Impact Assessments - Retail and other Town Centre Uses
Retail Impact Assessments
Retail Impact Assessments are required for all retail and
leisure developments over 2,500 square
metres gross floor space and may be required for smaller
developments such as those likely to have a significant impact on
smaller centres.
Retail Assessments
What should a retail assessment contain?
The assessment should justify the need and scale of the
development and an assessment of the
impact upon the vitality of existing retails centres and locations.
Details of the availability of other
sites closer to a centre for the development will also be
required.
An assessment will not be required to demonstrate the need for
retail proposals within the primary shopping areas or for other
main town centre uses including leisure and office development
located within the town centre. Evidence should be provided to show
that there are no sequentially preferable sites.
When is a retail assessment required?
Retail assessments should be provided for any planning
application for a retail use which would be in an edge of centre or
out of centre location and are not in accordance with the
development plan. You should contact a Planning Officer to
determine whether a site is in an edge of centre or out of centre
location.
Retail assessments should be provided for any planning
application for a retail use which would be in an edge of centre or
out of centre location and are not in accordance with the
development plan.
The assessment should justify the need and scale of the
development and an assessment of the
impact upon the vitality of existing retails centres and locations.
Details of the availability of other
sites closer to a centre for the development will also be
required.
An assessment will not be required to demonstrate the need for
retail proposals within the primary shopping areas or for other
main town centre uses including leisure and office development
located within the town centre. Evidence should be provided to show
that there are no sequentially preferable sites.
Further Guidance