East Lindsey Local Plan 2001 - 2021

CHAPTER 3
Environment

CHAPTER 7: SHOPPING

Objectives

• To protect and improve the vitality and viability of town centres through encouraging a mix of new development and a programme of conservation and environmental regeneration.
• To maintain and use the shopping centre hierarchy to bring optimum benefits to everyone in East Lindsey.
• To make market towns even more attractive to shoppers and visitors.
• To maintain, and where possible, improve shopping, cultural and business facilities in the towns and villages.
• To make sure everyone has access to a good choice of quality shopping facilities.
• To control new retail development outside shopping centres so that it does not harm the vitality and viability of existing centres or cause environmental problems.

SHOPPING

• Policy S1 - Town Centre Retail Strategy
• Policy S2 - Development in Town Centres
• Policy S3 - Development in the Primary Shopping Areas
• Policy S4 - Large Retail Stores
• Policy S5 - Retailing from Industrial Estates or Premises
• Policy S6 - Hot Food Take-away and Licensed Premises
• Policy S7 - Retailing in the Countryside

7.1 Due largely to its relative isolation on the periphery of the East Midlands region, East Lindsey has developed a stable hierarchy of shopping centres which trade – albeit at a lower order level – almost independently of the remainder of the region.

7.2 The East Lindsey Retail Study of 1999 identified Louth and Skegness as the main district centres; Horncastle and Mablethorpe as higher order centres; and Alford, Spilsby and Coningsby/Tattershall as secondary centres serving a more local catchment population. Below this level, village shops primarily focus on meeting essential local needs.

7.3 The relative stability afforded by regional isolation has allowed an unusually high proportion of small independent retailers to operate successfully, often on the margins of profitability; something which would not be possible in the more competitive higher-order centres. This has added to the attractiveness and quality of the shopping experience in many of the District’s historic market towns.

7.4 However, the shopping centres in East Lindsey have lost a considerable amount of higher-order and specialist trade to the regional and sub-regional centres. This has had the effect of restricting the range of goods on offer and, therefore, detracting from the shopping experience.

7.5 The East Lindsey Retail Study has identified both the need and opportunity to increase the choice of goods offered by large scale convenience and comparison stores - thereby “clawing back” some of the trade currently leaking out of the district. This Plan aims to strengthen the towns’ shopping offer and attractiveness- and consequently improve their vitality and viability - through allocating sites and proactive policies to encourage new stores in and around the town centres.

7.6 Recognising the key role played by shopping in sustaining the health and vitality of town centres and the District’s economy generally, the following objectives have been drawn up to guide the Plan’s shopping and town centre policies:-

• To protect and improve the vitality and viability of town centres through encouraging a mix of new development and a programme of conservation and environmental regeneration.
• To maintain and use the shopping centre hierarchy to bring optimum benefits to everyone in East Lindsey.
• To make market towns even more attractive to shoppers and visitors.
• To maintain, and where possible, improve shopping, cultural and business facilities in the towns and villages.
• To make sure everyone has access to a good choice of quality shopping facilities.
• To control new retail development outside shopping centres so that it does not harm the vitality and viability of existing centres or cause environmental problems.

Policy S1 - Town Centre Retail Strategy

• it is of a scale and type appropriate to the role of the centre;
• it respects and complements the prevailing architectural style, historical character and townscape;
• it relates well - spatially, visually and functionally -to adjoining buildings and public spaces.

Elsewhere in towns and in villages, such development on a small scale will be permitted where:-

• it makes a significant contribution to the facilities available to the local neighbourhood or village community; or
• it is essential in that location to meet a specific local need; or
• there are no suitable sites in, or nearer to, a town or service village centre.

• have a rich variety and choice of shops and services to draw in people from the whole catchment area, during the day and in the evening;
• be accessible by a range of transport means and allow everyone to move around easily; and be of the highest quality environment,
• be of distinctive character and be safe.

7.8 A vital and viable town centre has a healthy mix of retail, business, cultural, residential, public service, leisure and entertainment uses. In particular, it should aim to include a variety of multiple retailers; a variety of high quality independent and specialist retailers; restaurants, pubs, cafes and clubs; a distinctive market; cinema or theatre; public art; civic and public spaces; library and/or museum; over-the-shop living accommodation; financial services; some housing; offices and only a few, if any, empty premises.

7.9 It should be easily accessible through having safe and convenient car parks; pedestrian and cyclist priority areas; appropriate traffic calming and management measures; distinctive entrance/gateway features; a strong and convenient public transport node; easy access for all groups of people and good signage.

7.10 It should be set in an attractive environment characterised by high quality design of new development; regenerated historic buildings and refurbished shop-fronts; attractive public spaces; a human scale; and being free of clutter, unnecessary traffic and obtrusive advertising.

7.11 The Plan’s policies and proposals have been drawn up to help town centres achieve their full potential. By the end of the plan period, in 2021, we can expect the towns’ catchment-area populations to have grown by up to 25% and this will clearly both place additional pressure on town centres and provide opportunities for them to expand their range and quality of goods and services to create even more vital and vibrant town centres.

7.12 The Plan has allowed for the longer term physical expansion of town centres whilst putting policies in place to direct a widening mix of retail, cultural, leisure, business and residential uses towards the town centres where the economies of scale and increased vitality and viability can bring benefits to a wider range of communities throughout the District.

7.13 In general, the Council will look more favourably on proposals in and alongside town centres which;

• add to, or help create, a healthy mix of town centre uses;
• respond to changing or contemporary social or economic needs;
• locate major travel generators in or alongside town centres;
• make use of shared car parking;
• provide new facilities to encourage walking, cycling or the use of public transport;
• improve traffic management;
• protect and improve the townscape and built fabric of the town centre;
• restore or enhance local historic character;
• introduce appropriate residential development into the town centre;
• add to, and certainly do not detract from, the vitality and viability of the town centre.

7.14 Suburban neighbourhoods and villages benefit from local shops and services and proposals to introduce these will be widely supported provided they are of a suitable scale and don’t conflict with other policies and objectives of the Plan.

7.15 In particular, village shops and small neighbourhood shops outside the town centre will be allowed where they serve a local need, provide sufficient on or off-street parking and don’t harm nearby residential amenities.

  Policy S2 – Development in Town Centres

• the development or conversion of upper floors to residential or office accommodation will be permitted provided it doesn’t harm local amenities;
• development affecting an historic or traditional shop-front shall be permitted only if the existing shop-front is retained, restored or replaced with one which adds to the overall character of the street scene;
• advertisements will not be permitted if, by their design, size, positioning, illumination, style or materials they would pose a risk to public safety or would harm the character of the street scene.

7.17 The Council wants to encourage bringing upper floors back into use, both to overcome these problems and to add to the healthy mix of town centre activities. It shall help this along by offering historic building grants where appropriate throughout the District and by offering grants under the Heritage Economic Regeneration Schemes in Spilsby, Wragby, Tattershall, Burgh le Marsh and Woodhall Spa and the Townscape Heritage Initiatives in Alford and Louth.

7.18 At the same time, the Council will prevent development from taking place if it would cut off access to upper floors of town centre premises to prevent or hinder their future use.

7.19 Historic shop-fronts contribute significantly to the character of the historic market town centres and are particularly important in drawing attention to the small independent and specialist retail outlets. They are an important design consideration in any town centre shop redevelopment proposal and developers are strongly advised to consult with the Council’s planning or conservation officers before submitting a planning application.

7.20 Similarly, shop fascia and projecting signs and advertisements can have a big impact on the local street scene and the overall quality of the town centre. In applying the Control of Advertisement Regulations, the Council will consider a proposal’s impact on, or contribution to, local amenity, architectural and townscape quality and historical context as well as being guided by the Highway Authority on matters of public safety.

7.20a Forecourt trading, associated with an existing shop alongside, can add to the vitality of a town centre and, provided there is no risk to pedestrian safety or mobility or to the general amenities or character of the area, there should be no objection in principle to such a use in a shopping centre.

Policy S3 - Development in the Primary Shopping Areas

• new development or changes of use will not be permitted which will result in a net loss of retail floorspace or shop window display or the loss of a retail unit;
• off street car parking will not be allowed with any new development;
• the development of gaming or amusement centres will not be permitted, even if they have shop window displays.

7.22 Because any loss of a retail use to a non-retail use in a primary shopping frontage would likely be long term, any exception to this policy should only be considered if it would result in long-term benefits to the town centre’s attractiveness, vitality and viability that could not be achieved by retaining a retail use.

7.23 Car parking is an unnecessary and unsustainable intrusion into a primary shopping area where the safety and comfort of the pedestrian is paramount and the loss of developable space to such a non-productive use should be avoided.

7.24 In line with PPG6 and Policy EC17, the Council will not permit an Amusement Centre within an area of protected shopping frontage.

  Policy S4 - Large Retail Stores

• Watermill Basin, Horncastle
• High Street, Mablethorpe
• Kiln Lane, Louth
• Richmond Drive, Skegness

Land is allocated at North Holme Road, Louth and Wainfleet Road, Skegness where development of large scale comparison goods retail stores, retail warehouses and showrooms for vehicles, machinery or bulky goods will be permitted provided:-

a) it cannot be satisfactorily located in or alongside the town centre because of its large scale or operation or the bulky nature of the goods for sale; or

b) there is no suitable site available, or building suitable for conversion, in or alongside the town centre; and

c) it is clearly shown not to undermine the vitality and viability of the town centre.

Elsewhere, the development of a large scale convenience or comparison goods retail store will be permitted only:-

a. within a defined town centre where development of the site would not increase traffic congestion in the town centre, or replace existing retail units which contribute to the vitality and viability of the town centre, or harm the character of the town centre:

b. on the edge of a town centre where:-

1. the need for the proposed store has been demonstrated;

2. because of its scale or operation, it cannot be satisfactorily located within the town centre or on an allocated site; and

3. it is within easy walking distance of the primary shopping area or heart of the town centre; and

4. it is clearly shown not to undermine the vitality or viability of the town centre; and

5. any operational car parking can be made available also for town centre use; and

6. its location and design will not increase traffic congestion within the town centre or harm its historic or architectural character:

c. outside and away from a town centre only where:-

1. the need for the proposed store has been demonstrated; and

2. there are no suitable sites or buildings suitable for conversion within, or on the edge of, the town centre; and

3. it can be clearly shown not to undermine the vitality and viability of the town centre or of any nearby town or service village centre; and

4. the site is not allocated for another use or would be suitable for the development of housing within the terms of policy H2; and -

5. it is clearly well related to the main road network in a location which is convenient and accessible to public and private transport and does not give rise to traffic congestion or highway danger; and

6. its design and operation will not harm nearby residential amenities or the character of the built environment.

In all cases where planning permission is granted, conditions may be attached, or planning obligations may be required, to:-

1. control the ratio of floorspace given over to convenience and comparison goods within a store;

2. require a minimum size of unit which may not thereafter be subdivided into smaller units;

3. restrict the range of goods to be sold from a comparison goods store to non-food, bulky goods, including:-

• D.I.Y., home improvement, garden centre and associated products,
• Furniture and furnishings
• Carpets and other floor coverings
• Auto and cycle parts and accessories
• Domestic electrical products (white goods)
• Office equipment and furniture
• Security services and equipment.

4. provide essential transport facilities and linkages, including pedestrian access, to the town centre;

5. provide facilities on or off site which allow groups of people with special needs to gain easy access to the store.

7.26 The Plan identifies opportunities for expanding convenience and comparison goods shopping to improve the choice and quality of goods available to shoppers and to reclaim some of the expenditure currently being “leaked” to higher-order centres beyond the District’s boundaries.

7.27 In allocating sites in those settlements for those uses, the Council has taken account of the need for such development, applied the sequential approach to selecting a site and is satisfied that their development would add to, or at least not harm, the vitality and viability of the existing town centres. The Council will permit retail development on the allocated sites in preference to any other out-of-town-centre site.

7.28 Otherwise, the Council will adopt a six-step approach to considering proposals for major retail development, including stores, and developers are advised to do likewise.

• Step 1 - Assess the need for the development

7.29 Whilst the East Lindsey Retail Study has identified need which this Plan has tried to address, subsequent development and changes in market circumstances may allow further large scale retail development proposals to be considered in the plan period. It should not be necessary to assess need for proposals within an existing town centre.

7.30 An assessment of quantitative need should relate directly to the type of goods to be sold (rather than a business-based assessment). The need for extra floorspace should be assessed no more than five years ahead as town centre sites may become available in that time.

7.31 An assessment of qualitative need should identify any shortfalls in choice or retail offer available to all consumers, particularly socially-excluded groups.

• Step 2 – Select an appropriate scale of development

7.32 The choice of scale of new development should relate directly to the role and function of the centre within the overall hierarchy of centres, the pattern of existing development in the centre, its environmental capacity and the predominant scale of existing buildings.

• Step 3 – Apply a sequential test to site selection

7.33 First preference should be given to locations within existing town centres where suitable sites – or buildings suitable for conversion – are, or will become, available and proposals can satisfy all normal development control criteria.

7.34 Failing this, preference will be given to an edge-of-town centre site that has strong functional and physical links to the town centre so that development there would add to the economic strength of the centre. Parking facilities must be capable of being provided in such a position as to enable one trip to serve several purposes.

7.35 It should be within easy walking distance of the town centre which, in the case of East Lindsey’s town centres, is considered to be within 300 metres of the primary shopping frontages. Any barriers or impediments to pedestrian movement between the two locations (such as steep slopes or intersecting main roads) will make the choice of site less acceptable; as will a route which is featureless, unattractive, indirect or potentially unsafe.

7.36 Only if more central sites are clearly shown to be unavailable, unsuitable for the type of development proposed and would not yield a viable development should a location be considered out of the town centre. Such locations would offer a one-stop shopping facility which could draw trade away from existing centres, both from those outside the District (which is acceptable) and also from town centres inside the District (which is acceptable) and also from town centres inside the District.

• Step 4 – Assess the impact on the vitality and viability of existing town centres

7.37 Impact assessments should be undertaken where edge-of-centre or out-of-centre development is proposed. In particular, they should assess:-

• How the proposed development would affect the role of the centre within the local hierarchy of centres;
• The likely impact, both positive and negative, of the proposed development on trade/turnover and on the vitality and viability of existing centres and on the rural economy;
• The potential for “clawing back” trade expenditure which has leaked to other higher order centres;
• Potential positive and negative changes to the quality and character of the centre and to its role in the economic and social life of the community;
• Any changes to services and facilities currently available to the centre;
• The likely impact on the number of vacant premises in the centre;
• The likely impact on rental values and yield of town centre retail premises.

7.38 We suggest that, in order to allow the Council to adequately judge the impact of such edge-of-centre or out-of-centre proposals, developers provide the following up-to-date information with any planning application for retail development of over 1,000 square metres nett floorspace:-

• A reasoned and realistic definition of the town centre’s catchment area and population profile;
• A calculation of the available expenditure in the catchment area for food/non-food shopping as appropriate;
• The total floorspace of food/non-food retail outlets in the town centre and that of the proposed development;
• A calculated estimate of the total turnover of food/non-food retail outlets in the town centre and that of the proposed development;
• A calculation of the amount of leakage of catchment area expenditure to other competing centres;
• A calculation of the optimum turnover capacity for food/non-food shopping in the town centre;
• A calculation of any quantitative shortfall of food/non-food expenditure/floorspace in the town centre;
• A reasoned assessment of the amount of expenditure to be “clawed back” from competing centres by the proposed development;
• A calculation of the amount of expenditure to be diverted from the town centre to the proposed development.

7.39 In addition, if a qualitative analysis is to form part of the overall assessment of impact then it should include reference to, and take account of, the number of multiple retailers present in the centre; the number or percentage of vacant premises; the diversity and range of goods on offer; environmental quality; rental values; yield; and shoppers’ habits and preferences.

• Step 5 – Ensure locations are accessible

7.40 Even though car-dependency is high in East Lindsey due to its extremely rural character, the Council is committed to pursuing the government’s aim of reducing the need to travel and thereby saving energy resources and reducing CO2 emissions. It can do this by facilitating multi-purpose journeys by locating target destinations together. Wherever possible, therefore, it will try to keep jobs, shopping, leisure facilities and other services together in the town centres. At the same time this would ensure that everyone has access to the widest possible range of facilities and services by a range of means of transport, including walking, cycling and public transport.

7.41 It is important, therefore, that sites for retail development, if they are not in the town centre, should be capable of being served by a range of means of transport and that they should not impact harmfully on local traffic conditions or safety. A traffic impact assessment is likely to be required with applications for all major retail development proposals, including those within the town centre.

• Step 6 – Test development proposals against all development control criteria and other material planning considerations

7.42 Factors such as the benefits of physical regeneration, creation of significant net employment opportunities, increased investment in the local economy and rectifying social exclusion may prove to be material planning considerations to be weighed with or against any of the matters referred to previously.

7.43 Normal development control criteria relating to, for instance, site access, protection of amenity, design or infrastructure provision will still be applied, even after the major impact assessment. Early discussion with the Council’s planning and conservation officers may highlight any such issues at an early stage and prevent a great deal of possibly unnecessary time-consuming and expensive technical assessment.

  Policy S5 - Retailing from Industrial Estates or Premises

a) it is ancillary to the main industrial or warehouse use; or

b) it complies with the criteria of policies S1 or S4.

7.45 Policy S4 makes provision for those retail-based warehouses, car showrooms and bulky comparison goods stores that cannot be located in or closer to the town centres. But there may other cases where manufacturers may have an ancillary retail or trade outlet as part of their factory or warehouse unit. Provided it remains ancillary to the principal manufacturing or warehousing operation and can satisfy all other relevant policy criteria, such limited retail use will be allowed under policy S5.

Policy S6 - Hot Food Takeaway and Licensed Premises

a) they would cause pedestrian and vehicular conflict; or

b) there is inadequate on or off street parking; or

c) the amenities of nearby residents would be harmed because of traffic, noise or odours;

d) or the character of the area would be harmed.

7.47 Where planning consent is given to such uses, even in a town centre if necessary, the Council may attach planning conditions to:- restrict the hours of opening; restrict ancillary activities such as the use of amusement machines; require car and cycle parking facilities to be provided nearby; and require measures to control litter.

Policy S7 - Retailing in the Countryside

a) a small scale retail outlet which is directly related to, and is on the same premises as, an established rural business;
 

b) a farm shop provided it makes use of an existing building and sells primarily local produce;
 

c) a garden centre or nursery where:-

• it adjoins or is close to a town or service village; and
• it has easy access to a main road; and
• all goods for sale relate directly to the garden centre or nursery function and do not create a separate Class A1 or A3 use;

d) the use of land for an outdoor market (including car boot sales) for more than 14 days provided:-

• it adjoins or is close to a town or service village;
• there is adequate off-street parking;
• it has easy access to a main road;

and provided, in all cases, the viability of nearby town and service village centres is not seriously harmed.

7.49 However there can be exceptions. A shop that is ancillary to an existing use which already attracts visitors or an outlet for food or products produced on the site can be perfectly acceptable opportunities to diversify current farming or countryside activities.

7.50 Commercial garden centres require large areas of land to grow and display stock for sale. The Council accepts that they can rarely fit comfortably into settlements but Policy S7 is intended to make sure that they do not cause any problems in the countryside. They should be located to cause the minimum amount of extra travel and should not exclude access by people without cars. This will usually mean that they should be sited in or alongside a settlement and be on a public transport route.

7.51 If garden centre stock is imported then there should be no reason why such a business cannot be located on a site within a settlement within the terms of policies S1, S4 or S5. It is important that garden centres do not become one-stop-shops in the countryside for general retailing goods. To this end, the Council will restrict the activities and the range of goods to be sold from countryside garden centres by using planning conditions or planning obligations.