision of public car parking and late night activity means that an application for a Class A3, A4 and A5 use may be more acceptable in a town or district centre which has a busier, noisier location with a greater level of activity. It is acknowledged however, that even in town and district centres, residents can still expect a certain level of amenity. Applications for Class A3, A4 and A5 uses in town and district centres which will be detrimental to the existing level of amenity by means of increased odour levels, noise and activity, will normally be resisted.

 

300. In local centres and other areas where the concentration of residential accommodation is higher, it is acknowledged that existing levels of noise and activity are likely to be lower. There is less likely to be a range of public parking facilities. In such locations, applications for a Class A3, A4 and A5 use are to be assessed against a wider set of criteria. Where appropriate, conditions will be attached to permissions for new Class A3, A4 and A5 uses to mitigate any unneighbourly effects of the proposed use. The technical and environmental standards for determining the impact of proposed Class A3, A4 and A5 uses on adjoining or nearby residential property is set out in Supplementary Planning Guidance Control of Class A3 Food and Drink Uses.

 

 

 

 

302. The maintenance of shops will normally be important where they are generally supported by the resident population living nearby, particularly by those residents who do not have the use of a car. The loss of shops in local centres and parades would restrict the range of shopping opportunities, thereby reducing choice and the benefits arising from competition.

 

303. In considering applications for a change of use from retail to non-retail purposes for lack of viability or other reason the Council will take into account the value of the existing retail unit in terms of its size, location, servicing arrangements and its suitability in meeting the operational requirements of retail tenants. The Council will also take into consideration the potential benefits that may be derived by the local community from the introduction of a new non-retail use. When considering applications the Council will wish to be satisfied that wherever possible the proposed development would provide a beneficial use to the local community. Applicants will be expected to supply a statement justifying the change proposed including evidence as to the marketing of the premises for retail purposes.

 

304. Whilst planning policies alone cannot ensure that shops in local centres or parades remain in business, the objective of the policy is to maintain the supply of retail floorspace capable of meeting the day to day shopping requirements of the local community. Some local shops may be suitable for conversion to residential accommodation and this will be encouraged where this would be compatible with adjoining uses and the architectural character of the building.

 

 

 

305. The Council will encourage departures from the established building line at first floor level if, by doing so, it helps to create a more intimate setting, more appropriate to a pedestrian shopping area. Opportunities for these extensions are only likely to arise in Havant and Waterlooville Town Centres where former highways have been closed and the streets converted to pedestrian precincts.

 

 

 

306. The design of shopfronts should relate in scale, character and materials to buildings into which they are set. Fascias should be the minimum depth necessary to include the shop name, function and street number. They should relate well in scale, character and materials to the buildings to which they are affixed and to the line and depth of adjoining shopfront fascias, where appropriate.

 

 

 

307. The need for a policy for security shutters follows the established trend towards the use of roller shutters on shop frontages. In order to deter vandalism and increase the security of their premises, an increasing number of shopkeepers are installing such shutters. In some cases pressure is placed upon shopkeepers by insurance companies to install shutters to protect their expensive plate or laminated glass windows. However, the use of shutters can also create problems. The loss of window lighting given off into the streets encourages an environment where crime is less easily detected and after hours window shopping will be lost when solid shutters are used. The use of shutters can therefore damage the image of the shop and be detrimental to the street scene.

 

308. When significant numbers of shops within a shopping centre install shutters there can be a wider visual impact which creates a damaging impression about the character, prosperity and security of the locality. If members of the public keep away from such locations crime is more likely to occur there. Shops closed, with the shutters drawn down, can also have a detrimental impact on the daytime scene outside normal trading hours. There is clearly a need for a balance to be struck between the interests of crime prevention and the impact on the visual environment. The Council has prepared guidelines seeking to ensure roller shutter installations are as unobtrusive as possible, as set out in Supplementary Planning Security Shutters.