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North Wiltshire District Council NORTH WILTSHIRE RETAIL NEEDS ASSESSMENT STUDY Final Report September 2007
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Page 1: North Wiltshire District Council NORTH WILTSHIRE RETAIL NEEDS

North Wiltshire District Council NORTH WILTSHIRE RETAIL NEEDS ASSESSMENT STUDY

Final Report September 2007

Page 2: North Wiltshire District Council NORTH WILTSHIRE RETAIL NEEDS

ROGER TYM & PARTNERS 11 – 15 Dix’s Field, Exeter, Devon EX1 1QA t 01392 210868 f 01392 210869 e [email protected] w www.tymconsult.com

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CONTENTS

1 INSTRUCTIONS AND OUTLINE OF REPORT .....................................................................1 Instructions ..............................................................................................................................1 Structure of the Remainder of the Report................................................................................1

2 TOWN CENTRE REVIEWS ..................................................................................................3 North Wiltshire Town Centres..................................................................................................3 PPS6 Indicators .......................................................................................................................4 Chippenham ............................................................................................................................4 Wootton Bassett ......................................................................................................................7 Calne........................................................................................................................................9 Corsham ................................................................................................................................11 Malmesbury ...........................................................................................................................12

3 CURRENT PATTERNS OF RETAIL AND LEISURE SPENDING .......................................17 Methodology ..........................................................................................................................17 Comparison Goods Shopping Patterns .................................................................................17 Comparison Goods Sub-sectors ...........................................................................................21 Conclusion on Comparison Goods Spending Patterns .........................................................24 Convenience Goods Shopping Patterns ...............................................................................24 Conclusion on Convenience Goods Spending Patterns........................................................28 Spending on Leisure Services...............................................................................................28 Conclusion on Leisure Spending...........................................................................................32

4 QUANTITATIVE RETAIL NEED AND GROWTH IN TOWN CENTRE FUNCTIONS ...........33 Quantitative Retail Need........................................................................................................33 Methodology and Data Inputs................................................................................................33 Quantitative Need for Comparison Goods Floorspace..........................................................35 Quantitative Need for Convenience Goods Floorspace ........................................................36 Conclusions in Relation to Quantitative Retail Need.............................................................38 Growth in Spending in Leisure Services................................................................................39 Town Centre Employment .....................................................................................................41

5 REVIEW OF SITES WITH DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL AND STRATEGY FOR MEETING NEEDS................................................................................................................................42 Suitability, Viability, and Availability of Sites in Chippenham ................................................42 Suitability, viability, and Availability of Sites in Other Town Centres.....................................45

6 VILLAGE SHOP AUDIT.......................................................................................................47 Introduction ............................................................................................................................47 National Trends .....................................................................................................................47 Wiltshire .................................................................................................................................47 North Wiltshire .......................................................................................................................48 Planning for village shops......................................................................................................49 Community Shops .................................................................................................................50 Supporting Village Shops in North Wiltshire..........................................................................50

7 CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS................................................................................53 Current Conditions and Recent Trends .................................................................................53 Need ......................................................................................................................................53 Sites .......................................................................................................................................55 Town Centre Retail Frontage Areas Policies.........................................................................56

APPENDICES: Appendix One: Study Area Appendix Two: Town Centre Plans Appendix Three: Chippenham & Calne Sites Appendix Four: National Policy Context Appendix Five: Regional Policy Context

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1 INSTRUCTIONS AND OUTLINE OF REPORT

Instructions 1.1 North Wiltshire District Council commissioned Roger Tym & Partners to undertake this

study by way of its letter of 17 January 2007. The study brief identifies the overall aim of the study as being an assessment of retail need in the District in the period up to 2026. The study will therefore form an important element of the evidence base for the retail strategy and policies to be contained in the Council’s emerging Local Development Framework (LDF) and it will assist the Council to assess retail development proposals that emerge over the LDF period.

1.2 Section 15 of the study brief sets five general requirements, which are that, we:

i) take account of relevant national guidance, including PPS6, in assessing future requirements and in identifying new sites;

ii) take account of the strategy and policies within the emerging South West Regional Spatial Strategy;

iii) consider all town centre uses as identified in PPS6;

iv) take account of existing population estimates and population projections for North Wiltshire; and

v) report draft findings to a forum of stakeholders.

1.3 The brief then proceeds to identify the specific requirements for the five town centres of Chippenham, Calne, Corsham, Malmesbury and Wootton Bassett; these are that we:

i) establish their catchment areas and the value of expenditure generated;

ii) provide an assessment of quantitative and qualitative retail need, identifying any deficiencies or surpluses in existing provision and assessing the impact on the demand for retail floorspace arising from e-tailing; and

iii) identify a range of potential sites for new retail development, particularly in Chippenham for which the brief requires on assessment of 14 specific sites.

1.4 For the remaining towns, villages and rural areas, the study brief requires that we provide an audit of existing retail services and advise on the potential for increasing the availability of such services and the role of village communities in seeking to keep their shops open.

Structure of the Remainder of the Report 1.5 The remainder of our report is structured as follows:

Section 2 reviews the provision for retailing in the five main town centres in the District, including quantitative and qualitative assessment within the terms of Government guidance for town centre “healthchecks”, and comment on other town centre uses.

Section 3 describes current patterns of retail and leisure spending across the North Wiltshire study area, drawing on the findings of a telephone survey of 1,021 households;

Section 4 provides an analysis of quantitative retail need and growth in spending on leisure services, under differing scenarios, in the period of the forthcoming LDF, which is up to 2026;

Section 5 provides our review of sites with development potential, options for meeting the identified quantitative and qualitative needs and our favoured strategy;

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Section 6 provides our audit of retail services in the District’s villages and rural areas and our strategy for safeguarding and, if possible, enhancing these services; and

Section 7 sets out our overall conclusions and the implications for the LDF.

1.6 This main report is accompanied by

Appendices:

• Appendix One - Study Area • Appendix Two - Town Centre Plans • Appendix Three - Chippenham and Calne Sites • Appendix Four - National Policy Context • Appendix Five - Regional Policy Context

and by separate volumes containing:

i) Retail Spend Forecast : “Spreadsheets”;

ii) North Wiltshire Household Survey, NEMS Market Research.

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2 TOWN CENTRE REVIEWS

North Wiltshire Town Centres 2.1 This study focuses particularly on the five largest town centres in the District - in order

of size they are Chippenham, Wootton Bassett, Calne, Corsham and Malmesbury. Table 2.1 below shows the relative sizes of the centres, in terms of retail floorspace, and the balance of types of retail businesses operating at present.1

Table 2.1 : Town Centre Floorspace and Uses

Floorspace (sq.m gross)

Chippen-ham

Wootton Bassett

Calne Corsham Malmes-bury

Total

Convenience Goods 5270 3230 5450 1450 750 16150

Comparison Goods 28090 5000 4030 4200 4520 45840

Service Uses 10450 11960 3570 3710 2190 31880

Vacant Uses 3710 1170 1410 490 560 7340

Total 48330 21360 14460 10000 8020 102170

2.2 As Section 3 shows, the total amount of retail spending by residents of the Study Area is estimated at £1015m per year, of which £693m per year is spend on comparison goods (clothing, household goods, etc.) and £323m per year is spend on convenience goods (food, groceries, etc.). Approximately 37% of comparison spending is spent in town, district and local centres, and in freestanding stores within the District. The figure for convenience spending retained within the District is far greater at some 80%. Further analysis of these figures can be found in Section 3 of this study.

2.3 A much more detailed analysis of these figures, including assessment of the levels of spend in each town centre, and destinations of spend from local parts of the Districts, is contained in Section 3. In summary, the Section shows that

Chippenham town centre is by far the most important comparison goods destination within the study area, accounting for almost half of all of the retained expenditure. Malmesbury, Corsham, Wootton Bassett and Calne attract only small amounts of comparison goods expenditure and represent a lower level in the hierarchy of town centres.

The main destinations for leakage of expenditure are Swindon town centre and Bath city centre, which draw £125m and £64m respectively from residents of the North Wiltshire catchment area.

It is clear that most convenience shopping is undertaken on a highly localised basis. 78% of the convenience expenditure of residents of the catchment area is retained and spent in stores and centres which are located within the catchment area and 21% represents short distance leakage to stores located in the buffer zones just outside the catchment area.

1 this data is sourced from Experian GOAD, the best source of up-to-date retail floorspace data based on regular surveys of every town centre in the country. Note that GOAD data is updated regularly; for the North Wiltshire town centres data relates to Nov 2005 - June 2006. Surveys conducted for this study in March 2007 indicate that some limited change has occurred since that time, but for consistency of data and comparisons with other information, including GOAD floorspace use data, the GOAD plans in Appendix Two are presented with their survey dates. Where change has occurred it generally indicates continuing strength in retail operations, with reductions in vacancy and attractive new occupants to premises

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The convenience goods retention rate is low only for the parts of the District closest to other centres outside the District, particularly Cricklade, Wootton Bassett and Malmesbury.

PPS6 Indicators 2.4 Planning Policy Statement 6 (PPS6) ‘Planning for Town Centres’ sets out a number of

indicators which can be used to measure the vitality and viability and monitor the health of town centres, and how this is changing over time.

2.5 This section of the report concentrates on these indicators, using qualitative and quantitative data which is available for the North Wiltshire towns from existing sources and surveys, including data illustrating diversity of uses, retailer representation, rents and yields, vacancy, accessibility. Some of the data is drawn from surveys conducted in spring 2007 for or by Roger Tym & Partners, and from consultations with local agents; and some from established data sources, particularly GOAD surveys and plans for the town centres. Consultation with a Retail Needs Stakeholder Forum in May 2007, provided insights for the study. Plans of the Town Centres, showing the GOAD data, are provided in Appendix Two. This data was reviewed by on-street surveys during the RTP work in 2007.

2.6 Summary information for each of the centres is provided below, in respect of these “healthcheck indicators”, and is then supplemented with an analysis of comment collected through a pedestrian on-street survey. This comment is provided in a separate sub-section to allow comparison of opinions about several centres.

Chippenham

2.7 Chippenham is the largest town centre in the District, with a total retail floorspace in the town centre of 48,330 sq.m.

2.8 The GOAD data for the town centre shows the following balance of retail uses in the town centre:

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Table 2.2 Chippenham Town Centre Floorspace

Floorspace No. of units

(sq.m gross)

% of total f’space

Convenience Goods 13 5270 10.90

Comparison Goods 117 28090 58.12

Service Uses 91 10450 21.62

Vacant and Miscellaneous Uses 18 3710 7.67

Total 246 48330 100 Source: GOAD

2.9 Chippenham is an attractive town centre with a good balance of types of retail and other uses, and a good range of retailer representation. The presence of the Somerfield supermarket in the town centre is a positive contribution to this balance, and other “high street names” including WH Smith, Superdrug, Clarks, Stead & Simpson, Burton, Dorothy Perkins, New Look, etc., demonstrate its strength and role in the shopping hierarchy.

2.10 The primary retail area of the town centre is focussed on the High Street, which forms an attractive link from the Bridge to Market Place and to the secondary retail areas beyond. Environmental enhancements and part pedestrianisation have helped to create an attractive and safe environment for shoppers and other visitors to the town centre during the day and evening.

2.11 The attractive topography and riverside setting help to enhance the life and interest of the town centre, and the riverfront areas to the west of the High Street have particularly benefited from recent developments which create a quality of urban environment and diversity to the town centre.

2.12 Car parking for the town centre is provided largely in three car parks - Emery Gate (decked, adjacent to Somerfield); Borough Parade (adjacent to the modern Borough Parade shopping development); and Bath Road (across the bridge from the High Street, but very accessible to it). The latter two car parks are particularly accessible from outside the town centre and thus provide an important resource; however the access to the Emery Gate car park is narrow and awkward, creating an unfortunately poor access and poor quality of environment in a prominent location adjacent to the river (where any attractive riverside environment could contribute significantly to the attractiveness of the town centre).

2.13 Public transport accessibility is good with a large number of routes into the town centre bus station from across the District and beyond, and a good railway station close to the town centre linking to major urban centres and nearby towns. The town centre has attractive pedestrianised areas and provision of cycle racks in various places.

2.14 There is a good diversity of “other” uses in the town centre, including office premises; pubs, hotels and bars; and public facilities including the library - however, there is not a strong leisure offer beyond the restaurants, pubs and bars, so the town centre can be fairly quiet in the evenings and does not play a strong role by comparison with other adjacent larger town centres.

2.15 Property market rents and yields give a good indication of the relative strength of town centres, reflecting supply and demand. There is limited standardised data on which to compare commercial property market performance of town centres in North Wiltshire2,

2 While this study provides new data collected as part of the research process (which is referred to in the text), any one set of data on rents, yields, etc. is restricted in its usefulness by the limited number of transactions and other lack of information on which to judge market conditions in smaller towns. Nonetheless, the relative performance and health of the town centres can be judged from the range of data which is used.

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but the following table demonstrates the comparison of Chippenham with neighbouring centres with which it competes, and shows how its relative position has changed over time:

Table 2.3 Retail Property Zone “A” Rents, 1996 - 2006 (£ per sq. ft.)

Centre Scale of Centre (VenueScore 2006)

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Bath Major Regional 140 145 180 195 195 195 215 220 220 240 240

Bristol Major Regional 150 150 160 175 175 175 180 180 185 185 190

Swindon Regional 150 150 150 170 180 170 170 170 170 170 170

Cirencester Major District - - - - - - - 65 65 70 70

Trowbridge Major District - - - - - - - 60 65 65 65

Chippenham District 40 40 40 40 40 40 45 55 60 60 70

Devizes District - - - - - - - - - - -

Source: Colliers CRE

2.16 This table indicates that Chippenham retail property is (not surprisingly) significantly less valuable than equivalent premises in the larger cities and towns in the sub-region, and marginally less attractive commercially than in Cirencester and Trowbridge. However, Colliers CRE data shows that Chippenham has experienced rental growth of 75% over 5 years between 2001 and 2006, which is the 12th highest rate of rental growth of any UK centre.

2.17 Agents confirm that rents as high as £80 per sq ft may now be achievable in the best locations, but the range is wide, and may average £50 per sq ft in a generally strong market. This picture is reflected in property yields, which are an indicator of investor confidence (the lower the figure, broadly speaking, the more attractive).

2.18 Agents confirm that yields reflect a rapidly improving market (noting again that lower yield figures reflect the stronger commercial position):

Table 2.4 Retail Property Yields 2000 - 2007

Centre Scale of Centre (VenueScore

2006)

Apr-00

Apr-01

Apr-02

Apr-03

Jan-04

Jan-05

Jan-06

Jan-07

Bath Major Regional 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 4.5

Bristol Major Regional 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0

Swindon Regional 5.5 5.8 6.0 5.5 5.3 5.3 5.0 5.0

Cirencester Major District 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.0 6.0

Trowbridge Major District 8.5 9.0 9.5 9.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 7.5

Chippenham District 7.5 8.0 8.5 8.0 8.0 8.0 7.5 7.0

Devizes District 9.0 9.5 10.0 9.0 9.0 8.5 8.5 7.5

Melksham Local 10.0 10.5 10.0 10.0 10.0 9.0 9.0 8.0 Source: Colliers CRE

2.19 This table shows again the relative performance of Chippenham, with a marked difference compared to the larger cities and towns, but fairly comparable with neighbouring centres of similar size. Indeed Chippenham shows a consistently stronger performance than Trowbridge or Melksham.

2.20 It is notable that there is a very low rate of vacancy in Chippenham, and even the few shop units which were noted as vacant by GOAD in summer 2006 have been filled. Site survey and discussion with local agents indicates that most vacancies now occur

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in the course of normal movement in the retail property market, as occupiers move between premises or close, when a short delay occurs before new businesses take up occupancy.

2.21 Some agents report moderate demand for premises in Chippenham, while others reported stronger interest and a shortage of premises to meet modern retailer demand, particularly for units of 1,000 - 1,500 sq ft, with some interest in larger units up to 4,000 sq ft. Published commercial databases of “retailer requirements” indicate a range of requirements from high street retailers these are very similar to those found in many high streets and do not in themselves demonstrate any unusually strong demand or the potential to extend the range of the centre into different markets. Agents view the town centre’s property offer as good, with a generally adequate provision of size and shape of units. Some agents felt there may be latent demand for mainly larger units in Chippenham.

2.22 The primary and secondary retail frontage areas as defined in the current Local Plan are a fair reflection of the current conditions in the town centre, with the primary frontage area focussed on the High Street between the river and Market Place and the secondary frontage area extending from Foundry Lane and New Road in the north to the Causeway in the south. The two defined areas appear generally to be appropriately drawn in terms of retailer representation, other uses, property market conditions and footfall, but should be reviewed in the light of two particular considerations – supermarkets in town centres, and the need for future development – which apply also to the other town centres and are discussed in Section 5.

Wootton Bassett

2.23 Wootton Bassett is the 2nd largest town centre in the District, with a total retail floorspace in the town centre of 21,360 sq.m.

2.24 The GOAD data for the town centre shows the following balance of retail uses in the town centre:

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Table 2.5 Wootton Bassett Town Centre Floorspace

Floorspace No. of units

(sq.m gross)

% of total f’space

Convenience Goods 8 3230 15.12

Comparison Goods 51 5000 23.41

Service Uses 44 11960 55.99

Vacant and Miscellaneous Uses 9 1170 5.48

Total 112 21360 100 Source: GOAD

2.25 These figures reflect the significant representation of service uses and comparison floorspace in the town, though it does include a Sainsbury supermarket (1,570 sq.m), Somerfield (660 sq.m) and Iceland (580 sq.m).

2.26 Retail premises stretch along the High Street, which is a busy main road, but is an attractive, level historic street and links through the modern Borough Fields shopping centre to the Sainsbury supermarket, Library and car park beyond. The Somerfield supermarket is fairly centrally located also, fronting High Street, with a small car park behind accessed from Station Road.

2.27 There are few other high street “brands” represented other than the supermarkets (above)- Boots, Lloyds, Peacocks - so the majority of the units are occupied by local independent traders. As noted, there is a strong representation of service uses, including pubs, take-away food, insurance, travel agents, etc. Many of these uses occupy relatively small and old premises, which will be limited in their potential to accommodate modern retailer requirements.

2.28 The main area of car parking serving the town centre is the Borough Fields car park, and on street parking along the High Street is free. There is a range of public transport (bus) routes to and from larger towns including Swindon, Devizes and Chippenham and to neighbouring villages. Cycle racks are provided in some locations, and being generally flat, the centre provides good pedestrian accessibility.

2.29 The fundamental quality of environment of the town centre is good, benefiting particularly from the presence of attractive buildings and the width of the High Street. However, many of the buildings show signs of decay or lack of investment, and there is a significant representation of charity shops and vacancies in central positions - though some premises are currently being rebuilt or refurbished. Also environmental quality is compromised by a persistent flow of traffic, including heavy vehicles, along High Street.

2.30 There is a limited offer of other town centre facilities or functions, though there is a large library adjacent to the Sainsbury’s supermarket and car park as part of the Borough Fields shopping centre, a range of pub/hotels and a few local restaurants, and some local offices and services including dental surgery, solicitors and banks.

2.31 Though there is a lack of standardised data for rents and yields, our consultations with local agents indicate that Zone A rents of £26 - £28 per sq ft may be achieved, with a best of £30. Yields may on average be around 7.5% - 8.0% and fairly static, but one agent indicated that a best yield of 5.5% may have been achieved.

2.32 Agents noted that free car parking (for the first two hours) is an advantage, but stakeholders raised concerns at forum discussions that the parking fee at the Sainsbury car park places the store and the centre at a disadvantage to other nearby supermarket locations.

2.33 The primary and secondary retail frontage areas as defined in the current Local Plan are a fair reflection of the current conditions in the town centre, with the primary

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frontage area focussed on the Borough Fields Shopping Centre and adjacent areas of the High Street and the secondary frontage area extending along the High Street. The two defined areas appear generally to be appropriately drawn in terms of retailer representation, other uses, property market conditions and footfall, but should be reviewed in the light of the issues discussed in Section 5.

Calne 2.34 Calne is the 3rd largest town centre in the District, with a total retail floorspace in the

town centre of 14,460 sq.m.

2.35 The GOAD data for the town centre shows the following balance of retail uses in the town centre:

Table 2.6 Calne Town Centre Floorspace

Floorspace No. of units

(sq.m gross)

% of total f’space

Convenience Goods 8 5450 37.49

Comparison Goods 37 4030 27.87

Service Uses 29 3570 24.69

Vacant and Miscellaneous Uses 9 1410 9.75

Total 83 14460 100 Source: GOAD

2.36 Calne is unusual for a town of this size in offering two larger supermarkets - Sainsbury (2,210 sq.m gross) and Somerfield (1,880 sq.m gross) - within the town centre, as well as an Iceland store (740 sq.m gross), and adjacent to larger areas of car parking. This part of the town centre tends to dominate retail provision (providing over one-quarter of the total retail floorspace in the town centre) and the balance of shopping provision towards convenience uses when compared with the other town centres. The rest of the town centre then comprises two other main areas - Phelps Parade, a small pedestrian open ‘mall’ area which includes Iceland, Boots, and a range of smaller shops; and the

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historic areas of Wood Street and High Street. Church Street, which lies on the southern edge of the town centre, provides a particularly attractive historic area with a number of small shops selling specialist comparison goods and services.

2.37 The historic parts of the town centre present an attractive setting, which has been enhanced in recent years by the construction of a new library and adjacent development. However, while the pedestrianised area of the High Street is environmentally attractive it now comprises almost entirely office and service uses, so lacks shopper interest and footfall.

2.38 By contrast, the area around the supermarkets and car parks is unattractive due to the fragmented nature of development and layout and environment of the surface car parks. These car parks do however provide the opportunity for market trading. Stakeholders commented that the lack of free parking is a disadvantage to the centre.

2.39 Phelps Parade is also unattractive, despite being at the heart of the shopping area it is an unattractive development, dated in style and marked by litter and apparently poor maintenance and lack of investment.

2.40 There has been significant consultation between North Wiltshire District Council Assets, Design and Regeneration Team and local town and parish councils as well as other stakeholders concerning the future redevelopment prospects for Calne town centre.

2.41 NWDC has recognised the condition of Phelps Parade and officers have recommended the parts of Phelps Parade in the poorest condition should be demolished with the objective of “enhancing Phelps Parade shopping centre to increase revenue income, reduce future maintenance costs, to obtain the maximum return for its investment and to improve the amenities for the local community.” This is referred to as Phase 3.

2.42 The Phase 3 development in Calne is focused on the removal of 1970’s retail buildings and the general enhancement of the existing retail structure, with the concentration of shopping adjacent to the Sainsbury’s store.

2.43 Phase 3 proposes to demolish the former Kwik Save store (east end of Phelps Parade) and replace with two ground floor retail units with 16 affordable flats, which replaces the 5 current situated. Refurbishment of the remainder of Phelps Parade, including the removal of canopies, paving and improvement works to shop fronts. A private development comprising 5 new retail units and flats/houses and creation of a new Public Square between the town developments surrounding the Zion Chapel (see Calne site 1 in Appendix Three).

2.44 The New Road, High Street, West Hill road corridor is fairly heavily trafficked and tends to impose a strong ‘edge’ to the town centre, separating it from commercial uses and residential areas to the west. Public transport accessibility is relatively good, with a range of routes serving the town centre with links to surrounding towns and villages and a frequent service on a Chippenham to Swindon route.

2.45 There is a relatively limited range of “other” town centre functions, though there is a relatively new library, a heritage centre/museum/art gallery, council offices, and a large traditional hotel.

2.46 In the absence of standardised property market data, our consultations with local agents indicate that rents in Calne may be around £20 - £22 per sq. ft at present, with a maximum of £25. Yields are around 7% - 8% with a best of 5%. Operator interest is said to be weak. One agent commented that the property offer in Calne is very poor, and yet another commented particularly on the poor quality of the Phelps Parade, suggesting that it is desperate need of improvement, and could, if treated in a similar fashion to the parade at Corsham, have a beneficial effect on the centre.

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2.47 The primary and secondary retail frontage areas as defined in the current Local Plan are a fair reflection of the current conditions in the town centre, with the primary frontage area focussed on the Phelps Parade Shopping Centre and the secondary frontage area extending along Wood Street High Street, the Strand, Beach Terrace and Church Street. The two defined areas appear generally to be appropriately drawn in terms of retailer representation, other uses, property market conditions and footfall, but should be reviewed in the light of the issues discussed in Section 5.

Corsham

2.48 Corsham is the 4th largest town centre in the District, with a total retail floorspace in the town centre of 10,000 sq.m.

2.49 The GOAD data for the town centre shows the following balance of retail uses in the town centre:

Table 2.7 Corsham Town Centre Floorspace

Floorspace No. of units

(sq.m gross)

% of total f’space

Convenience Goods 9 1450 14.50

Comparison Goods 32 4200 42.00

Service Uses 29 3710 37.10

Vacant and Miscellaneous Uses 4 640 6.40

Total 75 10000 100 Source: GOAD

2.50 Corsham town centre can be considered in two areas of very different character - the High Street, which is notable for its extremely attractive Conservation Area buildings of mixed use and specialist shops; and the Martingate Centre which links through to a Somerfield supermarket. There is public car parking adjacent to the supermarket, which provides the car parking for the whole town centre, along with other car parks

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also accessed from Newlands Road. The southern edge of the centre also includes the Council Offices and Library.

2.51 The town centre therefore provides a useful and attractive mix of functions and quality of environment for a centre of its size, though compared to larger towns it is noticeable that the range of multiple shops (or national names) is limited (see GOAD plan); and that the specialist or independent shops in the Conservation Area, though attractive, are generally “niche” shops (e.g. selling interior design/furnishings, specialist food) and thus perhaps not serving a wide range of local residents. This balance does however help to establish a profile for the town centre and probably draws trade from a wider area than some other centres.

2.52 Corsham is reasonably served by public transport (bus) routes, particularly providing links to Bath and Melksham. The pedestrian environment is generally good.

2.53 Agents report that retail rents are around £18 per sq. ft., though a best figure of £30 per sq. ft was noted. Yields are similar to the other four (smaller) centres in the District, at around 7.5% - 8%, and reasonably static. Operator interest is weak and nearly always for local operators, a requirement of 650 sq ft or larger for leisure use was noted by one agent, though overall agents felt that there is sufficient space for market demand in Corsham. Agents commented on the effect of car parking charges on trade.

2.54 The primary and secondary retail frontage areas as defined in the current Local Plan are a fair reflection of the current conditions in the town centre, with the primary frontage area focussed on the Martingate Centre and the secondary frontage area extending along the High Street and around Post Office Lane, Newlands Road and Pickwick Road. The two defined areas appear to be appropriately drawn in terms of retailer representation, other uses, property market conditions and footfall, but should be reviewed in the light of the considerations discussed in Section 5.

Malmesbury

2.55 Malmesbury is the 5th town centre in the District, with a total retail floorspace in the town centre of 8,020 sq.m.

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2.56 The GOAD data for the town centre shows the following balance of retail uses in the town centre:

Table 2.8 Malmesbury Town Centre Floorspace

Floorspace No. of units

(sq.m gross)

% of total f’space

Convenience Goods 7 750 9.35

Comparison Goods 40 4520 56.36

Service Uses 26 2190 27.31

Vacant and Miscellaneous Uses 5 560 6.98

Total 79 8020 100 Source : GOAD

2.57 Malmesbury is an attractive town centre with a primary retail area along the northern part of the High Street, which links through the Market Cross the Abbey and adjacent river and gardens. The Town centre also includes Cross Hayes which serves as a town centre car park with Council offices, Library and other public facilities.

2.58 The High Street contains a useful mixture of local shops and services along with banks, post office and national names in Boots, Lloyds Pharmacy a small Co-op supermarket. The town centre does serve as a local centre serving the northern part of the District, but as Table 2.8 shows, the representation of convenience retail is limited and the range of other shops indicates a limited role in meeting shoppers’ needs.

2.59 Some of the shops are operating from small units and, given the constraints of plot sizes and conservation priorities for the historic environment, it may be appropriate to consider the potential to provide larger or more modern units to meet retailer requirements.

2.60 Car parking for the town centre is provided either at Cross Hayes (100 spaces estimated) or below the Abbey, at some distance from the High Street. This latter parking is also at significantly lower level than the High Street and access to the town centre therefore involves walking up a considerable hill. There is on street parking in the High Street and apparently reasonable turnover of space, allowing shoppers to park outside the shops, however, there was comment at the stakeholders forum about the limited opportunity for shoppers to park free of charge close to shops.

2.61 Public transport (bus) routes serve the town well, with stops adjacent to the shopping area and routes to Chippenham, Cirencester and neighbouring villages, but frequencies are sometimes limited, and average around one bus per hour to the main destinations.

2.62 The quality of environment of the town centre is generally very good, and likely to attract shoppers if the right range and quality of shops were available.

2.63 There is limited vacancy within the town centre, though it was noted that a number of small units were vacant and number more in occupation by charity shops. There is a range of “other” town centre functions, including solicitors, health centre, veterinary surgery, and pubs/restaurants, tourist information office/Citizens Advice Bureau, library, etc. which create an attractive small town centre, but taken along with the relatively small scale of the centre, suggest a limited “critical mass” of retail and other activities to attract sufficient trade.

2.64 Agents confirm this picture, suggesting relatively strong rents (at £25 per sq. ft., or £30 for the best premises), and yields at around the 7% - 8% range (but a best perhaps of 5%) - but weak operator interest and generally poor units to meet current market requirements. Agents commented that road works and the cost of car parking may be having an effect on trade.

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2.65 The primary and secondary retail frontage areas as defined in the current Local Plan are a fair reflection of the current conditions in the town centre, with the primary frontage area focussed on High Street and adjacent areas and the secondary frontage area extending along the southern section of High Street and the length of Gloucester Street. The primary frontage area appears generally to be appropriately drawn in terms of retailer representation, other uses, property market conditions and footfall, but may be appropriate for review in the light of relatively strong retailer representation in the area of High Street immediately south of the junction with St. Dennis Road (both sides). The secondary frontage area along Gloucester Road may be appropriate for review due to its apparent limited attractiveness to shoppers and retailers – however it does include a range of premises which can make a useful contribution to the range of commercial premises supporting the town centre.

Findings of the Survey of Pedestrians 2.66 A survey of pedestrians was undertaken in each of the five main town centres during

February and March 2007; the full results of the survey are provided in a separate report from NEMS Market Research. NEMS itself undertook the surveys in Chippenham, Calne, and Wootton Bassett, and Local Authority officers conducted the surveys in Corsham and Malmesbury. A total of 553 pedestrians were surveyed, as set out in Table 2.1 of the NEMS report, with a minimum of 100 respondents in each centre. In this section of our main report, we focus on the main findings, cross-referring to the results summarised in forecasts supplementary volume “Spreadsheets”.

Mode of Travel

2.67 There is a significant variation across the five town centres in terms of mode of travel for visitors. In Chippenham, Wootton Basset and Corsham, three-fifths of trips are made by car, whereas in Malmesbury the share for car-trips drops to 51% and in Calne the car share drops even further to 35%. Thus, it is interesting to note that 57% of trips to Calne town centre are by foot, suggesting that it is heavily reliant on its walk-in catchment area. As expected, bus trips are most important in Chippenham, but they account for only 12% of trips to the centre.

Frequency of Visits

2.68 The smaller centres have more frequent visitors, reflecting their role as convenience centres, with limited drawing power beyond their localised catchment areas. Conversely, three-fifths of the visitors to Chippenham have frequencies of visits that are less than once per week.

Main Reason for Visit

2.69 The main reasons for visiting the smaller centres are to buy food and groceries and for services, only in Chippenham is the main reason to buy non-food goods. However, Chippenham also has an important role in providing for services.

What Visitors Like Most about the Town Centres

2.70 In Chippenham, respondents found it hard to identify what they liked most, but the most frequently cited responses were its proximity and its selection and choice of independent shops. There was also noticeable support for the pedestrianised part of the centre, but only 8% of respondents identified the selection and choice of the town’s non-food multiples as their top ‘like’.

2.71 In Calne, visitors liked its proximity, the ease of parking, the cheapness of parking, and the fact that the centre is not too crowded. A significant proportion of respondents also cited the town centre’s overall character and atmosphere, the quality of its supermarkets, the selections and choice of independent shops and the centre’s historic buildings.

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2.72 In Wootton Bassett, the most frequently mentioned ‘likes’ were the selection/choice of non-food multiples and the town’s friendly atmosphere. About a tenth of the respondents also cited the town centre’s character and its historic buildings.

2.73 Malmesbury town centre clearly has significant strengths, with 51% of respondents citing its character/atmosphere and with a third highlighting the selection and choice of its independent specialist shops and the town centre’s historic buildings. There was also a significant proportion of respondents who identified the quality of the shops in general and the selection and choice of non-food multiples.

2.74 In Corsham, the convenience of the centre was the most frequently cited ‘like most’ factor. However, 36% identified the selection and choice of independent shops as their most important ‘like’, 25% cited the town centre’s character and atmosphere, 11% liked the range of services and 9% liked all of the shops on the high street.

What Visitors Dislike Most about the Town Centres

2.75 In Chippenham, the most frequently cited dislike is the lack of choice of high street multiples, followed by the lack of choice of independent specialist shops. This is somewhat surprising given that the choice of independent specialists also ranked highly in terms of the frequency of ‘like most’ factors. The other principal ‘dislike’ in Chippenham is the perceived difficulty in parking.

2.76 In Calne, criticisms focused on perceptions of dirty shopping streets, the presence of threatening individuals and groups and the lack of sufficient police presence and security measures.

2.77 In Wootton Bassett and Malmesbury, the most frequently cited ‘dislikes’ are perceived difficulties in parking, and road congestion. Parking is also perceived to be a difficulty in Corsham, closely followed by the lack of choice of high street multiples. 10% of visitors in Corsham cited the lack of a larger supermarket.

Suggested Improvements for Centres

2.78 In Chippenham, there is a general perception of a need for a better choice of shops, and a need for more high street multiples, particularly quality multiples, such as Marks & Spencer. Some respondents also called for more clothes shops and fewer mobile phone shops.

2.79 In Calne, the suggestions for improvements reflected the dislikes so that the most frequently cited responses were to improve the appearance and environment of the centre and to improve security measures, such as CCTV. A significant proportion of respondents also cited the need for better removal of litter and better leisure facilities.

2.80 In Wootton Bassett, a surprisingly small proportion of respondents were able to provide suggestions for improvements and those who were able to comment focused on the need for more free parking.

2.81 In Malmesbury, suggestions again focused on parking; visitors want more parking in general, cheaper parking and more accessible parking. 10% of respondents also cited the need for more priority to be given to pedestrians.

2.82 In Corsham, the need for more parking was yet again the most frequently cited suggestion for improvement, followed by a better choice of shops in general, a bigger supermarket, more high street multiples and a better quality of shops. There are also calls for improvements to appearance of the centre and more frequent litter removal.

Leisure Facilities

2.83 It is noteworthy that 54% of the visitors to Calne suggested that the centre was lacking in leisure facilities, which is a significantly higher proportion than in the other town centres. The highest satisfaction, in respect of leisure, is in Chippenham where only 27% considered the centre to be lacking in facilities. When asked which types of

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leisure facilities each centre was lacking in, the highest proportions were as set out in Table 2.9. Visitors to Calne clearly feel most strongly about the need for a leisure centre or cinema.

Table 2.9 Leisure Facilities Most Frequently Cited as Being Lacking Centre Leisure Facility Most Frequently

Cited as Being Lacking Percentage of Respondents

Chippenham Leisure centre Cinema

25% 23%

Calne Leisure centre Cinema

62% 49%

Wootton Bassett Keep leisure centre open More for young people

40% 26%

Malmesbury Restaurants, cafés Pubs, bars

36% 20%

Corsham Restaurants, cafés Pubs, bars

57% 20%

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3 CURRENT PATTERNS OF RETAIL AND LEISURE SPENDING

Methodology 3.1 Our assessment of current patterns of retail and leisure spending is based on a

telephone survey of 1,021 households in our North Wiltshire study area, or catchment area, completed in March 2007. A more detailed description of the methodology is provided in Appendix One. The full results of the survey are provided in a separate report by NEMS, the market research company which carried out the interviews. This research provides us with a comprehensive picture of the current shopping patterns and levels of spend in each town centre, by types of goods – and the comparison with other competing or neighbouring centres. The results of our analysis of this survey date are provided in the rest of this Section.

Comparison Goods Shopping Patterns 3.2 The per capita spend on comparison goods in 2007 (Spreadsheet Table 3) varies from

£3,386 in Zone 6 (Melksham) to £4,185 in Zone 2a (North Chippenham). The total amount of comparison goods spending for residents of the whole of the catchment area in 2007 is £692.8m (Spreadsheet Table 4), of which £63.4m is spent on Special Forms of Trading (catalogue and internet shopping, which we subsequently abbreviate as SFT).

3.3 The pattern of expenditure flows for the comparison goods sector as a whole, as revealed by the survey of households, is set out in Spreadsheet Tables 5 and 6 (including SFT) and in Spreadsheet Tables 7 and 8 (excluding SFT). In describing the current pattern of comparison shopping, we focus on Spreadsheet Tables 5 and 6 which include SFT.

Overall Pattern of Comparison Goods Spending

3.4 Overall some 36.5% of the expenditure on comparison goods of residents of the Study Area is spent in town, district and local centres, and in freestanding stores which are located within the Study Area; this is known as the aggregate retention rate (see Spreadsheet Table 6, final column which is clustered under four broad headings in Table 3.1 below). Some 41.4% of comparison goods expenditure flows to town centres and freestanding stores in the buffer areas just outside the Study Area (mainly to Swindon and Bath and to a lesser extent Trowbridge); some 9.2% is spent on SFT; and the balance of 12.9% is spent in more distant locations.

Table 3.1 Broad Destinations for Comparison Goods Expenditure

£m %Retained Expenditure 253.0 36.5Buffer Zones Just Outside Study Area 286.5 41.4SFT 63.4 9.2Other More Distant Locations 89.8 12.9

TOTAL 692.8 100.0

3.5 The estimated comparison goods turnovers of the town centres located within the Study Area, prior to making any allowance for any expenditure inflow from those who are resident beyond the Study Area, are set out in the penultimate column of Spreadsheet Table 6, and are summarised in Table 3.2 below:

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Table 3.2 Estimated Comparison Goods Turnovers in 2007 in 2004 Prices Towns Within the Study Area

Comparison Goods Turnover (£m)

Chippenham Town Centre £117.6m Melksham Town Centre £35.2m Devizes Town Centre £26.9m Malmesbury Town Centre £6.1m Corsham Town Centre £5.4m Wootton Bassett Town Centre £4.5m Calne Town Centre £4.1m Freestanding Stores within the Study Area

Comparison Goods Turnover (£m)

B&Q Bath Road £21.7m Hathaway Retail Park £14.5m Focus Bath Road £10.0m

3.6 Table 3.2 confirms Chippenham’s status as a Strategically Significant City or Town (SSCT) in the emerging RSS and it is clear that Malmesbury, Corsham, Wootton Bassett and Calne, which all have a comparison goods turnover in the range £4m to £6m, represent small town centres at a lower level in the hierarchy.

3.7 The main destinations for leakage of comparison goods expenditure - as shown in detail in the penultimate column of Spreadsheet Table 6 - are summarised in Table 3.3 below, with Swindon town centre and Bath city centre being by far the most important.

Table 3.3 Main Destinations for Comparison Goods Expenditure Leakage Towns Outside the Study Area

Comparison Goods Expenditure (£m)

Swindon Town Centre £124.9m Bath City Centre £63.8m Trowbridge Town Centre £26.9m Bristol City Centre £19.6m Cirencester Town Centre £14.3m Freestanding Stores Outside the Study Area

Comparison Goods Expenditure (£m)

The Mall, Cribbs Causeway £17.0m Greenbridge Retail & Leisure Park, Swindon £14.0m McArthur Glenn Designer Outlet Village £7.3m IKEA, Eastville, Bristol £7.2m E-tailing

£37.2m

Catalogue Shopping

£26.2m

3.8 The catchment area’s retention level by zone (see Spreadsheet Table 5, ‘Sub Total of Catchment Area’ row) varies from lows of 1.7% in Zone 1b (Cricklade) and 7.4% in Zone 4b (Wootton Bassett), to highs of 54.7% in Zone 2b (Chippenham urban area) and 49.6% in Zone 4a (Calne). There are also reasonably high catchment area zonal retention levels of 40.4% for Zone 3 (Corsham) and of 39.3% for Zone 5 (Devizes).

3.9 The localised retention rate – which is the proportion of expenditure on comparison goods available to residents in a specific zone which is spent in town centres and stores located within that zone – is highest for Zone 2b (the Chippenham urban area), which has a localised retention rate of 50.4% (see Table 5, ‘Zone 2b’ column and ‘Sub Total Zone 2b’ row). The next highest localised retention rates for comparison goods are for Zone 5 (Devizes), which has a localised retention rate of 26.4% and Melksham which has a localised rate of 23.7%.

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Overall Pattern of Comparison Goods Expenditure by Zone

3.10 Spreadsheet Table 5 shows the overall pattern of comparison goods spending for residents of each zone and the main destinations for residents of each of the nine zones is summarised in Tables 4.4 to 4.12 below:

Table 3.4 Main Comparison Goods Destinations for Residents of Malmesbury Destination for Zone 1a Residents % of Comparison

Goods Expenditure Swindon Town Centre 17.3% Cirencester Town Centre 13.2% SFT 12.5% Chippenham Town Centre 11.2% Malmesbury Town Centre 9.2%

Table 3.5 Main Comparison Goods Destinations for Residents of Cricklade Destination for Zone 1b Residents % of Comparison

Goods Expenditure Swindon Town Centre 44.1% Cirencester Town Centre 23.4% SFT 7.7% Greenbridge Retail & Leisure Park, Swindon 6.3%

Table 3.6 Main Comparison Goods Destinations for Residents of Chippenham North Destination for Zone 2a Residents % of Comparison

Goods Expenditure Swindon Town Centre 24.2% Chippenham Town Centre 19.4% SFT 8.9% Bath City Centre 7.9% The Mall, Cribbs Causeway 6.8%

Table 3.7 Main Comparison Goods Destinations for Residents of the Chippenham Urban Area

Destination for Zone 2b Residents % of Comparison Goods Expenditure

Chippenham Town Centre 38.0% Swindon Town Centre 9.6% Bath City Centre 8.9% SFT 7.6% B&Q Bath Road 5.4%

Table 3.8 Main Comparison Goods Destinations for Residents of Corsham Destination for Zone 3 Residents % of Comparison

Goods Expenditure Bath City Centre 29.9% Chippenham Town Centre 22.5% SFT 9.2% Bristol City Centre 5.7% B&Q Bath Road 4.8% Corsham 4.0%

Table 3.9 Main Comparison Goods Destinations for Residents of Calne Destination for Zone 4a Residents % of Comparison

Goods Expenditure Chippenham Town Centre 28.4% Swindon Town Centre 20.4% SFT 11.2% Calne Town Centre 4.7% Bath City Centre 4.6%

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Table 3.10 Main Comparison Goods Destinations for Residents of Wootton Bassett Destination for Zone 4b Residents % of Comparison

Goods Expenditure Swindon Town Centre 50.0% Other Buffer Zone B1 11.7% Greenbridge Retail & Leisure Park, Swindon 9.2% SFT 7.7% Wootton Bassett Town Centre 4.4%

Table 3.11 Main Comparison Goods Destinations for Residents of Devizes Destination for Zone 5 Residents % of Comparison

Goods Expenditure Devizes Town Centre 26.4% Swindon Town Centre 17.7% Other Outside Buffer 9.7% SFT 9.4% Trowbridge Town Centre 6.0%

Table 3.12 Main Comparison Goods Destinations for Residents of Melksham Destination for Zone 6 Residents % of Comparison

Goods Expenditure Melksham Town Centre 23.7% Trowbridge Town Centre 19.4% Bath City Centre 12.6% SFT 9.2%

Source of Comparison Goods Turnover for Town Centres

Chippenham Town Centre

3.11 Spreadsheet Table 6 reveals that Chippenham Town Centre derives 88% of the comparison goods turnover that it draws from the catchment area as a whole (£103.8m out of £117.6m) from just four zones; these are Zone 2a (Chippenham North), Zone 2b (Chippenham Urban Area), Zone 3 (Corsham) and Zone 4a (Calne).

3.12 Spreadsheet Table 5 reveals that Chippenham Town Centre has market shares for comparison goods which are in excess of 10% in five zones (Malmesbury, Chippenham North, Chippenham Urban Area, Corsham and Calne); it has a market share in excess of 20% in three zones (Chippenham Urban Area, Corsham and Calne); and it has a market share in excess of 30% in just one zone, which is the Chippenham Urban Area.

Malmesbury Town Centre

3.13 Spreadsheet Table 6 reveals that Malmesbury Town Centre derives 77% of its comparison goods turnover from its own Zone 1a, with almost all of the balance derived from Zone 2a (Chippenham North). Spreadsheet Table 5 reveals that Malmesbury Town Centre’s maximum zonal market share is 9.2% for its own Zone 1a.

Corsham Town Centre

3.14 Spreadsheet Table 6 reveals that Corsham Town Centre derives 61% of its comparison goods turnover from Zone 3, with the balance drawn almost exclusively from Zones 2b (Chippenham Urban Area) and Zone 6 (Melksham). Spreadsheet Table 5 reveals that Corsham Town Centre’s maximum zonal market share is 4.0% in its own Zone 3.

Calne Town Centre

3.15 Spreadsheet Table 6 reveals that Calne Town Centre derives 85% of its comparison goods turnover from its own Zone 4a and Spreadsheet Table 5 reveals that Calne Town Centre’s maximum zonal market share is 4.7% for its own Zone 4a.

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Wootton Bassett Town Centre

3.16 Spreadsheet Table 6 reveals that Wootton Bassett Town Centre derives 71% of its comparison goods turnover from its own Zone 4b with most of the remainder derived from residents of Zone 2a (Chippenham North, which includes Lyneham). Spreadsheet Table 5 reveals that Wootton Bassett Town Centre’s maximum zonal market share is 4.4% for its own Zone 4b.

Devizes Town Centre

3.17 Spreadsheet Table 6 reveals that Devizes Town Centre derives 86% of its comparison goods turnover from residents of its own Zone 5 and Spreadsheet Table 5 reveals a maximum zonal market share for Devizes Town Centre of 26.4%, again for its own Zone 5.

Melksham Town Centre

3.18 Spreadsheet Table 6 reveals that Melksham Town Centre derives 58% of its comparison goods turnover from its own Zone 6, but that it also draws useful flows from residents of Zone 2b (Chippenham Urban Area), Zone 3 (Corsham), Zone 4a (Calne) and Zone 5 (Devizes). Spreadsheet Table 5 reveals that Melksham Town Centre achieves a maximum zonal market share of 23.7%.

Comparison Goods Sub-sectors 3.19 We now turn to the pattern of shopping for various comparison goods sub-sectors,

which are:

clothes and shoes, which account for £152m of comparison goods spending;

furniture, carpets, and soft household furnishings, which account for £91m of comparison goods spending;

DIY and decorating goods, which account for £86m of comparison goods spending;

domestic appliances, which account £108m of comparison goods spending; and

specialist items, which account for £256m of comparison goods spending.

Clothes and Shoes

3.20 Overall 24.9% of the expenditure on clothes and shoes of residents of the study area is spent in town, district and local centres and in freestanding stores which are located within the Study Area (see final column of Spreadsheet Table 9B); this is a disappointing retention level for basic comparison needs.

3.21 Chippenham Town Centre accounts for £27.0m of the £37.7m expenditure on clothes and shoes which is retained in the Study Area, followed by Devizes Town Centre (£4.4m) and Melksham Town Centre (£2.7m). Chippenham Town Centre derives 86% of its clothes and shoes expenditure from residents of just four zones, which area Zone 2a (Chippenham North), Zone 2b (Chippenham Urban Area), Zone 3 (Corsham), and Zone 4a (Calne).

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3.22 The main leakage destinations for expenditure on clothes and shoes are shown in Table 3.13:

Table 3.13 Main Leakage Destinations for Expenditure on Clothes and Shoes Towns Outside the Study Area & Other Leakage Destinations Clothes & Shoes

Expenditure (£m) Swindon Town Centre £37.7m Bath City Centre £23.8m SFT £13.5m Trowbridge Town Centre £4.9m Cribbs Causeway £4.6m Bristol City Centre £4.4m Cirencester Town Centre £3.2m

Furniture, Carpets and Soft Furnishings

3.23 Overall 35.6% of the expenditure on furniture, carpets and soft furnishings of residents of the study area is spent in town, district and local centres and in freestanding stores which are located within the Study Area (see final column of Spreadsheet Table 9D); this is a slightly disappointing retention level.

3.24 Melksham Town Centre achieves the highest amount of expenditure on furniture, carpets and soft furnishings of £12.2m, closely followed by Chippenham Town Centre at £12.1m. Devizes is the only other town centre within the Study Area to achieve a spending level on these categories of goods which is in excess of £2m.

3.25 The main leakage destinations for expenditure on furniture, carpets and soft furnishings are shown in Table 3.14:

Table 3.14 Main Leakage Destinations for Expenditure on Furniture, Carpets and Soft Furnishings

Towns Outside the Study Area & Other Leakage Destinations Furniture, Carpets & Soft Furnishings Expenditure (£m)

Swindon Town Centre £18.6m Bath City Centre £5.5m Bristol City Centre £4.7m IKEA, Eastville, Bristol £4.2m Trowbridge Town Centre £4.0m SFT £5.0m

DIY and Decorating Goods

3.26 Overall 70.7% of the expenditure on DIY and decorating goods of residents of the Study Area is spent in town, district and local centres and in freestanding stores which are located within the Study Area (see final column of Spreadsheet Table 9F). This is a high level of retention.

3.27 The main destinations for DIY and decorating expenditure within the catchment area are the B&Q store on Bath Road (£19.6m), Chippenham Town Centre (£9.9m), the Focus store on Bath Road (£9.2m) and Hathaway Retail Park (£8.9m).

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3.28 The main leakage destinations for expenditure on DIY and decorating are shown in Table 3.15:

Table 3.15 Main Leakage Destinations for Expenditure on DIY and Decorating Goods Towns Outside the Study Area & Other Leakage Destinations DIY and Decorating

Goods Expenditure (£m)

Homebase, Paddington Drive, Swindon £4.2m Swindon Town Centre £4.1m B&Q Flemming Way, Swindon £3.5m Trowbridge Town Centre £3.5m

Domestic Appliances

3.29 Overall 42.7% of the expenditure on domestic appliances of residents of the Study Area is spent in town, district and local centres and in freestanding stores which are located within the Study Area (see final column of Spreadsheet Table 9H). This is a reasonable level of retention.

3.30 The main destinations for expenditure on domestic appliances within the catchment area are the Chippenham Town Centre (£25.1m), Melksham Town Centre (£8.1m), Devizes Town Centre (£5.1m) and Hathaway Retail Park (£3.4m).

3.31 The main leakage destinations for expenditure on domestic appliances are shown in Table 3.16:

Table 3.16 Main Leakage Destinations for Expenditure on Domestic Appliances Towns Outside the Study Area & Other Leakage Destinations Expenditure on Domestic

Appliances (£m) SFT £16.4m Swindon Town Centre £13.2m Greenbridge Retail & Leisure Park, Swindon £6.7m Trowbridge Town Centre £4.6m Spitfire Retail Park, Trowbridge £3.0m Bath City Centre £3.0m

Specialist Items

3.32 Overall 29.7% of the expenditure on specialist comparison goods items of residents of the Study Area is spent in town, district and local centres and in freestanding stores which are located within the Study Area (see final column of Spreadsheet Table 9J). This is a disappointing level of retention.

3.33 The main destinations for expenditure on specialist items within the catchment area are the Chippenham Town Centre (£43.6m), Devizes Town Centre (£10.9m) and Melksham Town Centre (£10.2m).

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3.34 The main leakage destinations for expenditure on specialist comparison goods are shown in Table 3.17:

Table 3.17 Main Leakage Destinations for Expenditure on Specialist Comparison Goods

Towns Outside the Study Area & Other Leakage Destinations Expenditure on Specialist Comparison Goods (£m)

Swindon Town Centre £51.3m Bath City Centre £31.4m SFT £28.1m Trowbridge Town Centre £9.9m Bristol City Centre £8.3m The Mall, Cribbs Causeway £7.3m

Conclusion on Comparison Goods Spending Patterns 3.35 Approximately 37% of the expenditure on comparison goods of residents of the North

Wiltshire study area is retained and spent in town, district and local centres, and in freestanding stores which are located in the study area. Chippenham town centre is by far the most important comparison goods destination within the study area, accounting for almost half of all of the retained expenditure. Malmesbury, Corsham, Wootton Bassett and Calne attract only small amounts of comparison goods expenditure and represent a lower level in the hierarchy of town centres.

3.36 The main destinations for leakage of expenditure are Swindon town centre and Bath city centre, which draw £125m and £64m respectively from residents of the North Wiltshire catchment area. However, catalogue and e-tailing combined account for a further £63m of the comparison goods expenditure of residents of the North Wiltshire catchment area.

3.37 The retention rate for expenditure on clothes and shoes of 25% is disappointing, as is the 30% retention rate for specialist comparison goods items. Moreover, only the DIY and decorating goods sector achieves a high retention level of 71%, reflecting the presence of the B&Q and Focus stores on Bath Road and the Homebase store at the Hathaway retail park. The retention rate for furniture, carpets and soft furnishings is 36% and the retention rate for domestic appliances is 43%.

Convenience Goods Shopping Patterns 3.38 The per capita spend on convenience goods in 2007 (Spreadsheet Table 11) varies

from £1,633 in Zone 6 (Melksham) to £1,877 in Zone 2a (North Chippenham). The total amount of convenience goods spending for residents of the whole of the catchment area in 2007 is £323.2m (Spreadsheet Table 12), of which £2.6m is spent on Special Forms of Trading (catalogue and internet shopping, which we subsequently abbreviate as SFT).

3.39 The pattern of expenditure flows for the convenience goods sector as a whole, as revealed by the survey of households, is set out in Spreadsheet Tables 13 and 14 (including SFT) and in Spreadsheet Tables 15 and 16 (excluding SFT). In describing the current pattern of convenience shopping, we focus on Spreadsheet Tables 13 and 14 which include SFT.

Overall Pattern of Convenience Goods Spending

3.40 Overall some 77.9% of the expenditure on convenience goods of residents of the Study Area is spent in town, district and local centres, and in freestanding stores which are located within the Study Area; this is known as the aggregate retention rate (see Spreadsheet Table 14, final column which is clustered in Table 3.18 below under four broad headings). Some 20.8% of convenience goods expenditure flows to town centres and freestanding stores in the buffer areas just outside the Study Area (mainly

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to the Swindon buffer zone, the Cirencester buffer zone and the Trowbridge buffer zone); some 0.8% is spent on SFT; and the balance of 0.6% is spent in more distant locations.

Table 3.18 Broad Destinations for Convenience Goods Expenditure Broad Destination for Convenience Goods Expenditure £m % Retained Expenditure 251.6 77.9 Buffer Zones Just Outside Study Area 67.1 20.8 SFT 2.6 0.8 Other More Distant Locations 1.9 0.6

TOTAL 323.2 100.0

3.41 The estimated convenience goods turnovers of the stores and centres located within the Study Area, prior to making any allowance for any expenditure inflow from those who are resident beyond the Study Area, are set out in the penultimate column of Spreadsheet Table 14, and are summarised in Table 3.19 below:

Table 3.19 Estimated Convenience Goods Turnovers in 2007 in 2004 Prices Town Centre Stores Within the Study Area

Convenience Goods Turnover (£m)

J Sainsbury, Melksham Town Centre £22.7m Wm Morrisons, Devizes Town Centre £16.2m J Sainsbury, Calne Town Centre £15.8m J Sainsbury, Devizes Town Centre £11.9m J Sainsbury, Wootton Bassett Town Centre £9.1m Somerfield, Corsham Town Centre £6.4m Somerfield, Chippenham Town Centre £6.1m Somerfield, Calne Town Centre £6.1m Freestanding Stores within the Study Area

Convenience Goods Turnover (£m)

J Sainsbury, Bath Road, Chippenham £55.7m Wm Morrisons, Kington Langley, Chippenham £33.9m Somerfield, Malmesbury £6.8m

3.42 The main destinations for leakage of convenience good expenditure are as shown in the penultimate column of Spreadsheet Table 14, and summarised in Table 3.20 below:

Table 3.20 Main Destinations for Convenience Goods Expenditure Leakage Stores Outside the Study Area

Convenience Goods Expenditure (£m)

Asda, West Swindon Shopping Centre3 £14.2m J Sainsbury, Orbit Centre, Swindon £7.7m Tesco, County Way Trowbridge £6.4m Tesco, Cirencester £5.7m Other Swindon Town Centre £5.0m Tesco, Tetbury £4.3m Other Cirencester Town Centre £3.8m E-tailing

£2.2m

Catalogue Shopping

£0.3m

3 Note that ASDA also operate an ASDA Walmart store at the Orbital Shopping Centre in Swindon. Both ASDA stores were covered by the household survey, but the large proportion of expenditure from the study area (particularly from the Wootton Bassett area) to ASDA in Swindon goes to the ASDA West Swindon store. Around 0.7% of study area expenditure goes to the ASDA Walmart, and this is included in the category “Other Buffer 1” in Table 3.27.

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3.43 The catchment area’s retention level by zone (see Spreadsheet Table 13, ‘Sub Total of Catchment Area’ row) varies from lows of 22.3% in Zone 1b (Cricklade) and 40.6% in Zone 4b (Wootton Bassett), to highs of 94.4% in Zone 2b (Chippenham urban area) and 92.5% in Zone 4a (Calne). There are also reasonably high catchment area zonal retention levels of 91.0% for Zone 5 (Devizes), 85.3% for Zone 3 (Corsham), and 84.9% in Zone 6 (Melksham).

3.44 The localised convenience goods retention rate – which is the proportion of expenditure on convenience goods available to residents in a specific zone which is spent in town centres and stores located within that zone – is highest for Zone 5 (Devizes), which has a localised retention rate of 89.5% (see Table 13, ‘Zone 5’ column and ‘Sub Total Zone 5’ row). The next highest localised retention rates for convenience goods are for Zone 6 (Melksham), which has a localised retention rate of 84.9% and the two Chippenham zones (Zones 2a + 2b) which have a combined localised retention rate of 81.6%4.

Overall Pattern of Convenience Goods Expenditure by Zone

3.45 Spreadsheet Table 13 shows the overall pattern of convenience goods spending for residents of each zone and the main destinations for residents of each of the nine zones are summarised in Tables 4.21 to 4.29 below.

Table 3.21 Main Convenience Goods Destinations for Residents of Malmesbury Destination for Zone 1a Residents % of Convenience

Goods Expenditure Somerfield, Malmesbury 27.3% Tesco, Tetbury 15.9% Wm Morrison, Kington Langley, Chippenham 11.0% Other Cirencester Town Centre 9.3% Tesco, Cirencester 8.4%

Table 3.22 Main Convenience Goods Destinations for Residents of Cricklade Destination for Zone 1b Residents % of Convenience

Goods Expenditure Tesco, Cirencester 25.7% Other Buffer Zone 8 13.2% Asda, West Swindon Shopping Centre 11.4% Tesco Express, Cricklade 9.4% J Sainsbury, Orbit Centre, Swindon 8.2% Other Cirencester Town Centre 8.2% Other Cricklade Town Centre 6.2%

Table 3.23 Main Convenience Goods Destinations for Residents of Chippenham North Destination for Zone 2a Residents % of Convenience

Goods Expenditure Wm Morrison, Kington Langley, Chippenham 28.7% J Sainsbury, Chippenham 26.2% J Sainsbury, Wootton Bassett 7.1%

Table 3.24 Main Convenience Goods Destinations for Residents of the Chippenham Urban Area

Destination for Zone 2b Residents % of Convenience Goods Expenditure

J Sainsbury, Chippenham 44.5% Wm Morrison, Kington Langley, Chippenham 24.4% Somerfield, Chippenham 7.4% Other Chippenham Town Centre 6.6%

4 The Chippenham zones have to be combined for convenience goods because J Sainsbury is located in Zone 2b, but Wm Morrison is located in Zone 2a.

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Table 3.25 Main Convenience Goods Destinations for Residents of Corsham Destination for Zone 3 Residents % of Convenience

Goods Expenditure J Sainsbury, Chippenham 35.8% Somerfield, Corsham 16.0% Wm Morrison, Kington Langley, Chippenham 12.5% J Sainsbury, Melksham 6.5% Other Corsham Town Centre 4.6%

Table 3.26 Main Convenience Goods Destinations for Residents of Calne Destination for Zone 4a Residents % of Convenience

Goods Expenditure J Sainsbury, Calne 45.5% Somerfield, Calne 16.6% J Sainsbury, Chippenham 9.6% Wm Morrison, Devizes 4.2% Other Calne Town Centre 3.5%

Table 3.27 Main Convenience Goods Destinations for Residents of Wootton Bassett Destination for Zone 4b Residents % of Convenience

Goods Expenditure Asda, West Swindon Shopping Centre 24.1% J Sainsbury, Wootton Bassett 18.7% J Sainsbury, Orbit Centre 12.7% Other Buffer 1 9.3% Other Swindon Town Centre 9.1%

Table 3.28 Main Convenience Goods Destinations for Residents of Devizes Destination for Zone 5 Residents % of Convenience

Goods Expenditure Wm Morrison, Devizes 35.3% J Sainsbury, Devizes 27.7% Tesco Metro, Devizes 11.2% Other Devizes Town Centre 8.2% Tesco, Trowbridge 4.4% Somerfield, Devizes 4.0%

Table 3.29 Main Convenience Goods Destinations for Residents of Melksham Destination for Zone 6 Residents % of Convenience

Goods Expenditure J Sainsbury, Melksham 45.5% Somerfield, Melksham 11.9% Aldi, Melksham 7.5% Tesco, Trowbridge 6.7% Other Melksham Town Centre 5.4% Iceland, Melksham 4.0%

Source of Convenience Goods Turnover for Large Stores

3.46 Spreadsheet Table 14 reveals that the J Sainsbury store at Bath Road, Chippenham, which is the largest store in the catchment area, draws 90% of its convenience goods turnover from just three zones, these are Zone 2a (Chippenham North), Zone 2b (Chippenham Urban Area) and Zone 3 (Corsham). Similarly, the Wm Morrison store at Kington Langley draws 88% of its turnover from residents of these three zones, with much of the remainder of the Wm Morrison’s turnover drawn from the residents of Zone 1a (Malmesbury).

3.47 The J Sainsbury store in Melksham derives 83% of its turnover from the residents of the Melksham zone with most of the remainder drawn from the residents of Zone 3 (Corsham).

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3.48 The Wm Morrison store in Devizes draws 91% of its turnover from the residents of the Devizes zone with almost all of the balance accounted for by the residents of Zone 4a (Calne). Similarly, the J Sainsbury store in Devizes draws 97% of its turnover from residents of the Devizes zone.

3.49 The J Sainsbury in Calne draws 98% of its turnover from the residents of the Calne zone, with the very small balance accounted for by residents of Zone 2a (Chippenham North).

3.50 The J Sainsbury store in Wootton Bassett derives 71% of its turnover from the residents of Zone 4b (Wootton Bassett), but it derives 27% of its turnover from the residents of Chippenham North (Zone 2a), which includes Lyneham.

3.51 The Somerfield store in Corsham derives 97% of its turnover from the residents of Zone 3 (Corsham). Similarly, the Somerfield store in Calne draws 93% of its turnover from the residents of Zone 4a (Calne) and the Somerfield store in Malmesbury draws 94% of its turnover from the residents of Zone 1a (Malmesbury). However, the Somerfield in Chippenham draws only 72% of its turnover from its localised zone with the balance drawn from Zones 2a (Chippenham north), Zone 3 (Corsham) and Zone 4a (Calne). Thus, the Somerfield store in Chippenham clearly benefits from some trade from those visiting Chippenham for comparison shopping, and also suggests an important role for the Emery Gate site in maintaining a town centre provision of convenience shopping alongside comparison retail.

Conclusion on Convenience Goods Spending Patterns 3.52 It is clear that most convenience shopping is undertaken on a highly localised basis.

Indeed, Spreadsheet Table 13 reveals that only two stores within the catchment area have market shares of over 10% in three or more zones; these are: Wm Morrison at Kington Langley, which serves the residents of Zones 1a, 2a., 2b and 3; and the J Sainsbury store at Bath Road Chippenham, which serves the residents of Zones 2a, 2b and 3.

3.53 Moreover, 78% of the convenience expenditure of residents of the catchment area is retained and spent in stores and centres which are located within the catchment area and 21% represents short distance leakage to stores located in the buffer zones just outside the catchment area.

3.54 Thus, the convenience goods retention rate is low only for:

i) residents of Cricklade, who look to the Tesco at Cirencester and to large stores in the Swindon area;

ii) residents of Wootton Bassett, who look to the Asda at West Swindon Shopping Centre and to other large stores in the Swindon area; and

iii) residents of Malmesbury, a significant proportion of which look to the Tesco at Tetbury, to the Wm Morrison at Kington Langley and to stores in the Cirencester area.

Spending on Leisure Services 3.55 The telephone survey of households also included a number of questions that asked

residents of the North Wiltshire catchment area where they spent most money in relation to various types of leisure services, as follows:

i) restaurants;

ii) cafés, pubs and bars;

iii) cinema/theatre;

iv) family entertainment centre (ie ten pin bowling, skating and so on)

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v) health and fitness; and

vi) bingo/casino/bookmaker.

Restaurants

3.56 A third of the respondents claimed either not to visit restaurants or were unable to name a main destination. However, for those that were able to name a main destination for restaurants, the most frequently mentioned locations for residents of the whole of the catchment area were Chippenham town centre (15.3%), Bath city centre (8.5%), Swindon town centre (7.4%), Devizes town centre (6.6%), and Melksham town centre 5.2%). Malmesbury town centre, Wootton Bassett town centre, Corsham town centre and Calne town centre were each named by around 2% of the respondents in the North Wiltshire catchment area as a whole.

3.57 However, Malmesbury town centre, as expected, is the most important restaurant destination for residents of Zone 1a (the Malmesbury zone), for which it accounts for 26% of its respondents. Swindon town centre, Chippenham town centre, and Sherston Village are the next most important restaurant destinations for residents of Zone 1a.

3.58 Cricklade town centre, as expected, is the most important restaurant destination of Zone 1b (the Cricklade zone), for which it accounts for 27% of its respondents. Swindon town centre and Cirencester town centre are the next most important restaurant destinations for residents of Zone 1b.

3.59 For residents of Zone 2a (Chippenham North) the main restaurant destinations are Chippenham town centre (16%), Swindon town centre (16%) and Bath city centre (11%). However, for residents of Zone 2b (the urban area of Chippenham), Chippenham town centre is by far the most important restaurant destination, accounting for 48% of respondents, with Bath city centre the next most important restaurant destination, accounting for 10% of respondents.

3.60 For residents of Zone 3 (Corsham) the most important restaurant destinations are Bath city centre (23%), Corsham town centre (15%) and Chippenham town centre (12%).

3.61 For residents of Zone 4a (Calne) the most important restaurant destinations are Chippenham town centre (17%), Calne town centre (16%), Swindon town centre (7%) and Marlborough town centre (7%).

3.62 For residents of Zone 4b (Wootton Bassett) the most important restaurant destinations are Swindon town centre (28%) and Wootton Bassett town centre (18%).

3.63 Devizes town centre, as expected, is by far the most important restaurant destinations for residents of Zone 5 (Devizes), where it accounts for 43% of respondents, with Swindon town centre an infrequently mentioned second choice.

3.64 Finally, for residents of Zone 6 (Melksham) the most important restaurant destinations are Melksham town centre (31%) and Bath city centre (13%).

Cafés, Pubs and Bars

3.65 Just over one third of respondents claims not to spend money in cafés, pubs and bars or was unable to name a main destination. However, as was the case with restaurants, it is the main town centres which represent the principal destinations for expenditure in cafés, pubs and bars when the catchment area is considered as a whole. Thus, Chippenham town centre (16%), Devizes town centre (9%) and Bath city centre (7%) are the main locations. However, spending in cafés, pubs and bars is quite localised. As a consequence, it is not surprising that the main locations on a zone-by-zone basis are as set out in Table 3.30:

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Table 3.30 Main Destinations for Expenditure in Cafés, Pubs and Bars

Residents of Zone Main Destinations for Cafés, Pubs and Bars

%

1a (Malmesbury) Malmesbury town centre Chippenham town centre

35 9

1b (Cricklade) Cricklade town centre Cirencester town centre Swindon town centre

34 12 10

2a (Chippenham North) Chippenham town centre Swindon town centre

15 7

2b (Chippenham Urban Area) Chippenham town centre Bath city centre

54 9

3 (Corsham) Corsham town centre Bath city centre Chippenham town centre

22 19 10

4a (Calne) Calne town centre Chippenham town centre

24 18

4b (Wootton Bassett) Wootton Bassett town centre Swindon town centre

25 25

5 (Devizes) Devizes town centre 61

6 (Melksham) Melksham town centre Bath city centre

27 14

Cinemas, Theatres

3.66 Almost two-fifths of respondents claimed not to visit cinemas or theatres. For those who were able to name a main destination, Swindon town centre and Bath city centre are by far the most important. Expenditure in cinemas and theatres is less localised than for spending in restaurants and bars and the main destinations for cinema and leisure visits on a zone-by-zone basis are as set out in Table 3.31.

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Table 3.31 Main Destinations for Expenditure in Cinemas and Theatres

Residents of Zone Main Destinations for Cinemas and Theatres

%

1a (Malmesbury) Swindon town centre Greenbridge retail park Bristol city centre

25 11

8

1b (Cricklade) Greenbridge retail park Swindon town centre

25 24

2a (Chippenham North) Swindon town centre Bath city centre Bristol city centre

22 16

8

2b (Chippenham Urban Area) Chippenham town centre Swindon town centre Bath city centre Bristol city centre

17 14 13 11

3 (Corsham) Bath city centre Bristol city centre Gallagher retail park

37 6 6

4a (Calne) Swindon town centre Bath city centre Greenbridge retail park Chippenham town centre

29 12 10

7

4b (Wootton Bassett) Swindon town centre Greenbridge retail park

38 6

5 (Devizes) Devizes town centre Swindon town centre Bath city centre Greenbridge retail park

29 14 10

8

6 (Melksham) Bath city centre Swindon town centre Bristol city centre Chippenham town centre

25 6 6 6

Family Entertainment Centres

3.67 Almost two-thirds of respondents claimed not to undertake expenditure in family entertainment centres. Moreover, Swindon town centre is by far the most important destination for such activities and is the main location for residents of Zones 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3, 4a, 4b and 5. Only in Zone 6 does Swindon become the secondary choice, with Melksham town centre the primary destination.

Health and Fitness

3.68 Three-fifths of respondents claimed not to undertake expenditure on health and fitness activities, but such expenditure tends to be localised as confirmed by Table 3.32.

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Table 3.32 Main Destinations for Expenditure on Health and Fitness

Residents of Zone Main Destinations for Cinemas and Theatres

%

1a (Malmesbury) Malmesbury town centre Cirencester town centre

21 6

1b (Cricklade) Cricklade town centre Swindon town centre

19 13

2a (Chippenham North) Chippenham town centre Wootton Bassett

11 8

2b (Chippenham Urban Area) Chippenham town centre 31

3 (Corsham) Corsham town centre Chippenham town centre

18 10

4a (Calne) Calne town centre Chippenham town centre

34 9

4b (Wootton Bassett) Wootton Bassett town centre Swindon town centre

16 13

5 (Devizes) Devizes town centre 35

6 (Melksham) Melksham town centre 33

Bingo, Casinos and Bookmakers

3.69 The overwhelming majority of respondents across the catchment area as a whole (91%) claim not to undertake expenditure in commercial locations such as bingo halls, casinos and bookmakers. Indeed, Chippenham town centre is the only location mentioned by more than 2% of respondents.

Conclusion on Leisure Spending 3.70 Expenditure in restaurants, cafés, pubs and bars tends to be quite localised. Similarly,

expenditure on health and fitness tends to be quite localised. However, cinema and theatre destinations are skewed towards the higher order centres, particularly Swindon town centre and Bath city centre. Indeed, Bristol city centre, Chippenham town centre, the Greenbridge retail park and Devizes town centre are the only other main locations for cinema/theatre visits which account for 5% or more of respondents. Expenditure on gaming activities is limited to a small minority of residents in the North Wiltshire catchment area.

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4 QUANTITATIVE RETAIL NEED AND GROWTH IN TOWN CENTRE FUNCTIONS

Quantitative Retail Need 4.1 This Section of the report summarises the study findings in relation to the need for

additional amounts of floorspace in the town centres. The text below (from paragraph 4.3 to paragraph 4.11) explains the methodology for these forecasts, and then the detailed findings in relation to convenience and comparison shopping are set out.

4.2 The conclusions of this analysis are that there is a quantitative retail need for additional forecast by 2016 and 2026. Depending on assumptions made about the competitiveness of the town centres, and therefore the amount of trade which can be drawn into them compared to other centres, this additional floorspace could in total (i.e. for convenience and comparison goods) between 37,900 sq.m and 67,400 sq.m, as shown in Table 4.1.

Table 4.1 Quantitative Retail Need

Comparison Goods Up to 2016 (sq.m gross)

Up to 2026 (sq.m gross)

Scenario 1 Constant 15,800 45,800

Scenario 2 Uplift 20,200 58,100

Scenario 3 Decline 10,300 32,200

Convenience Goods Up to 2016 (sq.m gross)

Up to 2026 (sq.m gross)

Scenario 1 Constant (0.6% efficiency gain) 2,100 5,700

Scenario 2 Uplift (0.6% efficiency gain) 3,400 7,100

Scenario 1 Constant (0.3% efficiency gain) 3,100 7,800

Scenario 2 Uplift (0.3% efficiency gain) 4,500 9,300

Methodology and Data Inputs 4.3 The main steps in the assessment of quantitative need for further retail floorspace -

both in the comparison goods and convenience goods sectors - are as follows:

i) assess the growth in expenditure for residents of the whole of the North Wiltshire catchment area, for both comparison and convenience goods, at five yearly intervals up to 2026. As noted in paragraph 4.6 below, a deduction for expenditure is made for by Special Forms of Trading (SFT), which mainly comprises “e-tailing” or internet shopping, but also includes catalogue shopping, as this expenditure is not made in shops or thus generate demand for retail floorspace;

ii) use the household survey findings to calculate the proportion of this retail expenditure by catchment area residents which is currently retained by all centres and stores located within the catchment area – that is the overall retention rate, which is assured to remain constant up to 2026 under the baseline scenario;

iii) make allowances for ‘claims’ on the growth in retained expenditure which are:

o the floorspace efficiency growth needs of existing retailers (Experian recommends an allowance in the range 2.0% to 2.5%, per annum in the comparison goods sector and a rate of 0.6%, per annum in the convenience goods sector, and

o an allowance for existing planning commitments;

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iv) identify the residual expenditure which is capable of supporting new floorspace, initially on the basis of a constant market share assumption; and

v) develop alternative scenarios where the expenditure retention rate is varied upwards (to reflect improved performance of North Wiltshire’s centres) or downwards (to reflect a loss of competitiveness amongst North Wiltshire’s centres)

4.4 In assessing expenditure growth, we have applied the ONS 2004 based population forecasts 5 for North Wiltshire, West Wiltshire and Kennet, having allocated each of our nine household survey zones to the district in which all or the majority of the population in that zone falls (see Spreadsheet Table 1). Thus, the population change in each zone is as set out in Spreadsheet Table 2. For the catchment area as a whole, the population is projected to grow from 183,335 in 2007, to 203,821 in 2026, a growth of 11.2%. The fastest growing zone is Melksham which is located in West Wiltshire District.

4.5 Data on per capita expenditure in the year 2004 (at 2004 prices) were supplied for each zone by MapInfo. We have projected a growth in these per capita expenditure data as follows:

i) a growth of 4.4%, per capita, per annum for comparison goods, using the forecast set out in Table 2 of MapInfo’s Information Brief 06/2; and

ii) a growth of 0.9%, per capita, per annum for convenience goods, again using the forecast set out in Table 2 of MapInfo’s Information Brief 06/2.

4.6 Thus, the growth in per capita expenditure is as set out in Spreadsheet Table 3 for comparison goods and in Spreadsheet Table 11 for convenience goods.

4.7 The growth in total expenditure is the product of population growth (Spreadsheet Table 2) and growth in per capita expenditure (Spreadsheet Table 3 for comparison goods and Table 11 for convenience goods). Thus, the growth in total expenditure is as set out in Spreadsheet Table 4 for comparison goods and in Spreadsheet Table 12 for convenience goods.

4.8 The next step is to make a deduction for SFT. For the year 2007 base year, the deductions for SFT (as set out in the second row of Spreadsheet Tables 4 and 12) are derived directly from our telephone survey findings. However, in making the deduction for SFT in future years, we have used the mid-point of Experian’s forecasts for growth in non-store retail sales, as set out in Tables 6.2 and 6.4 of its Retail Planner Briefing Note 2.3D, which provide the best available estimates of the likely increase in growth in SFTs and their impact on sales through shops6.

4.9 Thus, we have assumed that:

i) there is a growth in the proportion of comparison goods expenditure which is accounted for by SFT to 10.35% by 2011 and that it reaches a plateau of 10.55% by 2016; and that

ii) there is a growth in the proportion of convenience goods which is accounted for by SFT to 0.95% in 2011, and that it reaches a plateau of 1.09% by 2016.

5 The County Council’s latest population forecasts are not yet finalised. 6 The growth in internet shopping is clearly having some impact on consumer expenditure in town centres and local shops, as residents in urban and rural areas use the convenience and increasing diversity of goods available through the improvements to internet services. However, many retailers are adapting their approach to respond to this change in the market, and some trends (for instance the growth in “fast fashion” in high street stores) suggest that consumers continue to value the opportunity to go to shops, and to inspect and compare goods, before purchasing. Also, shopping has increasingly become a “leisure” activity, which may be linked to other entertainment or leisure time. It is therefore difficult to predict with certainty how SFTs will impact on town centre retail over a 20-year period, but the research advice from Experian and others supports the estimates of growth in SFT used here and thus the proportion of spending which may be expected to continue to use town centre and other shops in the District.

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4.10 Thus, having made deductions for SFT, our projections reveal:

i) a growth in comparison goods spending for all residents in the catchment area up to 2026 of £929.4m (bottom row of Spreadsheet Table 4); and

ii) a growth in convenience goods spending for all residents in the catchment area up to 2026 of £100.3m (bottom row of Spreadsheet Table 12).

4.11 The significantly higher growth in expenditure in the comparison goods sector is a reflection of the significantly higher growth in per capita spending in that sector. Thus, having set out the basic methodology, we turn to our assessment of quantitative need in the comparison goods sector.

Quantitative Need for Comparison Goods Floorspace

Constant Market Share Baseline

4.12 Spreadsheet Table 10A presents our analysis of the residual growth in comparison goods expenditure which is capable of supporting new floorspace, under the constant market share baseline scenario. Thus, Row A of Spreadsheet Table 10A shows the overall growth in comparison goods expenditure having excluded SFT, with Row A of Table 10A taken directly from the final column of Table 3. Thus, the growth in comparison spend for all residents in the North Wiltshire catchment up to 2026 is £929.4m.

4.13 Under the baseline scenario, 40.2%7 of the expenditure is assumed to be retained by all centres and stores located within the catchment area, and this remains constant up to 2026. Thus, the growth in comparison goods expenditure which is retained within the North Wiltshire catchment area, as shown in Row C of Spreadsheet Table 10A, is £373.7m.

4.14 The next step is to make an allowance for the first ‘claim’ on this growth in retained spending, which is the turnover efficiency growth needs of existing retailers. The calculations are set out in Rows D and E of Spreadsheet Table 10A, having made an allowance for a growth in efficiency of 2.25%, per annum which is the mid-point of the range recommended by Experian in its Retailer Planner Briefing Note 4.0.

4.15 The next step (Row F of Spreadsheet Table 10A) is to make an allowance for the turnover requirements of outstanding commitments (planning permissions) for comparison goods floorspace. These commitments are the Chippenham Retail Park at Bumpers Way, and the comparison goods component of the proposed extension of the Morrison’s store in Chippenham

4.16 Thus, having calculated the growth in retained expenditure (Row C) and made deductions for the needs of existing retailers (Row E) and for commitments (Row F), we arrive at a residual growth in comparison goods expenditure up to the year 2026 of £220.3m.

4.17 Spreadsheet Table 10A then converts this residual growth in comparison goods spending into a floorspace requirement. In doing so, we have applied a turnover efficiency of £4,500 per sq.m in the base year which is then assumed to grow at 2.25%, per annum. Thus, under the constant market share baseline, there is a comparison goods floorspace requirement up to 2026 of around 32,076 sq.m sales area, which equates to around 45,800 sq.m gross, using a net to gross ratio of 70%.

4.18 We should emphasise, however, that there is an exponential growth in the residual floorspace requirement, so that only 34% of the need for new floorspace arises in the period up to 2016. Thus, under the plan, monitor, and manage approach advocated in paragraphs 4.45 to 4.52 of PPS12, there is no requirement to seek to allocate sites in

7 The retention rate in the final column of Spreadsheet Table 6 is 36.5 per cent, but Table 6 includes SFT. When SFT is excluded, as in Table 8, the retention rate rises to 40.2 per cent.

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the LDF to meet all of the need projected to arise in the period up to 2026. Indeed, paragraph 2.52 of PPS6 requires only that sufficient sites should be allocated to meet the first five years need, or longer if there is a need to allow for site assembly.

4.19 Thus, assuming that the Core Strategy is adopted in April 2009 and that the Allocations DPD is adopted in January 2010, the baseline constant market share scenario would suggest a need to identify sites capable of providing for around 16,000 sq.m gross of comparison goods floorspace – that is the quantum of need we identify up to 2016.

Alternative Scenarios

4.20 Spreadsheet Tables 10B presents the analysis for comparison goods retail need under an alternative scenario whereby there is a phased increase in the retention rate from 40% in 2007 to 44% by 2021. Under the ‘uplift scenario’, the need for comparison goods floorspace in the period up to 2026 increases to around 58,100 sq.m gross, with the need at 2016 being around 20,200 sq.m gross.

4.21 We regard this ‘uplift scenario’ to be ambitious in that it would reflect a bucking of the national trend of polarisation whereby the larger centres such as Swindon and Bath gain at the expense of smaller centres.

4.22 Thus, our third scenario assumes a continuation of the polarisation trend and a reduction in North Wiltshire’s aggregate comparison goods retention from 40% in the year 2007 to 36% by 2026(Spreadsheet 10C). Under this ‘decline scenario’ the need for comparison goods floorspace is reduced to around 32,200 sq.m gross by 2026 and to around 10,300 sq.m gross by 2016.

4.23 The extent to which the ‘decline scenario’ may be considered to be acceptable or desirable will reflect, in part, the analysis of the physical and environmental capacity which exists in North Wiltshire’s town centres, as discussed in Section 2.

Quantitative Need for Convenience Goods Floorspace

Constant Market Share Baseline

4.24 Spreadsheet Table 17A presents our analysis of the residual growth in convenience goods expenditure which is capable of supporting new floorspace, under the constant market share baseline scenario. Thus, Row A of Spreadsheet Table 17A is the growth in convenience goods expenditure having excluded SFT, with Row A of Table 17A taken directly from the final column of Table 12. Thus, the growth in convenience spend for all residents in the North Wiltshire catchment up to 2026 is £100.3m.

4.25 Under the baseline scenario, 78% of the expenditure is assumed to be retained by all centres and stores located within the catchment area, and this remains constant up to 2026. Thus, the growth in convenience goods expenditure which is retained within the North Wiltshire catchment area, as shown in Row C of Spreadsheet Table 17 is £78.7m.

4.26 The next step is to make an allowance for the first ‘claim’ on this growth in retained spending, which is the turnover efficiency growth needs of existing retailers. The calculations are set out in Rows D and E of Spreadsheet Table 17A, having made an initial allowance for a growth in efficiency of 0.6%, per annum which is the rate recommended by Experian in its Retail Planner Briefing Note 4.0.

4.27 The next step (Row F of Spreadsheet Table 17A) is to make an allowance for the turnover requirements of outstanding commitments (planning permissions) for convenience goods floorspace. These commitments are the proposed extensions to the J Sainsbury’s store in Calne and the Wm Morrison’s store in Chippenham.

4.28 Thus, having calculated the growth in retained expenditure (Row C) and made deductions for the needs of existing retailers (Row E) and for commitments (Row F), we arrive at a residual growth in convenience goods expenditure of £41.2m.

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4.29 This residual growth in convenience goods spending is then converted into a floorspace requirement. In doing so, we have applied a turnover efficiency of £10,000 per sq.m in the base year which is then assumed to grow at 0.6%, per annum. Thus, under the constant market share baseline, there is a convenience goods floorspace requirement up to 2026 of 3,675 sq.m sales area, which equates to 5,700 sq.m gross, using a net to gross ratio of 65%.

4.30 We should emphasise, however, that there is an exponential growth in the residual floorspace requirement, so that only 37% of the need for new floorspace arises in the period up to 2016. Thus, under the plan, monitor, and manage approach advocated in paragraphs 4.45 to 4.52 of PPS12, there is no requirement to seek to allocate sites in the LDF to meet all of the need projected to arise in the period up to 2026. Indeed, paragraph 2.52 of PPS6 requires only that sufficient sites should be allocated to meet the first five years need, or longer if there is a need to allow for site assembly.

4.31 Thus, under the baseline scenario, there would be a need to identify a site for convenience goods of modest scale, around 300 sq.m gross for the first five year period, rising to around 2,000 sq.m gross by 2016.

Alternative Scenarios

4.32 Spreadsheet Table 17C presents an analysis of convenience goods retail need under an alternative scenario whereby there is a phased increase in the retention rate from 78% in 2007 to 81% by 2016 after which it is assumed to remain constant. Under this ‘uplift scenario’ the need for convenience goods floorspace in the period up to 2026 increases to around 7,100 sq.m gross, with the need at 2016 being around 3,400 sq.m gross.

Overtrading and Floorspace Efficiency Change

4.33 A final consideration for the assessment of need in the convenience sector – for which per capita expenditure growth is limited – is an assessment of whether there is a case for any adjustment to reflect under-trading or over-trading at the base position. In our assessment, such an adjustment would be fraught with difficulty given the inevitable limitations of data in relation to turnover estimates derived from the survey, estimates of sales floorspace and a lack of data on average trading levels which apply to independent convenience traders. Thus, unless there is a clear evidence of over-trading in town centre stores which is causing customer discomfort, it would not be desirable to seek to make any adjustment to the assessment of quantitative need. Moreover, in a recent decision in Worthing (APP/M3835/A/05/1196226) the Inspector stated in paragraph 69 of her decision that:

‘to suggest as Asda do, that overtrading at the existing major food stores of itself justifies a further major foodstore (which would be out-of-centre), when there is available capacity at other food stores (many of which are in centre) flies in the face of [the] Government’s key objectives for town centres.’

4.34 Thus, we do not consider that it is possible, or desirable to seek to make an adjustment to the assessment of quantitative need based on under-trading or over-trading in the base year. However, a significant proportion of the convenience goods expenditure, which is retained by centres and stores located within the North Wiltshire catchment area, is accounted for by the out-of-centre J Sainsbury and Wm Morrison stores in Chippenham, and the household survey evidence suggests that both of these stores appear to be trading well.

4.35 Thus, given that we apply the floorspace efficiency change to all existing floorspace – both in-centre and out-of-centre – there is a case for applying a lower rate of change in the future in North Wiltshire, compared to the national rate recommended by Experian. In spreadsheet Tables 17B and 17D, therefore, we apply a floorspace efficiency change of 0.3%, per annum. The effect of this alternative rate of change in floorspace

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efficiency is to increase the residual need, because less of the convenience goods expenditure growth is absorbed by existing retailers.

4.36 Thus, Table 17B indicates a quantitative need by 2026 of around 7,800 sq.m gross under the constant market share scenario, and Table 17D indicates a quantitative need by 2026 of around 9,300 sq.m gross under the increased market share scenario. However, because of the exponential nature of the calculations, we recommend that the focus of attention should be on the assessment of need as at 2016, which is around 3,100 sq.m gross under the constant market share scenario in Table 17B and around 4,500 sq.m gross under the increased market share scenario in Table 17D.

Conclusions in Relation to Quantitative Retail Need 4.37 Thus, our overall conclusions in relation to quantitative retail need are as set out in

Table 4.1 above:

There is a need for increase in floorspace for comparison goods up to 2016 of between 10,300 and 15,800 sq.m (gross); and up to 2026 of between 32,200 and 45,800 sq.m (gross)

There is a need for increase in floorspace for convenience goods up to 2016 of between 2,100 and 4,500 sq.m (gross); and up to 2026 of between 5,700 and 9,300 sq.m (gross)

4.38 As discussed in Section 5, we therefore suggest that a total of 18,000 – 19,000 sq.m (gross) additional floorspace should be provided to 2016, comprising around 3,000 sq.m convenience and around 16,000 sq.m comparison floorspace.

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Growth in Spending in Leisure Services 4.39 The approach to the assessment of need in the leisure sector is less well developed

than in the retail sector. Nevertheless, we are able to assess growth in spend on leisure services using the national forecast for growth in per capita spending produced by Experian in Table 3.2 of its Retail Planner Brief Note 4.0; this growth rate of 1.4%, per capita, per annum is applied to data from MapInfo for per capita spend on leisure services in 2004 for residents of each of our survey zones. Spreadsheet Table 19 sets out the calculations and it reveals an aggregate growth in leisure spending in the period 2007 to 2026 of £175.8m, which is an increase of 45% compared to a population gain in the overall North Wiltshire study area over this period of just 11%.

4.40 MapInfo has also supplied us with a breakdown of the year 2004 leisure expenditure for the North Wiltshire study area into six COICOPS (Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose) categories, as set out in Table 4.2

4.41 Table 4.2 Breakdown of Leisure Spend in the North Wiltshire Study Area in 2004 COICOPS Categories Description

Spend Per Capita £

% of Total Leisure Services Spend

11.1.1 Restaurants, cafés, bars, etc 1,261 61.0

9.4.2 Cultural services 219 10.6

11.2 Accommodation services 220 10.6

9.4.3 Games of chance 173 8.4

9.4.1 Recreational and sporting services 100 4.9

12.1.1 Personal services (hairdressers etc) 93 4.5

TOTAL ‘LEISURE SERVICES’ SPEND 2,065 100.0

4.42 Table 4.2 shows that restaurants, cafés and bars account for just over three-fifths of the average per capita spend on leisure services for residents of the North Wiltshire study area. Cultural services and accommodation services are the second and third highest categories, but each of these account for only 10.6% of spend on leisure services. Furthermore, commercially oriented property developments, such as cinemas, account for only a small fraction of spend on cultural services (5.1%), with bingo halls accounting for just 7% of spend on games of chance and with casinos accounting for just 9% of spending on games of chance8.

4.43 Thus, if we assume that the proportions of leisure spending remain broadly the same as in the base position, which is set out in Table 4.2, we can anticipate that restaurants, cafés and bars will absorb around three-fifths of the projected growth in expenditure on leisure services. In absolute terms, therefore, we can anticipate that restaurants, cafés and bars will absorb around £107m of the £175m growth projected for the period 2007 to 2026.

4.44 Clearly, not all of this growth in spending on food and drink will be available for new facilities and, as in the retail sector, we need to make an allowance for the turnover growth needs of existing operators. There is little information available on the average turnovers achieved by restaurateurs and pub/bar operators, although several brand operators are reported to have average annual turnovers in the range £0.9m to £1.1m. Without detailed evidence of the existing turnovers and spare capacity within existing businesses in North Wiltshire it is impossible to estimate their capacity to absorb more trade – however it is likely that most businesses could accommodate a continued growth in turnover and for the sake of this analysis we assume that half of the £107m growth on food and drink could be absorbed by existing operators. This would leave a residual of around £53m available for new operations (and a need for approximately 50

8 Betting accounts for the greatest proportion of spending on ‘games of chance’.

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new business premises in the town centres). This indicates significant scope for introducing new facilities in all of the study area’s main town centres. If the assumed level of expenditure absorbed by existing businesses were to be lower than assumed here, the scope for introducing new cafes, restaurants and bars would be higher still - and if some larger operators were to be attracted they might require unusually large premises or unusual sites within town centres.

4.45 The growth in expenditure in cinemas in the period up to 2026 is projected to be around £950,000. However, the scope for new cinema provision depends on the level of existing provision and on critical variables such as population per screen. A more detailed analysis would be required, therefore, to assess the scope for new screens. Similarly, the scope for new facilities such as bingo halls and casinos will depend on existing provision and the extent to which these channels of leisure expenditure are able to enhance their share, over time, of the overall pot of spending on leisure services. A more detailed appraisal is therefore required, but the bottom half of Spreadsheet 19 sets out the growth in expenditure that these facilities would achieve if their share of spending on leisure services remains constant.

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Town Centre Employment 4.46 The other major component of town centre functions to be considered is office-based

employment, which requires accommodation is offices across a range of sizes and configurations of premises. Offices contribute to town centre life through accommodating private sector and public sector services to businesses and residents, thus securing the economic role of the centre; and by attracting workers into centres every day, add to the spend in local shops and services. These service sectors are forecast to be the fastest growing sectors of employment, and thus offices need to be prioritised to achieve future stability and growth in the towns.

4.47 ODPM statistics indicate that there are 164,000 sq.m of office floorspace in North Wiltshire (2006). The statistics do not support a detailed analysis for each town centre, but suggest that approximately 25% of this total is in Chippenham town centre. Other town centres also contain a proportion of this total, but increasingly office floorspace has been provided in out-of-centre and business park environments.

4.48 This study cannot provide a full review of economic forecasts or employment land requirements but can indicate the significance of potential growth in town centre office requirements, building on work for the Regional Spatial Strategy and Regional Economic Strategy in which the South West of England RDA commissioned employment forecasts for the Travel to Work Areas in the South West region. These forecasts suggest that if a regional GVA9 growth rate of 3.2% is achieved, employment in the Chippenham Travel to Work Area will grow from 37,300 to 43,500 jobs between 2006 to 2026.

4.49 Out of this total, the current employment in office-type jobs (in business services, public administration and defence) will grow from 6,300 to 8,300, or 30%. This figure of 6,300 office-type jobs is broadly comparable with the floorspace provision of 164,000 sq.m noted above at average floorspace employment densities. Growth of 30% would therefore imply a need for a further 50,000 sq.m of office floorspace by 2026.

4.50 If 50,000 sq.m offices is to be provided across North Wiltshire District, on the current pattern of provision this would require perhaps 12,500 sq.m in Chippenham town centre. It is possible that the other four town centres would need to accommodate a further 12,500 sq.m between them. Alternatively, if a policy decision is made to support the role of town centres, focus on more sustainable locations for employment and increase their provision of office floorspace - and if the development market is able to support this approach - higher levels of provision would be required, perhaps requiring 20,000 sq.m in Chippenham, which would represent approximately a 50% increase over existing. This could be a significant addition to the overall total of new floorspace in the town centre.

9 GVA is “Gross Value Added” a measure of productivity within the economy. GVA growth of 2.8% - 3.2% per annum is assumed within SW RDA Strategy as a reasonable target for growth.

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5 REVIEW OF SITES WITH DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL AND STRATEGY FOR MEETING NEEDS

Suitability, Viability, and Availability of Sites in Chippenham 5.1 The study reviewed the town centre and surrounding areas in general, in order to

identify those sites which might contribute positively to the provision of retail and other town centre uses and appraised 14 sites in detail within and on the edge of Chippenham town centre in detail.

5.2 The focus of the site assessment is on identifying sites which are suitable to accommodate the forecast growth in floorspace, particularly comparison goods sales floorspace, which is forecast in this study. In line with national, regional and local existing policy, the priority is to identify sites which meet the “sequential” test, with an emphasis on providing new floorspace within or, if not possible within, on the edge of the existing town centre. For this reason, sites within or close to the town centre have been appraised in detail, and as the study shows, there is sufficient land which could be available for development to meet forecast need within the plan period. There is therefore no need to appraise in detail sites further from the town centre which would not pass the “sequential” test and would be much less appropriate for any form of town centre retail development.

5.3 Of the sites which have been appraised in detail, we consider that the Bath Road Car Park/Bridge Centre site is very appropriate for retail development, with the potential to make important provision for both convenience and comparison goods sales within the town centre, and that a further four have good potential for retail development to meet the overall scale of need.

Sites appraised Site area Sites considered as potential development for retail Bridge Centre/Bath Road Car Park Site & Bridge Centre 5,725 + 4,187 sq.m Borough Parade Car Park 3,943 + 1,260 sq.m Bus Station, Timber Street 2,128 sq.m Library, Timber Street 511 sq.m Post Office Sorting Depot, Station Hill 1,818 sq.m + 854 sq.m Other sites appraised Superdrug Store, High Street 479 sq.m Railway Station Car Park 11,500 sq.m North of Hathaway Retail Park 1,758 sq.m + Hygrade Foods Site, Westmead Lane 12,169 sq.m Westmead Fields 38,240 sq.m Railway Arches n/a

The Bath Road Car Park/Bridge Centre Site

5.4 The Bath Road Car Park lies adjacent to the primary retail area of the town, separated by the river and Bath Road, but lying between the High Street and the station and Monkton Park area. The site is used for surface level car public car parking. To the west of the car park site lies the Bridge Centre site, surrounded by a major road gyratory system. The two sites of 5,726 and 4,187 sq.m respectively could possibly be jointly developed to form a site with a total of at least 14,702 sq.m (depending on highway design to accommodate a new road layout).

5.5 The Council’s Assets, Design and Regeneration team, has prepared two options for the development of the Bath Road car park/Bridge Centre site and these options have

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been the subject of an appraisal by Savills. In summary, Savills concludes that – with amendments – both options are viable, meeting the Council’s aspirations for high quality retail-led, mixed-use development, whilst delivering positive land values.

5.6 Under the first option, it is assumed that the Bath Road car park site would be redeveloped on its own. The site is allocated for retail development in the up-to-date adopted Local Plan under Policy R3. Moreover, the site is wholly within the ownership of North Wiltshire District Council, with the exception of a small parcel in private ownership that would enable a pedestrian link to the Bridge; such a pedestrian link is not necessary, but it is desirable and we understand that the private owner has expressed a willingness to work with the Council to achieve the desirable outcome.

5.7 Savills recommended development mix for the first option is as follows:

an anchor store of 2,600 sq.m, aimed at a food retailer such as Waitrose or Tesco;

two large retail units each of 464 sq.m, aimed at non-food retailers;

one small retail units of 93 sq.m; and

18 residential units.

5.8 The car parking would be provided in multi-storey format at first and second floor levels.

5.9 We consider that this first option can provide for all of the convenience goods need that has been identified and can make a contribution towards meeting some of the comparison goods need identified. However, we consider that it would be preferable to pursue the second option which involves an expansion of the site to include the Bridge Centre, which is currently in the ownership of Wiltshire County Council.

5.10 Savills recommended development mix for Option 2a, which includes the Bridge Centre, is as follows:

an anchor store of 2,600 sq.m, aimed at a food retailer such as Waitrose or Tesco;

5 large retail units each of 464 sq.m, aimed at non-food retailers;

2 small retail units each of 92 sq.m; and

50 residential units.

5.11 However, Savills has also devised an Option 2b whereby the anchor food store is increased to 4,180 sq.m, but with a reduction in the residential content to 20 units.

5.12 We consider that Options 2a and 2b are equally desirable and that they would yield greater regeneration benefits than Option 1. However, all of the options appraised by Savills meet the ‘suitable’, ‘viable’ and ‘available within a reasonable period of time’ tests set out in paragraph 3.19 of PPS6.

5.13 In particular these options provide the opportunity to accommodate additional comparison goods shopping which is essential to meeting the overall scale and type of need identified. Options 2a and 2b would provide 2,500 sq.m of comparison retail. If it is possible to increase this quantity within the scheme, perhaps by restricting the convenience element to around 2,600 sq.m as in Option 2a but adding a further 1,500 sq.m of comparison floorspace, this would be desirable.

Borough Parade Car Park site(s)

5.14 This pair of sites comprise a total of approximately 5,203 sq.m currently used for public car parking, and comprising one of the two main parking areas in the town centre. The

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sites are very well located adjacent to the recent Borough Parade shopping development, with good pedestrian links to the High Street.

5.15 The sites are owned by NWDC but Prudential hold a leasehold interest and NWDC then lease the car parks back. These sites could be developed if the car parking provision could be replaced, for instance through decking of the sloping larger site. This would clearly increase cost, but the potential of the site(s) to contribute to extension and enhancement of the primary retail area is very significant.

Bus Station, Timber Street

5.16 The bus station site on Timber Street measures approximately 2,100 sq.m and is in an ‘edge-of-centre’ location for the purposes of PPS6. The site is located close to a listed hotel and a listed restaurant, and these buildings would constrain the scale of any proposed retail scheme on the site. Moreover, given the size of the site it is not suitable for a large foodstore. Nevertheless, the site has potential to meet some of the need we have identified for further comparison goods floorspace.

5.17 Any redevelopment would depend on the relocation of the bus station function, with the Bath Road site safeguarded under Policy T5 of the adopted Local Plan to provide for a bus station facility. However, we are mindful that the width of the Bath Road carriageway itself would need to be narrowed so that the bus bays would not eat too much into the Bath Road retail allocation.

The Library, Timber Street

5.18 There are no current plans to relocate the library, but redevelopment of the bus station on the opposite side of Timber Street could generate retail occupier interest. It would be possible to provide for a small convenience store on the Library site (Figure 4.3), utilising the small car park to the rear. However, the site is owned by Wiltshire County Council, which has not indicated any particular possibility of relocating the library and there is therefore uncertainty with respect to the ‘availability’ test.

Post Office Sorting Depot, Station Hill

5.19 The Post Office sorting depot, its car park and the former Taylors Motorcycles garage can be combined to form a site which measures approximately 2,700 sq.m. The site is located on Station Hill and is just over 300 metres from the nearest point of Chippenham’s primary shopping area, which we regard to be the Bridge. Thus, the site is just about within the PPS6 definition of ‘edge-of-centre’.

5.20 We consider that the Post Office site has potential for mixed-use development, including retail. Indeed, apart from the railway station building there are no listed buildings in the vicinity of the site and it should be capable of absorbing some of the need we have identified in the comparison goods sector. However, the site is not suitable for a medium or large sized supermarket.

Superdrug Store site

5.21 The Superdrug store premises are in a very prominent position in the town centre, at the bottom of the High Street beside the river. The store building is not particularly attractive and the site is apparently capable of development to a higher density. However, though some retailers may be prepared to take accommodation on two levels it is probably less likely that an increase in retail floorspace can be achieved on this site. Any increase in density of development would be more likely to provide new office and/or residential accommodation. Such development could make a significant contribution to other objectives for the town centre and particularly to helping create an attractive and distinctive “gateway” in the town centre, and should be further investigated by the local authority.

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Conclusions: Sites Appraisal

5.22 The five sites identified above for development could contribute together a total of 20,427 sq.m of site area for development, capable of accommodating perhaps11,000 - 16,000 sq.m (gross) retail development, and contributing substantially to extending and enhancing the town centre.

5.23 The other sites are discounted by the appraisal because of their distance from the primary retail area and they fail the sequential test if the other sites are brought forward. They may need to be reconsidered in the longer term, but for the present we do not consider that they are appropriate for further retail development.

Suitability, Viability, and Availability of Sites in Other Town Centres

5.24 Our review of other town centres did not identify sites of significant capacity, which are likely to be suitable for development, viable and available, in Corsham, Malmesbury and Wootton Bassett. This is particular due to the existing high quality of environment and buildings in many parts of these centres.

5.25 It is critical however, that existing sites and buildings are retained in retail use and improved to meet modern retail opportunities, wherever possible within the constraints of conservation area, planning and other relevant policies. We have not investigated the potential for retail development outside the primary and secondary retail areas, as currently defined, on the basis that any development should take place within these areas through the sequential approach.

5.26 In Calne, however, we consider that there is potential for redevelopment of backland and car parking areas to the east of the High Street. Development in this area could contribute significantly to creating a higher quality of environment, stronger sense of place, and accommodation for retail and other town centre uses, including leisure. The potential for a leisure centre and/or cinema should be investigated – and could be effectively linked to existing facilities including the library, and served by public transport as well as car parks.

5.27 The quantity of retail development at Calne should, of course, be considered in the context of the overall retail strategy outlined in Section 7

Calne Sites appraised Site area Sites considered as potential development for retail Calne Site 1: West of Sainsbury’s 1,781 sq.m Calne Site 2 : Car Park SW of Sainsbury’s 2381 sq.m Calne Site 3 : Car Park S of Sainsbury’s 979 sq.m Calne Site 6 : Sainsbury’s Car Park (1) 1311 sq.m Calne Site 7 : Sainsbury’s Car Park (2) 1503 sq.m + Other sites appraised Calne Site 4 : Car Park N of Sainsbury’s 1757 sq.m Calne Site 5 : Church Street Car Park 3317 sq.m

5.28 The appraisal indicates that Site 1 could potentially be developed and represents an important area in the redevelopment of Calne town centre (known as Phase 3). The two sites that comprise this area have been the subject of a significant redevelopment proposal by North Wiltshire District Council. Such proposals have indicated the potential opportunity for 5 retail units, a number of flats and areas of public open space. North Wiltshire District Council will provide further details in the near future.

5.29 Detailed appraisal of land and discussion with landowners, like that undertaken for the Phase 3 redevelopment, will be required to inform specific proposals in the light of all

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planning objectives and priorities for the town. It would be appropriate to conduct these detailed studies to guide development proposals.

5.30 It is likely that the existing quantity of car parking provision will be required in future, so loss of spaces through development will require replacement within the town centre proposals.

5.31 In the light of the assessment conducted to date, and the overall forecast need for additional retail floorspace in the District and the town centres, it is clear that there is the opportunity to accommodate an appropriate quantity of new retail floorspace in Calne. It is recommended that the proposed development brief seeks to accommodate 3,000 sq.m of additional retail floorspace by 2016 – primarily as comparison floorspace in appropriately sized units, linking carefully to the existing town centre retail areas including the supermarkets.

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6 VILLAGE SHOP AUDIT

Introduction 6.1 The village shop and post office are vital local services, especially for people who do

not have a car or cannot access public transport. In addition to the service they provide, village shops provide local employment and help to retain money within the local economy, they provide a focal point within the community for providing and exchanging information and help reduce the need to travel. Retaining local shops and post offices is therefore generally seen as important to helping to build or maintain sustainable communities.

National Trends 6.2 The decline of ‘local’ shops has been well documented. For example, the New

Economics Foundation found that in the five years between 1997 and 2002, specialist stores including butchers, bakers, fishmongers, and newsagents closed at the rate of 50 per week across Britain10. Similarly general stores have been closing at the rate of one per day and 345 post office branches closed down in 2003 alone. A similar study by the Countryside Agency suggests that more than 70% of the country’s 10,000 villages have no shops at all.

Wiltshire 6.3 A survey of 350 Wiltshire settlements undertaken by Wiltshire County Council11

concluded that:

96 settlements had a general food shop12 (including petrol filling stations supplying a range of basic foods) and 99 had post office facilities.

Between 2001 and 2005 there was an increase in general food stores from 118 (in 108 settlements) to 132 (in 96 settlements). The data suggests that 36 general food shops opened, whilst 22 closed, between 2001 and 2005.

Only 5% of settlements had a specialist food shop13. The 19 specialist food shops (in 18 settlements) increased from 18 (in 15 settlements) over the 5 year period.

About 8% of settlements had a farm shop, with a few having two. The 32 farm shops 9in 28 settlements) had increased from 24 in 2001.

About 80% of the settlements surveyed had mobile sales or services14 visiting them. The 716 suppliers of mobile services (in 279 settlements) had increased from 527 (in 213 settlements) since 2001.

Over 10% of settlements had a specialised non-food shop. The 58 shops (in 39 settlements) had decreased from 97 (across 45 settlements) since 2001.

6.4 Both general food shops and specialist shops have seen a gradual decline since 1976. The extent of this loss has been 67% for general food shops and 55% for specialist shops. However, there has been recorded growth of 470% in mobile sales (eg sales from mobile shops) – however this only accounts for a relatively low level of total trade.

10 New Economics Foundation (2003) Ghost Town Britain 2 11 Wiltshire County Council (2006) Rural Facilities Survey 2005 12 This includes all shops that serve a range of daily foods. It includes mixed businesses especially petrol stations and post offices 13 This is a food shop that provides a particular service and does not provide a full range of general foods. Bakers and butchers are examples 14 This includes all sales and services that are not permanently fixed in one settlement. This can be broken down into three sub-categories namely mobile basic foods, mobile supplementary foods and mobile services

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North Wiltshire 6.5 Analysis of the 2005 Wiltshire Rural Facilities Survey15 for the North Wiltshire district

area reveals that the 88 settlements surveyed had:

21 general stores

7 specialist food shops

39 specialist shops

113 mobile sales.

6.6 A survey of village retail facilities in small towns and villages that form North Wiltshire District Council’s preferred option for RSS Development Type C16 settlements was undertaken by RTP and NWDC in April 2007. The following villages were surveyed:

Ashton Keynes

Box

Bradenstoke

Christian Malford

Colerne

Cricklade

Crudwell

Derry Hill

Great Somerford

Hullavington

Kington St.Michael

Luckington

Lyneham

Oaksey

Purton

Sherston

Sutton Benger

Yatton Keynell.

6.7 The table below lists the number of shops noted in each of the Development Type C villages along with a breakdown by retail type.

15 Wiltshire County Council (2006) Rural Facilities Survey 2005 16 RSS Development Policy Type C settlements are those in which development will be appropriate where:

Supports small-scale economic activity, which fits the scale of the settlement and can accommodate the future growth of business in the development permitted

Extends the range of services available, including outreach delivery of services, making use of existing premises where possible

Does not significantly increase traffic on local roads and where traffic implications can be demonstrated to be acceptable

Promotes self-containment, strengthens local communities, and helps to support key services

Development of housing will be permitted where it relates to requirements identified in housing market studies and other assessments of local needs.

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Village General store

Specialist food

Post Office

Pharmacy Garage Non-food

Other Total

Ashton Keynes 1 1 2 Box 2 1 1 1 2 7 Bradenstoke 1 1 Christian Malford 1 1 2 Colerne 1 1 Cricklade 2 2 1 1 7 14 27 Crudwell 1 1 Derry Hill 1 1 Great Somerford 1 1 2 Hullavington 1 1 2 Kingston St.Michael

1 1 2

Luckington 1 1 2 Lyneham 2 1 3 5 11 Oaksey 1 1 2 Purton 2 2 1 1 5 3 14 Sherston 1 1 2 Sutton Benger 1 1 Total 18 5 13 3 2 17 22 80

6.8 The survey revealed that although the Type C villages are well served in terms of village shop numbers there is no correlation between the range and quality of the produce sold and the size of the village. Indeed some of the village shops in larger settlements offered little in terms of fresh produce.

Planning for village shops 6.9 There is little that planning can do to ensure the continued operation of village shops,

beyond ensuring that local circumstances (such as car parking and environment) are conducive to shoppers being attracted; and that the district-wide balance of retail provision is properly planned to meet needs. The latter of course has to recognize the strong and continuing demand for provision in district centres, local centres, supermarkets, and other locations in line with national, regional and more local planning policies.

6.10 Perhaps most importantly is the process for planning of villages which includes identification of villages in line with regional and district planning policy which are suitable for residential development, to ensure a local population which will maintain demand for local facilities.

6.11 Within that approach a robust stance of resisting change of use of retail premises to other uses may be appropriate, particularly in the cases where only one or two shops remain in a village. On the other hand, in larger villages where a traditional street of shops is proving commercially fragile it may be more appropriate to adopt a policy of managed change in which some shops are permitted to change use (for instance to residential use); whilst other individual units or groups of shops – identified because of particular characteristics such as their location, type of premises, character or relationship to other premises – are clearly identified for continued retail operation.

6.12 Beyond these planning approaches, the local authority will need to find other ways to work with retailers and village communities to seek ways to ensure continued presence of shops in villages. This could include measures to support efficient operation of shops (for instance in terms of car parking, deliveries, waste, etc.); and to enhance the attractiveness of village streets and the areas around shops. The specific local requirements will need to be identified by joint working and planning for the local areas

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in the context of various issues including the longer-term prospects for population growth, housing development, etc..

Community Shops 6.13 One approach to ensuring continued provision of a shop in a village is to support the

establishment of a community shop – this generally occurs when a private shopkeeper decides to sell or close the business.

6.14 Research undertaken by DEFRA17 concluded that rural settlements with a population of above 600, without an existing shop within the village, are capable of supporting a viable community-owned shop, employing its own full time manager, but supplemented by the input of volunteers.

6.15 Even if the population is under 600, community shops can be viable but trade-offs will need to be made between the quality of the service offered, the use of volunteers rather than paid staff and the manner in which the venture is financed.

6.16 The village shop managers that were interviewed reported that the sources of finance and the availability of premises at an attractive price or rental value is a key determinant of viability. The two greatest costs of a community owned shop are likely to be the staff costs and the costs of the premises. Most initiatives keep the cost of the premises to a minimum through either grant funding the costs of the building or finding a benefactor who is able to offer the premises at a peppercorn rent.

6.17 One example of a funding and advice initiative for supporting community shops is the Nottinghamshire ‘Shop in a Box’ Initiative. Nottinghamshire RCC was awarded £120,000 from the RDA to help establish four community owned shops. The financing package of £120,000 was intended to cover revenue funding towards staff costs in the first year of trading, help towards the capital costs of the shops and a full-time support officer. The initiative achieved its goal of establishing four shops, at an average development cost per shop of £30,000.

Supporting Village Shops in North Wiltshire 6.18 Community spirit in rural areas of North Wiltshire is strong. This spirit is demonstrated

in Sutton Benger where three villages have pooled together resources to run the post office. Similarly, following the closure of the village shop the community of Kington St. Michael banded together and gained ownership of the old village hall from its previous owners in the 1980s and, in 2004, set up another shop and post office. This project was assisted through grant aid from NWDC, the Countryside Agency and Rural Revival.

6.19 These examples may provide a good model of how local communities can organise to ensure continued operation of a local shop. The two main initiatives in place to assist village shops in North Wiltshire are:

Rural Rate Relief – NWDC automatically provides the maximum level of rate relief (100% in the case of post offices and food shops in settlements of less than 3,000 population, provided that they have a rateable value of up to £7,000).

Community First – Community First is a charity that provides free proactive and expert support to village shop retailers to help retailers to improve and sustain the viability of their shops. The charity also works with communities to explore and develop new solutions to rural retailing needs. A combination of grants and loans of between £500 and £10,000 are also provided to assist the take-up of ICT and new technologies, shop refurbishment, equipment purchase and/or provision of community services.

17 Plunkett Foundation/DEFRA (2005) Sustainable Models of Community Retailing

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6.20 To support the viability of rural local shops, North Wiltshire District Council could consider incorporating the following proposals into policy and action:

Continuing rate relief and support for Community First as above

Continuing implementation and enhancement of retail planning policy in line with this study, to ensure an appropriate provision of retail floorspace in town centres, villages and rural areas to meet levels of future growth

Preparation of Local Development Framework policies which support levels of population and housing growth to provide local levels of spend to support local facilities

Work with stakeholders in local areas, including Town Councils and Chambers of Commerce, to identify regeneration needs and particularly to identify specific local issues which may impinge on the viability of local shops, such as car parking, development control policies and decisions, and funding for village improvements.

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7 CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Current Conditions and Recent Trends 7.1 Shopping provision in North Wiltshire reflects trends in shopper behaviour and patterns

of development which have occurred across the UK in recent years, resulting in significant change in the appearance and role of town centres.

7.2 The continued increase in the proportion of shopping for food and convenience good which takes place in supermarkets, often in out-of-centre locations, has reduced the viability and representation of the smaller, traditional independent food shops in town centres and so reduced the footfall of shoppers. At the same time, spend on comparison shopping has grown significantly but is increasingly concentrated in the larger town centres where more modern shop units, larger stores and “high street names” are represented.

7.3 These trends are related to increasing use of the car to travel to towns and shops and require easy road access (and shoppers often look for cheap or free parking). This poses significant issues in attempting to plan for more sustainable patterns of development and ensuring access to goods and services for many people in local communities who cannot afford or otherwise do not have access to a car.

7.4 Village shops have generally been in decline, but it is notable that a recent survey showed that across Wiltshire as a whole there had been a slight increase in the number, and in North Wiltshire a range of villages still have a shop. The issue is to find ways to try to ensure that there is no further decline in the provision of an essential local facility.

7.5 Of the larger North Wiltshire town centres, Chippenham is clearly established as the largest centre, with an attractive and lively primary retail area which includes a range of shops and other facilities. Chippenham competes directly with centres of similar sizes in neighbouring districts such as Melksham, Devizes and Salisbury; though a significant proportion of comparison spending by district residents is drawn to larger centres, particularly Bath and Swindon which are readily accessible from the district.

7.6 The other four larger centres - Calne, Corsham, Malmesbury and Wootton Bassett - have broadly similar roles in the shopping hierarchy, providing some convenience shops, usually including at least one supermarket serving relatively local needs, alongside a range of comparison shops selling largely to local residents. The balance between these types of shops varies (due largely to historical factors) and is related to some extent to the environmental quality of the town centres. Corsham shows how an attractive historic environment can help support a specialist shopping element (admittedly on a limited scale) and Malmesbury and Wootton Bassett also have important environmental qualities. Calne has some areas of excellent quality, but also suffers from a very fragmented pattern of development with substantial areas of car parking lying between different retail areas and interrupting potential routes for pedestrian flow between shops.

Need 7.7 The planned growth in residential population of the district, along with forecast

increases in domestic spending over the plan period, provide the potential to draw more trade to shops within the town centres in North Wiltshire - and an opportunity to use this potential spend to help redress some of the problems of the town centres at the same time as serving residents better.

7.8 As a general principle it is taken as read (from national policy through to existing regional, sub-regional and local planning objectives) that new retail development should take place, wherever possible, within town centres or, following a “sequential”

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approach, on the edge of centres; and should be planned in combination with public transport, car parking provision, environmental improvements and measures to ensure a balance and diversity of use in the town centres. Within these general principles, we consider that it is particularly important to support and enhance the role of Chippenham as the largest town centre in the district; and to work to support the existing roles of Calne, Corsham, Malmesbury and Wootton Bassett.

7.9 It is particularly important to consider ways to strengthen the retail “offer” of Chippenham, given the competition offered by centres in adjacent districts and trends of polarisation, as larger centres tend to get larger. This trend tends to promote even greater use of the car, and longer journeys, to go shopping; it also tends to undermine the overall vitality and viability of a centre such as Chippenham, weakening its ability to attract investment and businesses creating employment, and weakening its role as a centre of services and facilities for district residents.

7.10 It is also important to consider policies for office-based employment and growth in leisure spending, as these contribute significantly to the viability of town centres and can support development which secures a stronger role for the towns. Chippenham in particular could strengthen its role through provision for these sectors. Our estimates suggest the potential for significant levels of growth, with a consequent need for new floorspace.

7.11 We note however, that the opportunities to develop more retail floorspace in Chippenham town centre are relatively limited, and it will therefore be important to focus effort on those sites which may be capable of delivering the appropriate scale of development over the plan period and to resist pressures for other retail development elsewhere in the town.

7.12 At the same time, while it is important to support the existing roles of the other four towns we note that apart from Calne there are only limited opportunities to provide new floorspace within the existing retail areas and indeed there is only likely to be limited potential to attract new shopper spend into town centres of this size. The critical issue is to ensure that all of these town centres are attractive and lively, using existing floorspace to support patterns of local shopping and providing diversity and choice. In general, therefore we would not expect to see significant increases in the total amount of floorspace in these centres, but would encourage measures which strengthen the existing retail areas.

7.13 Policies should also seek to protect local shops in the villages - particularly seeking to prevent the closure of the last remaining shop in any particular village. However, planning policies alone cannot guarantee the survival of shops in the villages, and where necessary it will be important for the local planning authority to work with others, including parish councils and local groups, to promote appropriate initiatives.

7.14 Our analysis of quantitative need (in Section Four) showed that under the baseline scenario there is limited potential growth in convenience spending in the district to 2016 with perhaps some further modest growth to 2026 - showing a convenience goods floorspace requirement up to 2026 of 3,000 sq.m sales area, which equates to 4,700 sq.m gross. There would therefore be a need to identify a site or sites for convenience goods of modest scale. Given the considerations summarised above, this additional convenience floorspace would best be located in Chippenham, but some of this floorspace will not be needed until later in the plan period.

7.15 By contrast, our assessment of comparison goods floorspace need suggests the potential for more substantial growth. Under the constant market share baseline, there is a comparison goods floorspace requirement up to 2026 of around 32,000 sq.m sales area, which equates to around 46,000 sq.m gross - however, we identify the quantum of need as around 16,000 sq.m gross up to 2016 for comparison goods.

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7.16 This gives a total floorspace need of 18,000 – 19,000 sq.m gross by 2016. To allow for some flexibility in the market and varying rates of development, we suggest that a range of 16,000 sq.m to 21,000 sq.m is adopted as the target for the period to 2016.

7.17 Given the environmental constraints within the town centres of the four smaller town centres, the limited market demand for new floorspace in them, general market trends towards larger centres, the need to support growth in Chippenham, and the need to support the viability of existing shops in towns and villages, we would not recommend that a significant proportion of this district-wide need is allocated to the four smaller town centres, though we do see the potential to include a measure of growth in comparison retail in Calne, to balance the existing provision and contribute to a more attractive, diverse and viable town centre.

7.18 For the three other centres, new development should be accommodated if and when appropriate proposals are made for development of opportunity sites, backland or yard areas, or intensification of use within existing retail sites and buildings, but we would not envisage significant change in buildings or floorspace within the retail core or periphery of these towns.

7.19 We therefore recommend that the overall need of 16,000 – 21,000 sq.m (gross) is allocated broadly as follows:

Chippenham: 11,000 – 16,000 sq.m

Calne: 3,000 sq.m

Corsham, Malmesbury, Wootton Bassett: 2,000 sq.m in total, divided between the centres

Sites 7.20 The identified opportunity sites in Chippenham and Calne are reviewed in Section 6

and Appendix 3. All of these sites satisfy the basic tests set out in PPS6 of need, scale, sequential test, impact and accessibility, being located within the town centre, and each (in similar but slightly different ways) would contribute to physical regeneration, employment, economic growth and social inclusion in the town.

7.21 Five sites in Chippehnam are identified for retail development in the period to 2016, and together appear to have the potential to provide the quantum of floorspace proposed above (using broad estimates for floorspace achievable):

Bath Road Car Park/Bridge Centre: 10,000 sq.m (if Bridge Centre is included)

Bus Station: 1,000 sq.m

Library: 500 sq.m

Borough Parade Car Park: 3,000 sq.m

Post Office Sorting Depot: 1,500 sq.m

7.22 This would provide a total development of up to 16,000 sq.m new (gross) floorspace in Chippenham, sufficient to meet the identified need to 2016. Note that these estimates of floorspace for each site will depend on more detailed site investigations and design principles, which will need to be developed through a development brief and/or design process, for discussion with the local planning authority. However, the overall total ought to be achievable on these sites.

7.23 The Bath Road Car Park/Bridge Centre site is clearly a key site for the town centre and a highly appropriate location particularly for development of the additional comparison shopping which is needed to enhance the retail “offer”. The other identified sites can contribute significantly to meeting the need for growth and diversity in the town centre, but this site provides the only larger opportunity for new retail development which can create an extension to the existing prime retail area, accommodate larger town centre

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retailers and meet modern needs. It is important that the opportunity to include the Bridge Centre in the development scheme is vigorously pursued if Chippenham town centre is to maximise the benefit to the town.

7.24 This allocation of 16,000 sq.m in Chippenham town centre includes a measure of provision for convenience shopping – around 2,000 sq.m – but is largely aimed at increasing the provision of comparison floorspace and the priority should be to ensure that this comparison need is met.

7.25 In Calne, there is more than enough site capacity to accommodate the identified need of 3,000 sq.m (gross) comparison floorspace in appropriate locations within the town centre, adjacent to the existing primary frontage area and supermarkets. The task of identifying the specific location for this development will depend on a range of factors including availability and deliverability of sites, and on establishing clear planning and design principles for the development. Only when such principles have been established, to ensure a development which enhances the quality of environment and the viability of the town centre, should a specific scheme be identified.

Town Centre Retail Frontage Areas Policies 7.26 The current Local Plan includes policies for retail frontage areas, in order to maintain

the vitality and viability of town centres and provide an appropriate provision for retail and other uses across the District.

7.27 Chapter 11 of the Local plan includes the following comment Primary Frontage Areas:

11.3 This Local Plan defines the primary frontage areas within which the Local Planning Authority is seeking to ensure the main use remains as shops (Use Class A1) because this will contribute to making sure the vitality and viability of the town centres in North Wiltshire are maintained and enhanced. The Local Planning Authority will seek to ensure no more than 5% of uses within the Primary frontage areas are non shopping uses (A1 use) or that there are no more than any two adjacent units in uses other than A1 uses, whichever is less, thus ensuring Use Class A remains the main function of the Town Centre Primary Frontage Areas. However, it is recognised that other uses including employment, offices of local and central government, leisure and entertainment, hospitals and higher education can ensure the health of a town centre and these will be directed towards the Town Centre Secondary Frontage Areas subject to the requirements of Policy R2.

7.28 The relevant policy for Primary Frontage Areas is :

R1 TOWN CENTRE PRIMARY FRONTAGE AREAS Proposals for shops, financial and professional services, and food and drink establishments (Use Class A) will be permitted within the defined town centre primary frontage areas at ground floor level of Chippenham, Calne, Wootton Bassett, Corsham, Malmesbury and Cricklade subject to the following criteria where: i) They do not individually or together with other proposals undermine the vitality or viability of the town centre; ii) The proposal is consistent with the scale and function of the town centre; iii) No more than 5% of uses within the Primary frontage areas are non shopping uses (A1 use) or that there are no more than any two adjacent units in uses other than A1 uses, whichever is less; and iv) Consideration is given to ensuring that proposals do not eliminate separate access arrangements to the upper floors, which could be used for residential or alternative uses

7.29 In relation to Secondary Frontage Areas, the paragraph 11.5 says:

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11.5 Whilst the Local Planning Authority seeks to ensure that retailing remains the primary function in the town centres, it is recognised that growth in other sectors such as offices, and community and leisure uses can contribute towards sustaining activity in these centres. This is so long as the vitality and viability of the centres are not compromised. Different and complementary uses can reinforce each other, making town centres more attractive to local residents, shoppers and visitors.

7.30 The relevant policy is:

R2 TOWN CENTRE SECONDARY FRONTAGE AREAS Proposals for shops, financial and professional services, food premises, leisure facilities and night clubs (Use Class A, D1 and D2) will be permitted within the defined town centre secondary frontage areas of Chippenham, Calne, Wootton Bassett, Corsham, Malmesbury and Cricklade, subject to all the following criteria: i) They do not individually or cumulatively undermine the vitality or viability of the town centre. ii) The proposal is consistent with the scale and function of the town centre. iii) Consideration is given to ensuring that proposals do not eliminate separate access arrangements to the upper floors, which could be used for residential, community or employment uses.

7.31 From our review of the town centres and future quantitative and qualitative need for retail floorspace we suggest that these policies may need to be reviewed, particularly to bring them in line with the approach indicated in PPS6 Town Centres, and to ensure that the identified areas can accommodate need.

7.32 The analysis of each town centre provided in Section 2 suggests that there is no need to review the secondary frontage areas except perhaps in the case of Malmesbury; but we consider that the primary frontage areas should be reviewed in the light of two issues:

The need to accommodate more retail floorspace within the town centres – in the case of Chippenham and Calne, on sites discussed in Section 5 and as recommended above. The preferred sites should be included in the Primary Frontage Area

The presence of supermarkets in the town centres in a number of cases – particularly Chippenham (Somerfield), Calne (Somerfield and Sainsbury), Corsham (Somerfield) and Wootton Bassett (Somerfield and Sainsbury). As these stores contribute significantly to the viability and vitality of the town centres and to pedestrian footfall in central areas, we consider that these stores should be included within the primary frontage areas.

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