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DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE – 18 NOVEMBER 2009
APPLICATION NO DC/08/1315/FUL
LOCATION
Asda Stores Limited
Belvedere Road
Lowestoft
Suffolk
NR33 0PX
EXPIRY DATE
18 February 2009
APPLICATION TYPE
Full Application
APPLICANT
Asda Stores Ltd
PARISH
Lowestoft
PROPOSAL
Provision of a mezzanine floor to allow internal reorganisation of store
DO NOT SCALE
Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s
Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may
lead to prosecution or civil proceedings.
SUMMARY
The application seeks consent for a mezzanine floor of some 1394sqm (reduced from 2790sqm)
within the existing Asda store. The main issues to take into account in the determination of the
application are the impact on retail units in the town centre and the emerging Action Area Plan for
the Lake Lothing area. The application is recommended for approval.
SITE DESCRIPTION
The Asda supermarket has been trading since 2007. It occupies a prominent site on the southern
side of Lake Lothing, to the north of Horn Hill and east of Belvedere Road, which form the main
vehicular route into the town centre. The site covers an area of some 1.2 ha with the store being
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located in the north western corner. Car parking extends to the south of the store towards Horn
Hill, and to the east, extending up to the retail units constructed at the same time as the
supermarket but which have remained vacant ever since. To the west of the supermarket is the
site for the proposed Campus building and to the south is commercial and beyond this residential
development. Extending along the northern and western boundaries of the site, adjacent to Lake
Lothing, is a pedestrian walkway. The supermarket currently provides a net retail area of
approximately 2963sqm.
PROPOSAL
The original application sought permission for mezzanine floor with a net sales area of some
2790sqm, representing a 64% increase in the overall sales area. Following negotiations the
proposal has been reduced in size by approximately 50%. The amended application now seeks
consent for a mezzanine floor of 1394sqm.
The applicant seeks consent for the additional sales floor space in order to make qualitative
improvements within the existing sales floor space such as wider aisles for easier movement. It is
intended to provide extended facilities available to customers, increase the food offer and promote
the George clothing range and other non-food merchandise, and to generally improve the
shopping environment. In addition to the proposed mezzanine the proposal includes two new
internal stair cores, travelators and a customer lift. The only proposed external change to the store
is an escape door on the south elevation.
CONSULTATIONS/COMMENTS
Neighbour consultation/representations
12 nearby properties were notified on 4 December 2008. No responses received.
Consultees
County Planning Officer were consulted on the 8 December 2008.
Suffolk County - Highways Department were consulted on the 8 December 2008.
Environment Agency – Drainage
The site falls within flood zone 3. The inclusion of a mezzanine floor provides betterment in flood
risk terms to the site and can be used as a place of refuge, should it be required, in a flood event.
We would advise that the applicants ensure they have a flood evacuation plan so that staff and
customers can safely leave the site in such an event.
Urban Regeneration Company / 1st East
No objection. In the light of the reduction by 50% of the proposed mezzanine floorspace and the
confirmation that this space is to be used predominantly for the sale of clothes, the additional
floorspace is unlikely to attract a significant number of new customers to the store and will not
become a non-food destination in its own right.
Access Officer were consulted on the 4 December 2008.
Environmental Health - Environmental Protection
No adverse comments.
WDC - PM Regeneration
No objection following the reduction in size of the mezzanine by 50%.
Associated British Ports were consulted on the 4 December 2008.
Suffolk Wildlife Trust
The proposal does not appear to have any impact upon protected species or designated habitat.
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Natural England
No objection.
Suffolk Fire And Rescue Service
No comments.
Essex And Suffolk Water PLC
No comments or observations.
PUBLICITY
The application has been the subject of the following press advertisement:
Category
Published
Expiry
Publication
Major Application,
28.11.2008
18.12.2008
Beccles and
Journal
Major Application,
28.11.2008
18.12.2008
Bungay
Lowestoft Journal
SITE NOTICES
The following site notices have been displayed:
WDC General Site Notice
Reason for site notice: Major Application, Date posted
28.11.2008 Expiry date 18.12.2008
RELATED APPLICATIONS
Reference No
Proposal
Decision
DC/08/1330/F
UL
Construction of petrol filling station in
conjunction with existing food store
Pending - see report
on this agenda
Date
PLANNING HISTORY
In 2004 outline planning permission on 7.28 hectares of land between Waveney Drive/Horn
Hill/Belvedere Road and the inner harbour was granted for a mixed use development for food retail
(phase 1) and non-food retail, restaurants, boat museum, play zone and business use (phase 2)
and associated highway works. The non-food element was restricted to ’factory outlet shopping’
only.
Approval of reserved matters consent for a food store was granted in 2005. Permissions have also
been granted for a first floor café and first floor staff accommodation within the food store.
PLANNING POLICY
Core Strategy (January 2009)
Policy CS05 – Lake Lothing and Outer Harbour Action Area Plan
The action area plan will be focussed on employment-led regeneration which includes an
enhanced role for Lowestoft as a retail centre, including provision of around 21,000sqm of new
(comparison) retail floor space and associated leisure uses in an extension to the town centre.
Policy CS10 – Retail, Leisure and Office Development
This policy states that retail development outside of town centres should demonstrate that there is
a need and that there are no alternative sites closer to the town centre or within the town centre.
New retail development must be accessible by sustainable modes of transport. The main aim of
CS10 is to maintain and enhance the vitality and viability of all town and district centres so that
they continue to act as the focus for a range of activities, including retail, leisure and business
uses. It reiterates the provision in Policy CS05 of 21,000sqm of new (comparison) retail floorspace
in the Lake Lothing area.
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Interim Local Plan (May 2004)
Policy S1 Allocates land on the south side of Lake Lothing for new mixed-use development,
including retail and leisure, subject to criteria including no significant adverse impact on the vitality
and viability of Lowestoft town centre and Kirkley shopping centre.
Policy S3 states that proposals for major new retail development will be permitted within Lowestoft
town centre followed by edge-of-centre sites. Proposals outside town centres will need to
demonstrate that there is a need for the proposal and that there would be no adverse impact on
the vitality and viability of the of the town centre.
PPS6 Planning for Town Centres (2005)
PPS6 states that where possible new retail developments should be located within town centres. If
no sites are available within existing centres then edge-of-centre locations that are or will be well
connected to the centre will be acceptable provided that there is a proven need for the retail
development. If no edge-of-centre sites are available then out of centre sites, with preference
given to sites which are or will be well served by a choice of means of transport and which are
close to the centre and have a high likelihood of forming links with the centre may be acceptable.
In applying this sequential test, and considering alternative sites, PPS6 requires developers and
operators to demonstrate that in seeking to find a site in or on the edge of existing centres they
have been flexible about their proposed business model in terms of the scale of the development
and the scope for disaggregation. Local planning authorities should consider the impact of
proposed development on the centre or centres likely to be affected, taking account of:
- the spatial planning strategy for the area and the extent to which it would be put at risk,
- the likely effect on future public or private sector investment needed to safeguard the
vitality and viability of the existing centre/s,
- the likely impact on trade/turnover and on the vitality and viability of existing centres,
- changes to the range of services provided by centres that could be affected,
- likely impact on the number of vacant properties in the primary shopping area,
- potential changes to the quality, attractiveness, physical condition and character of existing
centres.
PPS6 states that the material considerations to be taken into account in assessing planning
applications may include physical regeneration, employment, economic growth and social
inclusion.
PPS6 also draws attention to the need to take into account quantitative development (the addition
of extra floorspace to a shopping centre) and qualitative development (the location of retail
developments and the range of goods on offer).
PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
The main issue to take into account in the determination of this application is the impact of the
proposal on the vitality and viability of the town centre, having regard to the planning history of the
adjoining land and proposals in the emerging Action Area Plan for the Lake Lothing area, in
particular North and South Peto Square.
The submitted planning statement states that the proposal does not specifically seek to attract new
customers and that research demonstrates that an increase in the retail floor area of 25% leads to
an average increase in customer numbers of 4.5%. Rather, it is Asda`s intention to broaden the
overall selection of products available in store in order to meet customers demands. It is intended
that the proposed mezzanine will facilitate the internal reorganisation and reconfiguration of the
store and that as such the increase in floor space will not attract the same level of turnover as new
retail floor space. Effectively the proposed mezzanine providing additional non-food goods at an
existing store, feeds off the spending patterns of customers currently visiting the store. Therefore
the applicant is of the opinion that the proposal will not generate significant levels of new
customers but rather will predominantly serve existing customers.
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The applicants case:
Comparison Goods Capacity
The applicants assessment of need is based on the Great Yarmouth Borough and Waveney
District Council Retail and Leisure Study (DTZ, 2006). The Retail Study takes account of the
floorspace approved in the outline consent (W17336/1) which included 9847 sqm of gross
comparison goods retail (and which remains largely undeveloped). If the vacant factory outlet units
adjacent to Asda were to be used for comparison goods they would take 2787 sqm of the
approved 9847sqm, leaving a surplus of 7060 sqm. The proposed mezzanine (as amended) would
take 1393 sqm leaving a surplus of 5667 sqm. Therefore the DTZ study already considers a much
greater quantum comparison goods floorspace on the site than currently proposed.
With regards to capacity projections the DTZ study indicates that there is more substantial
capacity for new comparison goods retailing up to 2011 with increasing capacity to 2021, and
recommends that this residual expenditure should be should be accommodated in town
centre/edge-of-centre locations in the first instance. The findings of DTZ`s retail capacity
assessment broadly forecasts a comparison goods projection within Waveney District of between
18,200 – 27,300 sqm net by 2021.
The Sequential Approach
PPS6 directs, in the first instance, new retail development to existing centres followed by edge of
centre locations. The applicants supporting statement states that vacant units in the town centre
do not exceed 300 sqm and therefore are of insufficient size to accommodate the proposal. In
addition consideration was given to two potential sites identified in the DTZ retail study. The
Triangle Market Place was not considered to be sequentially preferable to the application site and
the Britten Centre multi-storey car park was considered to be both unavailable at the present time
and unviable. With regards to the scope for disaggregation the applicant points out that stand
alone ‘George Stores’ have been operated previously in high street locations (including Norwich)
but found to be unviable. All 8 such stores have since closed.
Other edge-of-centre sites, such as Fisher`s Wharf in the Lake Lothing area, require a
comprehensive redevelopment and would not therefore be suitable for a piecemeal development
such as an isolated store. The applicant is therefore of the opinion that there is no site or vacant
floor space in or at the edge of the centre which is sequentially preferable to the proposed site,
available, suitable and viable for a separate George store.
Impact on the Health of the Centre
The supporting information states that the number of vacant units in the town centre remains low
and below the national average, indicating a good level of health. It also states that while the Asda
store is arguably located in an edge-of centre location, it complements the mix of retailers in
Lowestoft and, due to its convenient pedestrian accessibility, operates as a town centre store. The
applicant therefore considers that the enhancement to the store supports the town centre function
in line with the RSS and the Local Plan and as such there will be no material diversion from town
centre stores. Furthermore the applicant is of the view that the extant outline consent and
applications that will come forward as a result, the impact on the town centre is much reduced in
terms of the quality of retail floor space that is being introduced.
Supplementary Planning Statement
At the request of Officers, following concerns about the impact of the proposal on the town centre,
the applicant submitted additional information.
The supplementary information states that despite the economic climate the number of vacant
units in the town centre remains low, indicating a good level of health. In February 2009 28 units
(9.06% of the total) were vacant. This figure can be compared to the national vacancy average of
10.35%. (Since February the former Somerfield store is now largely occupied and the former
Woolworths store is due to be reoccupied shortly. Planning permission has also been granted for a
new retail unit adjacent to Woolworths).
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Customer surveys undertaken at the Asda demonstrate a high level of linked trips between the
store and the town centre. Of the customers asked 23% always, 31% sometimes and 19%
occasionally combined a trip to Asda with a trip to the town centre. The applicant is of the view that
the proposed mezzanine would not alter this pattern and would not be able to replace the function
of the town centre which remains the primary shopping destination for comparison goods
shopping.
The applicant therefore contends that the town centre remains healthy and that the proposal will
complement but not compete with the town centre. The Asda store would not therefore become a
non-food destination in its own right and the scale of the proposal would not undermine the vitality
and viability of the town centre.
Assessment
In determining this application it is necessary to give consideration to the following issues:
(i)
The location of the store relative to the town centre:
In terms of its relationship to the town centre it is considered that the Asda store is in a relatively
isolated location. This isolation is compounded by the currently poor pedestrian links and generally
unattractive nature of the route adjacent to vacant land and alongside a busy road. Nevertheless it
is acknowledged that the applicant has shown that a degree of linked trips between the store and
the town centre do occur, although of those identified it is likely that not all are made by
pedestrians.
(ii)
The extant outline planning consent between Asda and the bascule bridge:
The outline planning permission granted in 2004 envisaged the regeneration of a key site as an
extension to the town centre (this being the most appropriate available site for new retail
development). The retail units that were approved were seen as being complementary to, rather
than competing with town centre retail units. Accordingly therefore they were restricted to Factory
Outlet Units. The masterplan envisaged an attractive, predominantly pedestrian only environment
with good links to the town centre. Apart from the construction of an initial 5 units (which remain
vacant), the factory outlet centre has unfortunately not materialised and now seems unlikely to do
so.
The outline permission granted consent for some 9847 sqm of restricted comparison goods retail
units. The DTZ Study (2006) found capacity for between 18,000 and 27,000 sqm of additional
comparison goods floorspace in Waveney to 2021. Since that time other retail schemes have been
approved reducing the retail capacity for comparison goods to approximately 16,500 and 25,500
sqm. As such, there is capacity for new comparison goods retail development, which would
accommodate the proposed mezzanine floorspace.
(iii)
The Action Area Plan for the Lake Lothing area:
The regeneration of large parts of the Lake Lothing Area will bring investment and significant
benefits to Lowestoft. Policy CS05 of the Core Strategy makes provision for some 21,000 sqm of
new comparison retail floorspace as an extension to the town centre. The URC Action Area Plan
Preferred Option (2007) identifies Peto Square (around the rail station) and Fishers Wharf (around
the harbour) as the main area for town centre uses and consultants (EDAW) are in the process of
progressing the AAP towards adoption. It is possible that the proposed mezzanine will draw some
trade from the town centre and reduce the potential for future investment within the AAP
intervention areas.
However after giving detailed consideration to the proposal it is considered that, on balance, the
impact is unlikely to have an adverse impact on the vitality and viability of the town centre and that
the application can be supported. The factors leading to this conclusion are:

the significant reduction, by 50%, in the size of the proposed mezzanine
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


the Asda store already exists, providing a range of comparison goods and will
continue to predominantly serve existing customers
the mezzanine will sell predominantly own brand goods (the George range)
the DTZ Retail Study showing capacity for additional comparison goods retail
In coming to this conclusion it is considered important that the proposal is closely linked to the
operation of an existing store and is not an new comparison goods retail outlet. Whilst evidence of
linked trips between the store and the town centre has been submitted it is considered that the
proposal could result in a reduction of such trips thereby drawing some trade from the town centre.
However given that the store currently exists and already provides a range of comparison goods
on the ground floor it is considered that the impact on the town centre is likely to be limited.
RECOMMENDATION
APPROVE.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
CONTACT
Case File DC/08/1315/FUL held in Planning Office, Mariners
Street, Lowestoft
Phil Perkin, Principal Planning Officer, 01502 523073
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