WEYMOUTH & PORTLAND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK
CORE STRATEGY JUNE 2009
ISSUES PAPER 9: RETAIL
KARYN PUNCHARD
STRATEGIC PLANNING MANAGER
WEYMOUTH AND PORTLAND BOROUGH COUNCIL
COUNCIL OFFICES
NORTH QUAY
WEYMOUTH
DT4 8TA
(01305) 838335
LDF@weymouth.gov.uk
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Page
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
1
2
4
10
11
12
13
13
14
16
Introduction
Retail Trends
Weymouth Town Centre
Out of Town Centre Retail Provision
Retail Commitments
Retailers’ requirements for Weymouth Town Centre
Retail Rents
Town Centre Management Group
Planning Policy Context
Credit Crunch and retail
Appendices
Appendix 1: Retail Commitments
Appendix 2: Key Multiple Retailers in Weymouth
Appendix 3: Retailer’s requirement for Weymouth
Appendix 4: Prime Zone A Retail Rents £ per Sq m (Sq ft) Weymouth
and Competing Centres
19
20
21
22
List of charts
Chart 1: Shopping centres and retail park completions
17
List of tables
Table 1: Retail and service provision in Weymouth by no. of units
Table 2: Average Environmental Quality Rating by Area
6
7
1.0 Introduction
1.1
Weymouth is situated 8 miles south of Dorchester and 5 miles north of the Isle of
Portland. The A354 road bridge connects Weymouth to Portland, which together
form the borough of Weymouth and Portland. Weymouth & Portland Borough sits
roughly mid-way between the regional shopping centres of Southampton and Cribbs
Causeway, Bristol. The Bournemouth-Poole conurbation to the east of the Borough
functions as a sub-regional centre. The administrative boundary of the borough is
defined by the sea to the south and the District of West Dorset to the north. The
town centres of Weymouth and Dorchester occupy similar niches underneath this
regional and sub-regional hierarchy, as evidenced by their comparative prime retail
rents and function as sub-regional level town centres performing localised roles to
their catchments. However, the two centres have distinct and coherent catchments
with 85% of residents in postcode zones DT3 (North Weymouth), DT4 (Weymouth
Town) and DT5 (Portland) regarding Weymouth as their main town centre. Postcode
DT3 includes Osmington to the east, Bincombe to the north and the combined areas
of Chickerell, Potesham and Abbotsbury to the west, all settlements outside
Weymouth & Portland Borough and in the adjacent district of West Dorset. The
cross-boundary nature of the Weymouth retail catchment reflects the arbitrary
position of current administrative parts of the suburbs of western Weymouth part of
Chickerell Parish in West Dorset District. It is estimated that over 50,000 people live
within 10km of Weymouth town centre and over 120,000 within 20km of the centre.
1.2
Weymouth, ranking 18 (Dorchester ranking 21) amongst the sub-region based top 30
centres according to Venue Score1 in 2006 is regarded as a sub-regional level town
centre in retailing terms i.e. not one of the main retail centres in the region having
only local influence and catchment as well as limited overall floorspace compared
with larger centres such as Exeter and Bristol. This healthy position has been
achieved in part by successful retail developments including the New Bond Street
scheme that includes a 9-screen Cineworld cinema and Debenhams department
store anchor, and the edge of centre Jubilee Sidings Retail Park. These developments
strengthened Weymouth Town Centre as a retail destination and contributed to a
positive health check assessment, including above average comparison goods
1
Javelin Group’s Venue Score provides an up-to-date ranking of UK shopping venues across a number of key
indicators. It is an annual survey compiled by Javelin Group which ranks the UK’s top 2,000 retail venues
including town centres, stand-alone malls, retail warehouse parks and factory outlet centres providing retailers,
developers, owners and brands with a straightforward tool for understanding some of the key differences
between shopping venues, such as scale of offer, market position and age positioning. The score attached to
each operator is weighted to reflect the overall impact on shopping patterns. For example, anchor stores such
as John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams receive a higher score than unit store retailers to reflect their
major influence on shopping patterns. The resulting aggregate score for each venue is called its VenueScore
(http://www.javelingroup.com/what/venuescore.html)
1
shopping representation, below average retail vacancies, good environmental quality
and a perception as a convenient location for a wide range of shops by local
shoppers.
 Retail developments and cinema at New Bond Street, Weymouth town centre and at Jubilee Sidings
2.0 Retail Trends
National trends









Nationally, there has been a sharp capital growth decline in all property
sectors with a fall to -14.8% in November 2007
Monthly declines in sales across all retail sectors except non-store retailing
and repair
Reduced customer confidence due to credit card crisis, fall in equity markets
etc.
Sharp fall in investment demand for retail
Increasing retailer interest in ‘green’ business practices and related
environmental issues influencing where consumers shop
Floor space levels in the shopping centre development pipeline are at the
highest level recorded since the early 1990s. Majority of floorspace scheduled
to be completed over the 2008-10 period
Mixed use schemes are becoming increasingly popular, largely because of the
dearth of quality of shopping centre sites
Despite sluggish letting markets, there is still a strong demand from retailers
for larger modern quality stock. The retailers’ requirement is 30,000m2
Increasing number of traditional retailers diversifying and providing out of
centre facilities. Nearly all sectors seeking in and out of centre locations and
all sectors looking for larger spaces
2






New technology of internet or digital television home shopping continues to
grow and is making changes to food and convenience goods sales as well as
non food goods. Established retailers are increasingly using the internet as a
parallel channel for sales
Customers becoming more comfortable with making purchase online.
However, compared with sales levels in shops, online sales remain at a very
low level
Cinemas: Despite the slowing down of consumer spending, the forecast is
that the value of cinema market will increase by 24% between 2006 and 2011
Ten Pin Bowling: tenpin bowling is considered a discretionary spend and can
be enjoyed with a relatively small out lay compared to other popular leisure
pastimes such as eating out
Since 2004, the number of tenpin bowling centres in the UK has increased
from 285 to 310 and there are positive signs for the future
The tenpin bowling expenditure is forecasted to increase to 18% in current
terms over the next five years, reaching £322 million by 2011. However there
would be effects of inflation will be felt
Summary










Decline in sale volumes from 0.1% - monthly declines in sales across all retail
sectors with the exception of non-store retailing and repair
Growth in sales volumes predominantly in non-food stores
Slight (1.2%) in three-monthly sales volume; growth also observed in food
stores – the highest since August 2006
Clothing and footwear stores – sales growth of 2.3%
Non-retailing and repair increasing by 2.8% - CBRE Sales Monitor, Nov 2007
and ONS)
Retail warehouses – sharpest fall in rental growth (2.2%) upto June 2007
Weaker occupier demand – a cause for fall in the bulky goods sector rental
growth
High operating costs, persistent price competition and the general consumer
outlook all contribute to modern retail rental growth prospects
‘green’ business practices on the rise (re-usable bags, compostable packaging)
Retail sale volume down 0.1% between September and October 2007
compared with a revised increase of 0.3% on the previous month
3
Sub-regional trends
2.1
Weymouth ranks 18 within the sub-region based on the top 30 centres according to
Venue score in 2006. The score attached is weighted to reflect the overall impact on
shopping patterns. For example, anchor stores such as John Lewis, Marks & Spencer
and Debenhams receive a higher score than unit store retailers to reflect their major
influence on shopping patterns. Weymouth is a popular town characterised by its
port and coastal location with a mix of port, marina, coast frontage, streets and
public spaces creating a strong sense of place and generates a high level of activity in
the centre. Due to this the town has developed as an important tourist destination,
employment and retail centre.
2.2
Within the South West the main retail drivers have been –
 Strong demand in the major city centres from multiple retailers
 Low vacancy levels in major centres ( this has also occurred in Weymouth
which is not classed as a major centre)
 Growing rents (this has occurred in Weymouth)
 Demand for out of town stock for retailing use
 Major retail plans in the pipeline – normally in the major retailing centres,
although all retailing centres have seen some major plans relative to the size
of their retailing function, (including Weymouth)2.
3.0 Weymouth Town Centre
3.1
2
The town centre of Weymouth is formed by a grid pattern of streets. The core retail
area comprises New Bond Street, St Thomas Street and St Mary’s Street which are
largely pedestrianised. The Primary Shopping Frontage in the town centre is defined
in the Local Plan and retail uses are protected by saved Policy S4. Secondary
shopping frontages in the town centre are protected by saved Policy S5 of the Local
Plan. The centre has a mixed character. The town centre is majorly dominated by
older buildings with small retail units. There has been recent development at New
Bond Street (2001) comprising Debenhams and other national retailers, multi-storey
car park and cinema.
South West RA South West Town Centres Regional Study January 2006
4
 Pedestrianisation at New Bond Street and St. Thomas Street
3.2
Along the seafront, there are service related uses along with independent retailers
targeting the tourist trade. The Council recognises that the Esplanade and seafront
are a major tourism resource. Weymouth's Esplanade will be redeveloped in time for
the 2012 Olympic Games (see Issues Paper 7 – Heritage, Art, Culture and
Regeneration).
3.3
The western periphery of the centre fronts the bridge and harbour side and is
dominated by hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars. The Great George Street/Westham
Street area is a secondary retailing area with independent retailers. The new Relief
Road will considerably improve access to the areas of Weymouth town centre.
3.4
There are also plans for the Weymouth Pavilion, Ferry Terminal and 4 hectares (10
acres) of its surroundings to be entirely redeveloped. The planned complex includes a
refurbished theatre, a World Heritage Site visitor centre, a new ferry terminal, a 120–
150 bed 4-star hotel, an undercover car park, a shopping arcade, offices, luxury and
low cost apartments, houses, public squares, promenades, and a marina (see Issues
Paper 7 – Heritage, Art, Culture and Regeneration).
Retail and Services Provision in Weymouth
3.5
3
The town centre contains a total of 305 units3. Almost half of these comprise service
related uses such as beauty salons, restaurants, and banks. This provision is 16%
above the national average in terms of the unit retail split. The comparison offer
provides just under half of the overall provision, with 137 units and is marginally
below the national average at (-0.69%). There are 12 convenience providers within
the town which form only 3% of the total number of units. This is again significantly
lower than the national average of 9.08%, an increase in representation in this sector
would therefore be welcomed. However, it is noted that several convenience
Joint Town Centre Retail and Leisure Study, CBRE, December 2008
5
providers operate stores either at edge of centre or out of town locations, including
Morrison’s (3,252 sq m net), Asda (2,485 sq m net), Lidl (836 sqm net) and Aldi (650
sq m net). These stores draw the majority of convenience trade due to their size and
range of provision, as well as ease of access and car parking. If this trend is to be
reversed and Weymouth town centres convenience market share improved,
development within existing centres should be encouraged.
 ASDA is one of several convenience store operators outside Weymouth town centre
Table 1: Retail and service provision in Weymouth by no. of units
Retail Category
Convenience
Comparison
Service
Vacant
Total
No. of units
12
137
152
4
305
% of total
3.9
44.9
49.8
1.3
National average %
9.0
45.5
33.0
10.9
% variance
-5.1
-0.6
16.7
-9.6
Source: GOAD Experian Report 2006 CBRE Centre Survey 2007
3.6
The floorspace occupied by various retail categories within the town centre follows a
similar pattern to the above, with the service and comparison stores dominating,
leaving a scope for increasing the convenience offer within the town centre. At the
same time, the amount of floorspace provided for comparison goods makes it a
6
reasonably healthy centre given the continuing multiple retailer occupier trend to
occupy and demand larger shop units4.
Environmental health check of Weymouth Town Centre
3.7
The town centre can be divided into four broad zones for this purpose.
Table 2: Average Environmental Quality Rating by Area
Area
New Bond Street/St Thomas Street / St Mary’s Street
West of St Alban Street
3.8
3.9
Average rating
George Street, Westham Street
2.8
Maiden Street/New Street The Esplanade
3.6
New Bond Street/St Thomas/St Mary Street
This area is regarded in the Local Plan as the core shopping area. The recent
development and modernisation of the New Bond Street has resulted in good quality
and an attractive shopping area. However, the streetscape could be made more
attractive with the provision of additional outdoor seating thereby creating a more
vibrant social point. Nevertheless this pedestrian area appears well managed and is
of reasonable quality. This area received the highest rating of the areas surveyed
albeit that there is scope for improvement.
Although some limited environmental/streetscape improvements have been made to
St Thomas and St Mary’s Streets and they offer a fairly clean environment, the
general urban fabric is less attractive. While this area benefits from a good mix of
architectural quality in some cases the shop fronts are poorly maintained and in need
of refurbishment. The pedestrianised nature of the area does however enable
shoppers to move around easily and significantly enhances the retail environment.
 Pedestrianisation enhances the retail environment in St Mary’s Street
4
3.1
CBRE Joint Town Centre and Retail Study, December 2008
7
West of St Alban Street
3.10
The area to the west of Alban Street offers a
diverse range of uses. This includes a mix of
multiple and independent retailers, as well
as a strong representation of leisure related
and evening economy uses. The
environmental quality of the area is variable.
Some streets such as St Thomas Street offer
a good quality environment; Nicholas Street
and Lower St Alban Street far less so.
Although the Custom House Quay area
offers the benefit of the waterside, much
more could be done to enhance this area
(this would be expected to complement the
Western Harbour Area, which offers a very
good environment). Such initiatives would
relate to improving the streetscape, and
allow greater opportunities for visitors and
shoppers to enjoy the atmosphere.
 Diverse range of retailing in St Alban Street
Great George Street/Westham Road
3.11
This area is rated as fair, and according to CBRE’s survey receives the lowest
environmental score in Weymouth town centre. The lower scoring in part reflects the
poorer quality of shop fronts, carriageways and overall quality of the streetscape.
While, typically, a lower environmental score is reflective of this secondary retailing
area, any initiatives to improve the ambience of this area would be welcomed.
 Smaller shops and poorer quality of shop frontages at Great George Street and Westham Road
8
The Esplanade/New Street/Maiden Street
3.12
The Esplanade forms the main street frontage to the sea. The buildings are of
traditional character and form a strong building frontage over-looking the sea and
beach. The built form is well maintained and provides a mix of uses; while the
majority are hotels, there are also shops selling beach goods and some restaurants
and amusement arcades. The road widens at the southern end with street-side
parking. The wide road separates the active sea front from the frontage of the
buildings and as a result the activity along the front of the buildings is weaker than on
the beach. The area is dominated by the road and the parking area and could be
improved by greater priority being given to pedestrians. The planned improvements
to this area are proposed to take place prior to 2012 Olympic Games and are
expected to significantly enhance this area of the town.
 Shops and other uses along the Esplanade, Weymouth
3.13
Leading off the Esplanade are a series of narrow streets. This area is attractive and
adds significant diversity to the town centre due to the mix of independent stores
that occupy the area. There are however sections of the road and pavement which
could be enhanced: New Street for example contains a mix of stores and the rear of
the buildings presenting a rather fragmented streetscape. In places, pavements are
narrow, albeit that this is a consequence of the historic nature of the centre.
3.14
Most importantly from CBRE’s assessment of Weymouth’s environment is a need to
provide and enhance existing focal points in the centre. This includes those at New
9
Bond Street Square, to the rear of the Marks & Spencer and along the Esplanade
generally. Also, much greater effort should be placed on improving the pedestrian
environment along the Quayside/Harbour and Marina. Every effort should be made
to link these areas better with the core retail centre, so that they blend effortlessly
together, which in turn will create a diverse and attractive destination for shoppers,
visitors and workers.
3.15
Waterside improvements, such as those which have already occurred on the west
bank of the quay would be welcome initiatives to spread more widely the offer at the
waterside settings in the town centre. This could also be assisted through a greater
provision of on street seating to generate a more relaxed atmosphere, where
possible. One of Weymouth’s key attractions is its mix of built environment with
water/seafronts and the benefit of this should be maximised as much as possible.
Customer Views
3.16
Customer’s views about the shopping and leisure patterns in Weymouth Town
Centre analysed by CBRE are as under:





For convenience goods Weymouth town centre achieved a low market share
due to the number of large convenience stores located on the edge of centre.
For comparison goods Weymouth was recognised as the most popular place.
30% stated they visited Weymouth Town Centre 2-3 times a week. The most
popular reasons they visited the centre were because it is easy to get to from
home, an attractive environment/nice place, and its provision of good nonfood shops.
The majority stated that there was very little they disliked about the centre
however, some respondents felt that it would benefit from a greater range of
shops and felt that car parking was too expensive. In addition a number of
people stated that they disliked the number of tourists, drug addicts,
homeless and drunks within the town.
Popular evening attractions include Cineworld where 59% of the catchment
residents visit.
4.0 Out of Town Centre Retail Provision
4.1
In addition to the provision within Weymouth town centre, the largest supermarkets
are provided on the edge of the town including Asda at Newstead Road, Aldi at the
Jubilee Retail Park, Lidl on the Dorchester Road and Morrison’s store on Dorchester
Road. All of the stores are defined as edge of centre sites.
10
4.2
In terms of retail warehousing Weymouth does not have a major out of town Retail
Park. The Jubilee Retail Park performs this role to a certain extent and offers units
occupied by Curry’s, Powerhouse, Carpet Right and Matalan. In addition there are
also fast food outlets such as KFC and McDonalds.
 Out of town centre shopping provision at Jubilee Sidings, Weymouth
4.3
Existing Local Centres are important to serve specific needs of villages, and distinct
communities in the built up area. They are identified as Local Shopping frontages
and protected by saved Policy S6 of the Weymouth and Portland Local Plan. These
include Easton Square, Portland Road, Wyke Regis, Littlemoor Centre, Fortuneswell,
Abbotsbury Road, Westham, Lodmoor Hill and Southill Centre. There are also are a
number of small local shopping parades within the housing estates comprising small
convenience stores protected by saved Policy S7 of the Local Plan.
4.4
All of these stores perform an important role as a local focal point to the community.
In terms of other town centre uses, Weymouth has a fairly good provision of
entertainment and cultural facilities. Many of these are dispersed around the edge of
the town centre such as the Sea Life Centre, Pavilion Theatre, Royal Manor Theatre,
Gala Bingo Club and Weymouth Museum. In the town centre itself, there is one
cinema and a bowling alley to the south of New Bond Street. There are also a few
amusement arcades along the Esplanade.
5.0 Retail Commitments
5.1
From the planning consents granted in 2007-2008, it is clear that all the retail
development coming up outside the town centre is either in the form of the
extension to the existing stores or by the development of new terrace retail units
such as that proposed by New Look and Tesco. Planning permission exists at the
Mount Pleasant Business Park (for New Look) for a new terrace of 4-6 retail
warehouse units for retailers offering goods such as, furniture and furnishings,
carpets and floor coverings, electrical, pet related goods, DIY goods, motor
11
accessories, and cycles. These units will form part of a comprehensive development
including a new European Headquarters Office for New Look, further employment
uses, and a range of community uses including a medical centre, vets practice,
nursery and hotel.
5.2
Furthermore, planning permission has been granted for a 2,860 sq m supermarket at
Bottomcoombe, Easton on the Isle of Portland with Tesco as a named operator.
5.3
Other indicators of town centre’s health include multiple retailers, independent
retailers, fashion rank etc. The presence of multiple outlets can enhance the appeal
of a centre to shoppers. In 2007 of 30 identified key multiples, 20 were found within
Weymouth5. Weymouth is at 143rd place out of the top 200 town centres in the UK.
This ranking suggests that while Weymouth is performing fairly well, any scope to
improve the extent and quality of fashion retailers would be expected to strengthen
the town6. Independent retailers provide diversity to a centre’s overall offer, and
help to resist the wholesale homogenisation of retail areas – a current concern
arising from recent UK retail trends. Independent retailers are primarily located in
secondary locations within Weymouth. In some areas (such as the streets linking up
to the Esplanade), the quality of the environment of these areas is reasonably
attractive and benefits from the historic architecture and narrow streets which
together provide an individual character.
6.0 Retailers’ requirements for Weymouth Town Centre
6.1
5
6
The level of retailer demand to locate in Weymouth provides another good indication
of the centre’s health. According to Focus, in total, 44 retail and service businesses
have expressed a demand for floorspace within Weymouth (Appendix 3). Demand is
strongest from the comparison sector. Such operators include, TK Maxx, Brantano,
Dreams Plc, Robert Dyas, Tchibo UK Ltd and Moss Bros. There is also considerable
demand from service sector retailers such as Pizza Hut, Pizza Express, Harvester and
Ask. However main supermarket operators and small independent store operators
do not post their requirements on databases such as Pipnet and Focus. Possibly this
may explain why there are no requirements shown for the convenience sector.
CBRE Joint Study report, 2008
Property Market Analysis (PMA) Promis Report 2007
12
7.0 Retail Rents
7.1
The level of rent that retailers are prepared to pay gives an indication of the
perceived attractiveness of that centre. The development of larger, modern retail
units at Bond Street as well as the out of centre Jubilee Retail Park is likely to have
assisted the town’s rental values. Weymouth must continue to bring forward
development which meets the needs of modern retailer brands in order to compete.
As would be expected, the centres of Poole and Bournemouth command a far higher
Prime Zone A retail rent than Weymouth, reflecting the scale and status of these
centres (Appendix 4). Shopping rents have also become a prime cause of shops
becoming vacant in the town centre due to the economic downturn and is discussed
later in the paper.
8.0 Town Centre Management Group
8.1
This group was formed as a joint initiative between the Chamber of Commerce,
Council, retailers and other businesses in 2001. The group was formed to undertake
initiatives to help improve the retail performance of the Borough by undertaking and
co-coordinating actions to this end. It was felt that the group should be a sub-group
of the Chamber of Commerce to encourage business participation.
8.2
The Council’s involvement in the group was felt to be a useful way to both consult on
its work and also reach a group of retailers for an informed view on how the retail
economy could be enhanced. The Council has provided support to the group on
issues such as importance of the economic health of town centres, policy objectives,
particularly concerning transport and sustainable economic development. The group
also looked at some short term issues such as late night shopping events, parking and
‘A’ boards outside shops.
8.3
Since November 2008, another small group formed - the Weymouth Town Centre
Group which is a subset of Chamber of Commerce. This group has a strategic focus
on the regeneration and prosperity of Weymouth town centre. The Town Centre
Group is also supported by the Borough Council and is currently working up a mission
statement and objectives. The issues that the group wishes to tackle are:



Condition and quality of public realm
Condition and quality and range of the available retail and office space
The apparent lack of small business performance in terms of retailers running
out of or maximising their benefits, encouraging people to spend more and
investigating other markets etc.
13
8.4
The Borough Council operates a strategic Business Investment Fund of £12,000 a year
currently. This is used to get the business community together to understand
consumers, action plans, performance of business, etc.
9.0 Planning Policy Context
National Policy Framework
9.1
Planning Policy Statement 6 (PPS6) which sets out the Government’s guidance on
retail planning policy and planning for town centres with key objective to promote
the vitality and viability of the town centres by planning for the growth and
development of existing centres; and promoting and enhancing existing centres by
focusing development in such centres and encouraging a wide range of services in a
good environment, accessible by all. Other objectives that PPS6 includes are –
enhancing consumer choice by making provision for a range of shopping, leisure and
local services, supporting efficient, competitive and innovative retail, leisure, tourism
and other sectors, with improving productivity, accessibility. In consistency with the
above objectives the Government’s wider policy objectives include encouraging
investment to regenerate deprived areas, creating additional employment
opportunities and an improved physical environment; promoting economic growth of
regional, sub-regional and local economies and delivering more sustainable patterns
of development, ensuring that locations are fully exploited through high-density,
mixed-use development and promoting sustainable transport choices, including
reducing the need to travel and providing alternatives to car use; and promoting high
quality and inclusive design, improving the quality of the public realm and open
spaces, protecting and enhancing the architectural and historic heritage of centres,
providing a sense of place and a focus for the community and for civic activity and
ensure that town centres provide an attractive, accessible and safe environment for
businesses, shoppers and residents. PPS6 goes on to say that wherever possible,
growth should be accommodated by more efficient use of land and buildings within
existing centres.
Draft Planning Policy Statement 4: Planning for Prosperous Economies
9.2
In May 2009 the Government published a new draft PPS4 for consultation7 which is
proposing to merge PPS4: ‘Sustainable Economic Development’ with PPS6 and parts
of some policy statements. The key changes proposed in the draft PPS include:
7
Communities and Local Government
(http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/consultationeconomicpps)
14




9.3
Revising planning rules to keep ‘sequential test’ that requires the most central
town centre sites to be developed first
Removal of ‘need test’ in favour of a wider, more sophisticated ‘impact test’
which will give local authorities a better tool to measure the wider positive and
negative effects of retail and other town centre related development involving
retail diversity, impact on town centre investment, scope for regeneration and
job creation
Emphasis on local authorities’ proactive and positive policies underpinned by
robust evidence base and
Removal of national car parking standards, allowing local authorities to set local
levels and
In April 2008 The Competition Commission made a series of recommendations to the
Government regarding the retailing industry. This included a proposal for a
competition test to be applied as part of the planning process to proposed new
stores and to the extensions of existing stores to favour new retailers and make
existing retailers having significant local market shares to relinquish control over land
sites in highly concentrated markets. These recommendations have not been taken
forward in the new draft PPS4: ‘Planning for Prosperous Economies’.
Regional Policy context
9.4
Regional policy is set out in the draft Regional Spatial Strategy. Weymouth is
recognised in the Draft Regional Spatial Strategy as one of a limited number of
Strategically Significant Cities and Towns (SSCTs) in the region and is a location
offering the greatest opportunity for a wide range of commercial and public services.
HMA 12 states that in Weymouth and Dorchester HMA, provision will be made for
the growth of 11,900 jobs.
9.5
RSS policy TC1 states, “in order to meet the needs of local communities within the
region, local authorities and other agencies will work together to ensure that the
vitality and viability of the region’s existing network of town centres is maintained
and enhanced. In doing so, it w will be important to ensure that such centres are not
adversely affected by inappropriate development elsewhere, and that provision is
made for a mix of uses within town centres, including retail, cultural facilities, offices,
other employment and housing.” It also mentions that the central areas of the SSCTs
will be the main focus for new investment in retail and other major facilities requiring
high levels of accessibility. The range and quality of central area facilities will also be
maintained and enhanced, the quality of town centres and public realm will be
enhanced and accessibility will be through sustainable modes of transport. The scale
15
of new investment in retail and other facilities within town centres should take full
account of changing patterns of behaviour and future levels of population growth.
The development of major new regional shopping facilities outside these centres will
not be supported8.
9.6
Policy TC2 of RSS lays out principles for retail provision outside the strategic centres.
It mentions that the planning of new centres to serve proposed new development
areas should reflect the need to compliment rather than compete with the retail
facilities in the relevant strategic centre.
9.7
The Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Structure Plan 2000 includes Shopping Policy A
that reflects the old PPG6 sequential approach. Shopping Policy B allows for the
retention and improvement of local shopping facilities. In addition the Structure Plan
includes Settlement Policy B which states
“The area embracing Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester, including the settlement
at Crossways, will provide a focus for economic regeneration. This will be assisted by
the development of Employment, Shopping, Education, Tourism, Recreation and
Community Facilities at the towns of Weymouth and Dorchester and other locations
in the area identified for these purposes in the Plan.”
9.8
With reference to the Adopted Local Plan of Weymouth and Portland, all the retail
policies except for Policy S1 (Proposals for major new retail or leisure development)
have been saved in its schedule of saved policies in December 2008 until LDF comes
into effect.
10.0 Credit Crunch and Retail
10.1
8
9
Contrary to the impression given by some recent commentary associated with the
opening of new schemes, the UK is not being blanketed with new shopping space.
The development pipeline is dwindling and with more schemes seeing completion
dates rescheduled into the indefinite future, the market could face an extended
period of low levels of shopping centre openings. The complexity of town centre
development schemes typically means that, once plans are interrupted, it can take
several years for development activity to recover. Lack of new supply beyond the end
of the decade could leave retailers facing a shortage of modern shopping space and
renewed rental pressure9. The following chart shows the shopping centres and retail
park completions.
Draft Regional Spatial Strategy proposed changes, 2008, pp.228-229
UK Property View Point, CBRE, March 2009 (www.cbre.co.uk/research)
16
Chart 1: Shopping centres and retail park completions
Source: CBRE, 2007
10.2
However BBC reports that small businesses are apparently doing better in recession.
February has been a month of quiet growth for most of the members of the BBC's
small business panel. Each month through the recession, they seem to be more than
holding up at present. Of the 10 companies, three said they were faring better than
in January, while five said they had seen no change. Only two said conditions had
worsened10.
10.3
GDP fell by 0.7% in the three months from July-September 2008, compared with the
previous quarter, after 16 years of growth. And the latest figures, covering OctoberDecember, show another fall of 1.5%, the steepest quarterly drop since 1980. The UK
government is now predicting that the economy will continue to decline through
most of 2009 but recover in 201011.
10.4
There is also a concern for the number of empty shops increasing in high street
across the country. A new survey from the Local Government Association (LGA) says
four out of five councils in England have reported an increase in empty premises as
the recession takes hold. The LGA wants action to stop high streets becoming "ghost
towns" - but what can be done12? Weymouth town centre has 20 empty shops13.
Monthly Monitoring of empty shops and commercial premises in Weymouth Town
centre was undertaken from January to March. The survey revealed that there were
21 empty shops in January, 20 in February and 20 in March. Some moves and
changes have been observed but no net change is observed overall. Largest store is
former Woolworth store which is with national agents who report that there have
10
BBC news website, 23rd March 2009 (http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7955548.stm)
Recession Tracker, BBC, 25th February 2009 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7789844.stm)
12
Empty shops, BBC, 28th February 2009 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7840421.stm)
13
Town centre empty shops survey, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, March 2009
11
17
been some enquiries, but no firm offers have been made to date. Agents also report
active interest in other vacant premises14.
10.5
However, despite the national recession, several Dorset entrepreneurs are
determined to buck the trend by opening new businesses. Trade might be tough, but
they're convinced there's a market for their goods. Three separate entrepreneurs in
Dorset believe it's still worth taking a risk in business despite the current recession it's all about the strength of the idea. According to the President of the Weymouth
and Portland Chamber of Commerce the businesses in Weymouth should be
encouraging people to holiday in the resort, be they local or from further afield, and
the only way to do this is by continuing to move business forward. Chamber of
Commerce reports that instead of looking to the past, attention should be focused to
the future. There have been bad times, but good times are coming15.
14
Scrutiny and Performance Committee Report prepared by Simon Williams, Weymouth and Portland Borough
Council, March 2009
15
Credit Crunch, BBC Dorset, 25th March 2009
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/articles/2009/02/12/recession_entreprenuers_feature.shtml)
18
Appendix 1: Retail Commitments
The current retail planning commitments in 2007:
Source: Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, 2007
19
Appendix 2: Key Multiple Retailers in Weymouth
Source: Experian GOAD, 2006
20
Appendix 3: Retailer’s requirement for Weymouth
Source: Pipnet/Focus 2007
21
Appendix 4: Prime Zone A Retail Rents £ per Sq m (Sq ft) Weymouth and
Competing Centres
Source: Focus Report 2007
22