12 Retail and Town Centres

Vision

In five years...

• Area Action Plans for Rochford, Rayleigh and Hockley town centres have been produced and adopted. The plans provide a clear framework, developed having regard to the results of community involvement, to guide the regeneration of these centres.

By 2025...

• The District's town centres are vibrant places containing a range of shops, services and facilities that meet local demand.

• The vast majority of new retail development has been directed to Rochford, Rayleigh and Hockley. Some additional retail has been provided within the District's smaller settlements and within residential areas outside of the designated centres which provides convenient, accessible top-up shopping for local communities and reduces the need to travel.

• The leakage of retail expenditure outside of the District has been significantly reduced, with shoppers attracted to the District's town centres not simply due to the provision of retail, but because of the range of activities and the quality of the environment.

Objectives

1. To direct retail development to the District's town centres of Rochford, Rayleigh and Hockley.

2. To enhance the centres of Rochford, Rayleigh and Hockley ensuring they are vital and vibrant places containing a range of uses and activities for all.

3. To reduce the leakage of retail expenditure out of the District.

4. To ensure that village and neighbourhood shops provide a service for local communities, particularly for those with limited access to transport.

Retail

12.1 The Council approach to retail strategy seeks to strengthen the role of the District's town centres, whilst ensuring that village services are sustained.

12.2 The 2008 Retail and Leisure Study indicates that there is a significant leakage of retail spending out of the District, with the majority of shopping by Rochford District resident's undertaken outside of the District.

12.3 Shopping patterns vary across the District and by type of goods bought. With regards to convenience shopping (e.g. food), 17.8% of main food shopping is retained within the District compared to 54.4% of top-up shopping. This pattern is not replicated consistently across the District. Rayleigh retains the most convenience shopping, retaining 37.8% and 75.9% of main food shopping and top-up shopping, respectively. Other areas of District experience higher rates of retail leakage.

12.4 The majority of spending goes to Southend, Shoeburyness and Benfleet. Distance is not the only factor, with residents prepared to travel further to these areas than other potential retail destinations within the District.

12.5 There is an even greater leakage of spending in relation to comparison shopping (e.g. clothes, electrical goods etc) with the vast majority of spending going out of the District into Southend in particular, together with a considerable amount from the west of the District leaking out to Basildon.

12.6 Retail spending is projected to grow and it is important that the District ensures it at least maintains its current market share of spending - and continues to provide for the people who shop within the District - by ensuring there is adequate retail space allocated. In addition, whilst it is to be expected that a significant proportion of spending will be attracted out of the district to regional centres such as Southend, the Council recognises there is an opportunity to reduce leakage of expenditure out of the District by making town centres more attractive to shoppers, enhancing their vitality and vibrancy, and concentrating retail development within the District's centres.

12.7 National policy on town centres (Planning Policy Statement 6 - Planning for Town Centres (PPS6)) states that Local Authorities should quantify the need for additional retail development and then identify locations for such development by applying a sequential approach which prioritises town centre locations. The District supports this approach as a means of ensuring the vitality and vibrancy of Rayleigh, Rochford and Hockley town centres.

12.8 The District contains one established out-of-town retail park - the Airport Retail Park located to the east of the airport and abutting a residential area of Southend Borough to the south. Although adjacent to a residential area, the retail park still maintains many of the characteristics traditionally associated with its more isolated contemporaries, namely a concentration on the sale of bulky, comparison goods and a layout that is unwelcoming to all unless arriving by car. Further retail development and intensification at this location is not only considered unsustainable, but would also undermine efforts to enhance the vitality of the District's town centres.

Village and Neighbourhood Shops

12.9 A great many shops and services are located outside of the established town centres and dotted throughout residential areas in the District's towns and villages.

12.10 These perform a vital role in providing convenience goods and services to meet people's day-to-day needs. The Retail and Leisure Study found that village shops were particular important in providing local top-up food shopping.

12.11 The location of such units within residential areas means that they can be easily reached on foot, reducing the need to travel. Local facilities also provide a lifeline for those without access to public or private transport. In addition to the aforementioned benefits, the provision of village shops and services can also help maintain a sense of place and community within the settlement. The protection of local shops and facilities is thus, for the foresaid reasons, considered to be crucial.

Town Centres

12.12 There are three Town Centres in the District: Rayleigh, Rochford and Hockley.

12.13 Rayleigh provides the most comprehensive range of facilities, and is classified as a Minor District Centre in Management Horizons Europe's UK Shopping Index (2008). Rochford and Hockley are ranked as Local and Minor Local, respectively.

12.14 Table RTC1 below shows the ranking, together with score based on level of facility provision, the District's centres compared to centres within the sub-region. The ranking relates to approximately 7,000 centres (1 being the centre with the greatest retail provision).

Table RTC1 - Ranking of District and other local centres (Management Horizon's UK Shopping Index 2008).

Centre	Score	Rank 2008	Location Grade
Southend-on-Sea	254	54	Major Regional
Basildon	227	79	Regional
Rayleigh	57	600	Minor District
Pitsea	55	629	Minor District
Wickford	44	816	Minor District
Billericay	44	816	Minor District
Laindon	26	1364	Local
Rochford	20	1716	Local
Hockley	7	3321	Minor Local

12.15 As part of ensuring the vitality and long-term viability of the town centres, it is crucial that they contain a high proportion of retail uses. Whilst a proportion of non-retail uses (e.g. banks, building societies, restaurants and pubs) will complement a shopping centre, long stretches of 'dead' non-retail frontage and a high percentage of non-retail uses throughout the centre will undermine its role and vitality.

12.16 As such, the Council will seek to control the amount of non-retail use permitted within core areas of town centres. It is considered appropriate to define primary and secondary shopping frontage areas within town centres based on their existing characteristics and seek to maintain retail uses within these, albeit with a more relaxed approach to non-retail within secondary shopping frontage areas. It is important that town centres not only offer an enticing range of shops but also a pleasant environment in which to shop. The Council are committed to maintaining and enhancing the character and attractiveness of its town centres.

12.17 People make town centres vibrant. The Council will encourage people to visit town centres, by ensuring they are attractive, accessible and contain a variety of uses, but the Council will also enable people to live in the District's town centres by taking a positive approach to the residential conversion of buildings above ground floor level, residential intensification within town centres, and by incorporating residential development into large town centre schemes. This also has the advantage of reducing the need to develop greenfield sites or intensify non-central residential areas, whilst providing adequate residential development.

Rayleigh Town Centre

12.18 Rayleigh is the principal centre in the District and maintains a much greater proportion of its convenience and comparison shopping than any other area of the District, even drawing in spending from other areas around the District. Much of this retention in relation to food shopping is down to the presence of two relatively large convenience stores within Rayleigh, although one is located outside the town centre.

12.19 The town centre environment is positive and a portion of it is designated as a Conservation Area. The Council has produced Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans which assess their quality, and the proposed actions to be undertaken to ensure their protection and enhancement (see Character of Place section of this document for more details) and there are a range of actions proposed for Rayleigh.

12.20 The Retail and Leisure Study 2008 noted that Rayleigh's town centre comprised a higher proportion of comparison shopping units than the national average, and included national multiple retailers. Convenience shopping, retail service sector, financial and business uses are also well represented in the centre. The study, however, identified a lack of leisure uses, which includes pubs, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, bingo halls, cinemas etc.

12.21 In terms of the provision of floorspace relative to spending, the Retail and Leisure Study found that there was no capacity for additional convenience floorspace but considerable capacity for additional comparison floorspace.

12.22 Rayleigh town centre has a number of strengths: a strong convenience and comparison sector; a high amenity built environment; low proportion of vacant units; high retail demand; and a range of unit sizes thereby catering for a range of retailers, including national multiples; and it has undergone recent town centre improvement works.

12.23 In addition, the Employment Land Study has identified Rayleigh town centre as having potential to accommodate additional office space, due to its strategic location.

12.24 Given the current state of Rayleigh town centre and its ability to meet projected future demand, radical changes to the town centre are not considered necessary. The Council will explore the above issues and potential in detail through the development of an Area Action Plan for Rayleigh centre.

Rochford Town Centre

12.25 Rochford town centre is the second largest within the District and is classified as a local centre. Although it has a relatively strong convenience sector, the Retail and Leisure Study found the comparison sector to be limited. There is a significant leakage of spending out of the Rochford area for all forms of retailing.

12.26 Rochford town centre is part of the Rochford Conservation Area and its unique character and layout is an asset.

12.27 Rochford town centre contains only one national multiple retailer and the majority of units are of a small size, limiting their attractiveness to retailers. The presence of an additional national multiple would act as an 'anchor' and draw in additional shoppers and retailers. The October 2007 Focus Report indicated that since the date of the report, only four retailers expressed demand to locate within Rochford.

12.28 Notwithstanding the above, and the fact that there is a limited retention of spending, the Retail and Leisure Study has identified capacity for additional convenience and comparison retail floor space.

12.29 Work, including community involvement, has been undertaken in preparation for a masterplan for Rochford town centre. This, in conjunction with the Retail and Leisure Study, has identified a number of opportunities for the town centre.

12.30 The unique, historic character is one such opportunity that can be utilised to encourage visitors to the town centre. There are a number of opportunities to enhance this and, at the same time, improve connectivity and access around the centre particularly from the train station.

12.31 The market square is currently used for parking. The considerable potential for town centre enhancements through the pedestrianisation of the market square, thereby providing a focal point for town centre activities and encouraging a local 'cafe culture' complementary to other uses with the town, has been identified. There are, however, concerns over the impact on local businesses of the loss of parking and changes will have to be considered carefully before any final decision can be made about the future of the market square.

12.32 In addition, the current town centre boundary covers a considerable area beyond the key retail area. It is felt that the reduction of this will focus future retail development more centrally, reducing the dilution of retail activity within the town centre and improving its vitality and vibrancy.

12.33 Previous community involvement exercises have identified demand for community facilities. Current policies are restrictive towards non-retail uses within the town centre area and, whilst it is important that retail uses continue to dominate the town centre area, a more permissive approach to A3 (restaurant, cafes etc) and A4 (bars, pubs etc), would benefit the town centre, particularly if focussed around the market square. The introduction of evening activities within the town centre would also increase natural surveillance and help quell concerns regarding anti-social behaviour in Rochford.

12.34 The Council will explore the above issues and potential in detail through the development of an Area Action Plan for Rochford centre.

(1) Hockley Town Centre

(1) 12.35 Hockley is the smallest town centre in the District and there is less retention of spending within the Hockley area than Rayleigh or Rochford.

12.36 As with Rochford, Hockley retains very little expenditure.

(1) 12.37 It has a good mix of independent traders and a well maintained pedestrian environment. The size of Hockley itself and its location relative to the larger town centres of Rochford, Rayleigh and Southend, lessen its attractiveness to national multiples.

(5) 12.38 The Retail and Leisure study indicates that Hockley has great potential. Hockley has been identified as having a need for additional convenience floorspace, and with the housing target in the area; the Council will look at the opportunities for more valuable and appropriate uses of the industrial land between Hockley railway station and the town centre. This would enhance the retail and leisure offer of the town centre whilst at the same time provide an opportunity for a better linkage between the centre and the station.

(1) 12.39 Eldon Way/Foundry Industrial Estate, in particular, has been identified as a potential opportunity site given its location in proximity to Hockley centre and the train station, and the potential for industrial uses to be accommodated in more appropriate locations within the District, as examined within the Economic Development section of the Core Strategy.

12.40 The Council will explore the above issues and potential in detail through the development of an Area Action Plan for Hockley centre.