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to Introduction |
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| Chapter 6 |
| TOWN CENTRES AND RETAILING |
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Wood Green Shopping City Interior |
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TOWN CENTRES AND RETAILING |
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Ensuring that the Borough's network of town centres and retail
facilities supports the quality of life for people in the Borough. |
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Introduction |
| 6.1 |
Town centres are crucial to the social, economic and environmental well being of the Borough. Retailing should constitute the main use within the Borough's identified town centres, since it is an activity undertaken by almost everyone and therefore should be easily accessible by most people. |
| 6.2 |
The role and function of town centres must meet the need and requirement of diverse communities, help to reduce social exclusion and create opportunities for everybody. |
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| 6.3 |
Guiding Principles |
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- Haringey’s town centres should be accessible, safe, inviting and inclusive.
- The people of Haringey should have access to a range of goods, services and facilities to enable them to have a good quality of life.
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| 6.4 |
Key Objectives |
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- To ensure that the Borough's town centres are easily accessible and meet the needs and requirements of its people.
- Ensure people have access to a full range and quality of goods and services.
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CORE POLICIES |
| 6.5 |
Haringey has six town centres. There is one Metropolitan Centre at Wood Green. There are five District Centres at Bruce Grove/Tottenham High Road, Crouch End, Green Lanes, Muswell Hill and West Green Road/Seven Sisters. These town centres are defined in Schedules 4 and 5. In addition, there are 37 Local Shopping Centres listed in Schedule 6. |
| 6.6 |
In 2003, a Retail Capacity Study was produced for Haringey Council by Chesterton PLC. The study was a qualitative and quantitative retail assessment of retail demand and supply within the Borough. It focussed on the Borough's Metropolitan Centre and 5 district centres, involving town centre health checks, a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis and surveys with households, pedestrians and local agents. |
| 6.7 |
In terms of convenience shopping the Study found that overall the Borough has a 38% market share of the main food shopping trip within its catchment area. In some areas the market share was as low as 8%, with the highest share being around 83%. |
| 6.8 |
In terms of comparison goods, the Borough has an overall market share of around 27%, with the share being slightly higher for non bulky than bulky (electrical, DIY and furniture) comparison goods. It identified Wood Green and Tottenham Hale Retail Park as the borough's principle destination for bulky good expenditure. |
| 6.9 |
Based upon population predictions, expenditure trends, market shares, productivity i.e. more intensive use of existing floorspace, and accounting for other forms of trading i.e. e-commerce, the Study forecast future expenditure growth and thus additional floorspace requirement in the Borough. The forecast is for an additional 5250m2 for convenience goods and 40,426m² for comparison goods floorspace for the period up to 2016. |
| 6.10 |
Haringey is very much an urban borough with tight town centre boundaries, therefore opportunities for brownfield sites to accommodate additional demand for floorspace is limited. Additional growth will be directed towards the town centres. Development opportunities in and around the existing main centres are highlighted in this chapter. |
| 6.11 |
Wood Green: Classified as a Metropolitan Centre, - see the Glossary for definition of a Metropolitan Centre - one of only 10 identified in the London Plan (2004). It is the largest centre in the Borough consisting of around 330 units comprising 86,864m2 of floorspace. |
| 6.12 |
Wood Green offers a range and choice of goods, both everyday needs such as food and other less frequently purchased goods. There is a high representation of multiple retailers and comparison retailing. In addition to shops Wood Green also has 2 multi-screen cinemas, a health club and a number of community facilities in its environs. |
| 6.13 |
The 2003 Retail Capacity Study recommends that Wood Green should be the key focus for additional comparison goods floorspace and identifies limited redevelopment opportunities in the centre. These include 725 -731 Lordship Lane, and The Mall which is currently occupied by the Library and other units including the main post office. |
| 6.14 |
The area adjacent to Wood Green Metropolitan Town Centre comprises large tracts of underused utilities land and is identified as an ‘Area of Intensification' in the London Plan. The Council in conjunction with key stakeholders has developed a framework for this area known as the Haringey Heartlands Development Framework. One of the key aims and objectives of the framework will be to extend and complement Wood Green's role as a metropolitan centre, and help sustain and enhance the existing commercial provisions on Hornsey High Street. |
| 6.15 |
Bruce Grove/Tottenham High Road: Classified as a District Centre, - see the Glossary for definition of a District Centre - the latest survey showed that the centre consisted of approximately 134 units comprising 20,270m2 of floorspace. |
| 6.16 |
The centre lies within a conservation area and is predominately made up of independent retailers. However, many of the buildings along the High Road are in a poor state of repair. The latest survey showed that the centre has a high vacancy rate. Furthermore, there is a low representation of comparison and multiple retailers. Enquiries to local agents suggest that there is strong demand for new start up businesses especially from the Afro-Caribbean community, indicating a strong degree of indigenous growth. |
| 6.17 |
In terms of opportunities to accommodate additional retail floorspace, as stated above, there are a high number of vacant units including 529-535 High Road. Otherwise, most redevelopment opportunities in this area are just beyond the town centre boundary such as Scotland Green, the former Liberal Club and former Prince of Wales Public House. |
| 6.18 |
A Tottenham High Road Strategy was produced in 2002, which proposed a vision and role for the High Road. It included the identification of specific sites for potential redevelopment. In relation to retail uses the Strategy recommended that new development be focused at existing facilities around Seven Sisters, Bruce Grove and Northumberland Park and integrated with neighbourhood regeneration initiatives. |
| 6.19 |
Crouch End: Classified as a District Centre, it has 216 units comprising 30,983m2 of floorspace. In addition to shopping Crouch End has a wide range of bars and restaurants, and a number of other non-retail commercial facilities such as a health club, and a centre for alternative medicine. There is a high requirement for more food and drink establishments, which suggests there is an active night-time economy in Crouch End. However, the majority of land use within the centre must remain in retail, to ensure that the daytime economy and activity is preserved. |
| 6.20 |
Opportunities for redevelopment in and around Crouch End are limited to the Town Hall and adjacent land which will be the subject of a Council planning brief. Additional development sites include the former petrol station and vacant land at number 158, both of which are on Tottenham Lane. |
| 6.21 |
Green Lanes: Classified as a District Centre it is made up of 214 units comprising of 32,284m2 floorspace. Within the centre itself many of the shops are independently run by members of the Turkish and Kurdish communities. It is evident that the centre has evolved from being a focus for the Greek Cypriot community as it was at the time of the last UDP. There is also a strong night time economy with a broad range of take away/restaurants. However, the majority of land use should remain in retail, to ensure that the daytime economy and activity is preserved. |
| 6.22 |
Opportunities to accommodate additional provisions in this District Centre is restricted to small in-fill, however, the inclusion of Harringay Arena Retail Park into the centre potentially offers an opportunity for greater diversity in terms of retail offer. |
| 6.23 |
The Council proposes to produce a neighbourhood plan for Green Lanes District Centre and the surrounding environs. The Plan will be devised in partnership with the business sector, the community and other agencies. |
| 6.24 |
Muswell Hill: Classified as a District Centre, it has 191 units comprising 30165m2 of floorspace. The centre has a broad retail mix and a diverse range of facilities. The night-time economy in Muswell Hill is considered to be vibrant, with research showing that over half of the enquiries for new commercial floorspace in the centre were for food and drink. However, the majority of land use within the centre must remain in retail, to ensure that the daytime economy and activity is preserved. |
| 6.25 |
Like the other town centres in the borough, the boundary is tightly drawn around existing commercial uses. However, there are several opportunities where the environment could be improved such as the car park on the land rear of the cinema, or intensify i.e. 1-7 Fortis Green Road and 124 -128 Muswell Hill Broadway. |
| 6.26 |
West Green Road/Seven Sisters: Classified as a District Centre, it is the smallest of the Borough's main centres, and is made up of 154 units forming 17,503m2 of floorspace. The centre is focused around West Green Road, and is predominately made up of local independent traders with a large Turkish, Cypriot and Afro-Caribbean influence. |
| 6.27 |
The Tottenham High Road Strategy identified Wards Corner as a key site, and there is an adopted planning brief in relation to this building and the surrounding lands. Other opportunities within the existing centres are limited to vacant units. |
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Sequential Approach to Site Selection |
| 6.28 |
Government advice in PPS6 ‘Planning for Town Centres’ sets out a sequential approach for retail development and other town centre uses. The approach requires that locations in existing centres are considered first, followed by edge-of-centre locations and then out-of-centre locations. |
| 6.29 |
The sequential approach to site selection should be undertaken in accordance with paragraph 2.44 of PPS 6 ‘Planning for Town Centres’. |
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Table 6.1: Appropriate Uses in Town Centres |
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| Retail including street markets |
Cafes, bars, restaurants, pubs and hot food takeaways |
Educational /academic institutions |
| Community facilities including health care facilities |
Public open spaces |
Business facilities |
| Residential above street level |
Creative and cultural facilities |
Leisure and recreation |
| Hotels/guest houses and other tourism |
Public and civic building |
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| 6.30 |
Town centres should provide a sense of place and identity and a focus for a variety of activities such as, but not limited to, those activities listed in table 6.1. |
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| POLICY TCR1 |
| DEVELOPMENT IN TOWN AND LOCAL SHOPPING CENTRES |
| Developments within the identified town and local shopping centres will be supported provided that the proposal: |
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is appropriate to the scale, character and function of the centre; |
| b) |
does not harm the vitality and viability of the centre or other centres; |
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does not cause an unacceptable increase in disturbance from noise, smell, fumes or other environmental harm; |
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does not have an adverse impact on transport; and |
| e) |
complies with policies TCR3 and TCR4. |
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| 6.31 |
Proposals for new development or the expansion of existing facilities should be located in the identified town and local shopping centres. The use and scale of any proposed development should have proper regard to the size and role of the centre, and to the relationship with its surroundings including its traffic impact. The Council will assess the impact of the development on traffic flow, car use and accessibility by other means of transport. Where appropriate proposed development should take account of the Council's Strategies to sustain and enhance the vitality and viability of the Borough's town centres. However, the role and function of retail provisions may change over time, especially if they are crucial to the sustainable regeneration of particular areas. Where appropriate further guidance will be provided, through neighbourhood plans or other area specific guidance. |
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| POLICY TCR2 |
| OUT OF CENTRE DEVELOPMENT |
| Proposals for new retail development outside the identified town and local shopping centres should demonstrate that: |
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there is a need and the sequential approach as advocated by Government guidance has been appropriately applied (see paragraph 6.28); |
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it will not have a demonstrably harmful effect on the vitality and viability of any nearby centres; |
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the amenity and environment of occupiers of adjacent and nearby properties are not adversely affected; |
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it is, or can be made, readily accessible by a choice of means of transport, including by bike and foot; or |
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the proposal complies with an adopted Planning Framework. |
| In order to ensure that the proposal does not adversely affect nearby centres it may be necessary to impose conditions to control: |
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the range of goods and services within the proposed unit; and |
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the subdivision or merger of the proposed unit. |
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| 6.32 |
The Council recognises that some types of retailing such as those trading in bulky goods would frequently desire large stores located in out of centre locations. Proposals for new retail development should be flexible in terms of format, design and scale, including where possible looking at which constituent parts of the development can be accommodated on more central sites. |
| 6.33 |
Where the Council is satisfied that developments cannot be located in centres or edge of centre in accordance with Government guidance then locations alongside existing out of centre retail developments may be acceptable where appropriate. In addition, large retail developments may be acceptable where it is an essential and justified part of plans to comprehensively regenerate specific areas. |
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| POLICY TCR3 |
| PROTECTION OF SHOPS IN THE TOWN CENTRES |
| Proposals to change the use from existing Class A1 retail will be allowed provided that: |
| a) |
where appropriate as a general guideline, the resulting proportion of A1 units does not fall below: |
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- 65% in the primary frontage
- 50% in the secondary frontage
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the change of use does not result in a significant break, normally 3 frontages, in the continuity of retail frontage; and |
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individually or cumulatively the proposed use does not have an adverse effect on the vitality, viability or predominately retail function of the centre. |
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| 6.34 |
The Council will seek to retain all A1 use within the primary frontage as the presence of `blank facades' can contribute to inactivity at street level during certain times of the day. Within the secondary frontages there may be greater flexibility about the proportion of non A1 that will be permitted since it is recognised that town centres should perform a function beyond retail. Within the primary frontages, A1 retail is the principal and dominant land-use. Usually it contains the most important shopping facilities, those which attract the greatest number of customers and which contribute most to the vitality of the centre. Primary frontages are defined in Schedule 4. Secondary frontages contain a variety of service and other uses in addition to A1 retail. These frontages support the primary frontage of a centre. Secondary frontages are defined in Schedule 5. |
| 6.35 |
In both the primary and secondary frontages, the non A1 units should not exceed the thresholds as set out in SPG11c Town Centre Retail Thresholds in any particular block or centre as a whole. Furthermore, to preserve the viability and vitality of the primary and secondary frontages, no more than 2 adjoining frontages should be in non A1 use. |
| 6.36 |
A2, A3, A4 and A5 uses or community facilities are the preferred alternatives to A1 because they are appropriate uses within town centres and would largely retain a window display. Window displays help maintain the attractiveness and continuity of the shopping frontage especially in the core shopping areas. In addition the character and appearance of the shopping area could be retained and enhanced through guidance provided by Supplementary Planning Guidance 6a on the design of shopfronts. |
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| POLICY TCR4 |
| PROTECTION OF LOCAL SHOPS |
| Proposals to change the use from existing Class A1 retail will be allowed provided that: |
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it can be demonstrated that there is no realistic prospect of the unit being used for A1 retail purposes in the foreseeable future; |
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individually or cumulatively the proposed use does not have an adverse effect on the vitality, viability or where appropriate predominately retail function; and |
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where applicable, the change of use does not result in a significant break in the continuity of retail frontage |
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| 6.37 |
According to the latest survey, the Borough's designated local shopping centres (LSC) vary in size from 4 to 146 units. Therefore, it is not appropriate to specify maximum and minimum figures regarding the number of shop and non-shop frontages within the centres. The local shopping centres are generally located in predominately residential areas and address the day to day retail needs, especially convenience goods, of local residents. In addition local shopping centres can provide a focal point for a local community, thus the Council will seek to maintain the commercial and community appearance and function of these units in the first instance. Within the identified local shopping centres, where appropriate at least 1 in every 3 frontages should fall within the A1 use class. |
| 6.38 |
The Council will seek to monitor the health of these centres, by conducting regular surveys of their uses in order to ascertain that they are providing retail and other services to local communities around the Borough. |
| 6.39 |
There are numerous parades and individual shops around the Borough that have not been identified in the Plan. These too can provide a valuable service to the community. The Council will therefore seek to retain these units unless it can be demonstrated that they no longer serve a function to the local community. Where this is the case the preferred non retail uses are A2, A3, A4 or A5 uses or other uses of an appropriate size and scale for commercial and community purposes, including health and police facilities or uses that meet an identified local need. |
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| POLICY TCR5 |
| A3 RESTAURANTS AND CAFES, A4 DRINKING ESTABLISHMENTS AND A5 HOT FOOD TAKEAWAYS |
| The Council when assessing proposals for restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments and hot food takeaway uses that fall within A3, A4 and A5 use classes will take into account the following: |
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the effectiveness of measures to mitigate litter, undue smell, odours and noise from the premises; |
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the hours of opening, operation and delivery; and |
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where appropriate the proportion of existing A3, A4 and A5 uses within the main town centres. |
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| 6.40 |
Restaurant, café, drinking establishment, and hot food takeaway uses are part of the make up of society; they provide a service and a source for local employment. However they can be the source of environmental nuisance and highway issues. Therefore, there is a need to ensure that any detrimental effect arising from such uses are minimised. Where appropriate full details of proposed flue/ventilation equipment must be in accordance with advice in the Sustainable Urban Design Standards in SPG6c and submitted to the Council for approval. |
| 6.41 |
A large proportion of non-A1 retail in the town centres are made up of those operations falling within the food and drinks use class. Therefore, to preserve the viability and vitality of the town centres, SPG11c on Town Centre Retail Thresholds sets out a maximum threshold of 20% for each of the main centres. The Council considers that the impact adverse or otherwise of these uses should be considered on the centre as a whole, rather than on frontages. Proposals within local shopping centres and locations outside the main centres will be assessed on their merits. |
| 6.42 |
There are certain types of uses falling within the A3, A4, and A5 use classes, in particular takeaways and public houses, which can potentially cause a greater degree of environmental problems, such as waste, than other A3, A4, and A5 use classes. Adequate waste storage facilities should be accommodated within the curtilage of the development. The Council will expect a clear statement of measures that will be taken to manage litter arising from the operation of the business in and around the vicinity of the premises to accompany any application (see policy UD7). |
| 6.43 |
Finally, some A3, A4, and A5 use classes especially those that operate in the evenings may also be affected by other regulatory regimes. Particular attention should be given to the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy (2005) which covers issues around licenses and permission relating to public entertainment, performance, dancing and the sale/consumption of alcohol. |
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