8.1 Economic performance is an important indicator of the ‘health’ of the Borough. Ensuring the vitality and viability of Spelthorne’s centres and shaping these to be appealing places for local residents and visitors to access for shopping, leisure and entertainment purposes remains a key strand of the Local Plan. The Borough’s location provides a strong basis for attracting visitors and new businesses. Providing a diverse mix of business and facilities enhances the attractiveness of these centres and provides for the needs of local people within their communities and employment opportunities for a wider population.
8.2 The Borough provides a home to major companies such as Shepperton Studios and BP, which are valuable contributors to providing local employment opportunities and supporting the local economy. Retaining these and identifying suitable locations for other high-profile companies to locate in Spelthorne, are important parts of the Borough’s economic and employment performance.
Meeting Employment Needs
8.3 The Employment Land Needs Assessment60 is based on economic forecasts which estimate the growth in jobs in different sectors and translates this into an estimate for change in employment floorspace over the plan period. Changes in office, industrial and storage/warehousing floorspace are considered.
Use Class |
Required change in floorspace 2022-2037 (sqm) |
|---|---|
E (g) (i and ii) |
18,372 |
B2 |
-11,268 |
B8 (general) |
12,005 |
Total B Class |
19,109 |
8.4 The study was published prior to the COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in a change in the working patterns of many people and the extent to which these changes might become permanent is not yet clear. Some employers are likely to make more flexible or hybrid working practices permanent with smaller office spaces needed. Some occupiers are likely to be reviewing their space needs particularly in light of the financial difficulties and uncertainties businesses face around COVID-19 and BREXIT. Whilst it is too soon to quantify the impact on future need, this highlights the need for flexibility to enable businesses to adapt to meeting changing market conditions and achieve innovations. For this reason, it has been decided flexibility and frequent review is required with the floorspace needs.
EC1: Meeting Employment Needs
Strategic Employment Areas
Office and Research & Development
Industrial, warehousing and storage
Outside of the designated employment sites
Heathrow
|
Definitions
8.5 Active and comprehensive marketing requires demonstration of a marketing campaign for a continuous period of at least 24 months. Marketing must be undertaken through a recognised commercial agent at a price that genuinely reflects the market value of the current or most recent use of the site. It must be demonstrated to the Council’s satisfaction that marketing has been unsuccessful for all relevant floor space proposed to be lost through re-development or change of use.
8.6 Transport interchanges are defined as rail stations and bus stations within the Borough and are shown on the Policies Map. The 500m catchment around each interchange are shown on maps. The transport interchanges are:
8.7 Transport interchanges do not include standalone bus stops.
Reasoned justification
8.8 The NPPF is clear that there are three dimensions to sustainable development, one of which is economic. One of the roles of the planning system is to contribute to building a strong, responsive and competitive economy, by ensuring that sufficient land of the right type is available in the right places and at the right time to support growth, innovation and improved productivity.
8.9 Our Corporate Plan (2021-2023) has five priorities including the support and guidance to residents and businesses to help them to recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Council will support economic recovery by:
8.10 The Employment Land Needs Assessment (ELNA), identified a need for a fairly small additional amount of floorspace over the plan period in order to meet the anticipated level of jobs which will be created. Meeting this will meet the identified local Spelthorne need. We are keen to gain from the economic benefits that our close proximity to Heathrow brings.
8.11 Spelthorne has significant strengths with a large business base and a wide range of business sectors represented, including a significant presence of businesses of national and international renown. This is further strengthened by its proximity to Heathrow Airport and its good communication links to London and the rest of the UK. It has a significant retail sector which is focussed largely on meeting the needs of local residents. The Enterprise M3 Town Analysis (Dec 2019) highlighted Staines as:
8.12 In March 2021, the Government launched a Build Back Better Plan, it’s plan for growth focused on three pillars of investment to act as the foundation which to build economic recovery- high quality infrastructure, skills and innovation. The Spelthorne Economic Strategy was refreshed in February 2020. It builds upon the first 3 years of the 2017-2022 Economic Strategy and continues to focus on prioritising the key needs for businesses to settle, grow and thrive. Through the strategy the Borough aims to realise its ambitions and release its potential as a leading economy not just in Surrey but the wider sub-region. The four new themes of the Economic Strategy are ideas, people, business environment and infrastructure and places.
8.13 Spelthorne possesses the foundations envied by other locations, particularly given its proximity to London and Heathrow, forming part of a powerful functional economic area. The M3, M4 and M25, which help drive the prosperity of the south east, all run through or are in close proximity to Spelthorne.
Sustainability Appraisal Indicators
Monitoring Indicators
| Indicator | Target | Data Source |
|---|---|---|
Net change in permitted and completed E (g) (i and ii)B2 and B8 floorspace (sqm) in the Borough |
Net increase of 15,000 sqm E (g) (i and ii) use class floorspace by 2037. |
Planning applications and appeals and building completions data |
Amount of employment floor space (sqm) lost to non-B class uses |
N/A |
Planning applications and appeals and building completions data |
Additional number of employee jobs (total and by industry) in the Borough |
900 additional B class jobs to 2037 |
Published data e.g. ONS Business Register Employment Survey(BRES) |
Key Evidence
EC2: Retail
Locations for Development
Primary Shopping Areas
Opportunities
|
Definitions
8.14 Primary Shopping Areas: Defined area where retail is concentrated shown on the Policies Map.
8.15 20-minute neighbourhoods: Compact and connected neighbourhood, where people can meet their everyday needs within a short walk or cycle which presents multiple benefits including boosting the local economy, improving people’s health and wellbeing, increasing social connections and tackling climate change.
Reasoned Justification
8.16 Spelthorne Borough Council have defined a hierarchy of centres as required by the NPPF and will seek to promote their long-term vitality and viability. Staines-upon- Thames is the Borough’s main town centre, where main town centre uses should be directed principally. Ashford, Shepperton and Sunbury Cross are district centres which act as key providers for their respective catchments. As such, the Council will ensure that identified retail needs, as well as those of other main town centre uses, will be met using the centre hierarchy.
8.17 Paragraph 86 of the NPPF (2021) states that LPAs should set out policies that allow centres to grow and diversify in a way that can respond to rapid changes in retail and leisure industries. LPAs should define the extent of the centres and primary shopping areas. Paragraph 86 also states that policies should retain and enhance existing markets and where appropriate, re-introduce or create new ones.
8.18 Changes to the Use Classes Order means that approaches previously proposed in regard to ensuring sufficient numbers of shops under Use Class A1 are no longer practical. Shops, offices, restaurants and cafes are all now under Use Class E, along with many other different uses. This means that to move between these uses, planning permission is not required. This means that the market now effectively takes precedence over the planning system for the management of shopping areas and high streets.
8.19 From 1 August 2021, the Government have introduced changes to the General Permitted Development Order (GDPO) through the use of extended permitted development rights (PDR). These changes make it possible for uses with Class E, to be converted into residential use (Class MA) without planning permission. To do so, a prior approval is required from the Local Authority however these are limited in their scope for dealing with possible consequences of losing retail units and other commercial premises to residential use on the high street.
8.20 As a result of increased competition from online retailers and increasing flexibility in respect of changes of use introduced through amendments to the General Permitted Development Order (GPDO), there is an increased risk of the reduction in numbers of retail units within all centres of different scales in the Borough. The Council will ensure the retention of as many retail units within the centres as possible, within the scope of the current GDPO. Retaining retail units will secure the centres as shopping destinations and to ensure, in the case of the local centres, that they continue to provide for the day-to-day needs of their populations and achieve high footfalls.
Sustainability Appraisal Indicators
Monitoring Indicators
| Indicator | Target | Data Source |
|---|---|---|
Number of ground floor retail |
N/A |
Annual retail surveys |
Permissions granted for retail uses (E) |
None |
Annual retail surveys, planning applications and appeals |
Permissions granted for change of use from E to other uses that would result in a net loss of retail uses in a Primary Shopping Area |
None |
Planning applications and appeals. |
Key Evidence
EC3: Local Centres, Shopping Parades and Isolated Retail Units Strategy
|
Definitions
8.21 Local centres are smaller areas of housing with some retail use to help meet the day- to-day needs of the area. These centres are generally located in more remote locations and are less well connected to either the main town centre or the three district centres.
8.22 Shopping parades are rows of shops providing a variety of facilities for their local neighbourhood. These parades can be of varying sizes but generally help to contribute to meeting some or all of their local communities’ everyday needs. The list provided in the policy is not exhaustive and all parades will be shown on the forthcoming policies map.
8.23 Active and comprehensive marketing requires demonstration of a marketing campaign for a continuous period of at least 24 months as a minimum. Marketing must be undertaken through a recognised commercial agent at a price that genuinely reflects the market value of the current or most recent use of the site. It must be demonstrated to the Council’s satisfaction that marketing has been unsuccessful for all relevant floor space proposed to be lost through re-development or change of use.
8.24 Town centres uses are defined in the NPPF as retail development (including warehouse clubs and factory outlet centres); leisure, entertainment and more intensive sport and recreation uses (including cinemas, restaurants, drive-through restaurants, bars and pubs, nightclubs, casinos, health and fitness centres, indoor bowling centres and bingo halls); offices; and arts, culture and tourism development (including theatres, museums, galleries and concert halls, hotels and conference facilities).
8.25 20 minute neighbourhoods are compact and connected neighbourhood, where people can meet their everyday needs within a short walk or cycle which presents multiple benefits including boosting the local economy, improving people’s health and wellbeing, increasing social connections and tackling climate change
Reasoned Justification
8.26 The Borough has a number of local centres which support a smaller population when compared to the town and district centres. The local centres play an important role in supporting their communities. These centres have a few shops which help to provide for local people’s basic day-to-day needs but lack the diversity of more established retailers or uses such as banking facilities, supermarkets etc. However, the role these centres play within their communities is important and maintaining the vitality of these is a key challenge. Therefore, the Council is justified in protecting these centres and encouraging the development of uses within Class E, particularly retail where appropriate.
8.27 In addition, the Borough also has a vast number of shopping parades dispersed across residential areas. These parades also play a key role in helping to support their communities where there is an absence of a district or local centre. Many of these parades provide homes for local businesses and are of importance to the communities which they serve. The Council will seek to maintain these parades to help them to continue to fulfil their functions and encourage the re-use of vacant units to ensure vitality within the parades.
8.28 Spelthorne also has a small number of isolated shops which are often on their own and provide an important service such as post office or local convenience store. As such, these units often provide for everyday needs. These units could be vulnerable to development pressures and therefore, due to the key role they play within their communities, seeking significant justification for proposals affecting these is considered necessary.
Sustainability Appraisal Indicators
Monitoring Indicators
| Indicator | Target | Data Source |
|---|---|---|
Permissions granted for change of use of shops (E) |
Nil |
Planning applications and appeals |
Key Evidence
EC4: Leisure and Culture
|
Definitions
8.29 Leisure uses include cinemas, restaurants, retail, bars and pubs, nightclubs, casinos, health and fitness centres, gyms and studios, indoor bowling centres, indoor sports provision and bingo halls. Cultural uses include theatres, museums, libraries, galleries and concert halls, hotels and conference facilities.
8.30 Active and comprehensive marketing requires demonstration of a marketing campaign for a continuous period of at least 24 months. Marketing must be undertaken through a recognised commercial agent at a price that genuinely reflects the market value of the current or most recent use of the site. It must be demonstrated to the Council’s satisfaction that marketing has been unsuccessful for all relevant floor space proposed to be lost through re-development or change of use.
Reasoned justification
8.31 Leisure uses play a key role in maintaining the vitality and viability of the town and local centres within the Borough. Staines, as the main town centre, provides the primary leisure uses which include a mix of shops, restaurants and a cinema. There are also a range of sports facilities located across the Borough including the two Council-owned leisure centres in Staines and Sunbury, private gymnasiums and sports grounds to help to promote active lifestyles. The Borough also benefits from Kempton Park racecourse which offers regular race meetings as well as hosting many other activities such as antique markets and music events, therefore playing a key role in providing for leisure activities and encouraging visitors to the Borough. The River Thames and Shepperton Studios also play roles in attracting social and economic benefits and the Council should continue to benefit from these.
8.32 The Council considers that the leisure and cultural experience in the Borough has the potential to contribute to Spelthorne’s future growth. As such, the Council will continue to protect existing leisure and tourism facilities. Where appropriate, new facilities will also be supported to enhance the Borough’s attractiveness to its residents and visitors. The provision of arts and cultural facilities in particular can broaden the Borough’s offer and increase its appeal to visitors.
8.33 The sequential testing of proposed leisure developments will help to ensure that the vitality and viability of the main town centre and the three district centres within the Borough are protected. Only where there are no town centre or edge of centre sites available will out-of-centre locations be accepted. Applicants proposing new leisure uses outside Staines-upon-Thames and Ashford, Shepperton or Sunbury Cross will be required to submit an impact assessment. The assessment should clearly identify and explain the proposed development’s likely impact on the vitality and viability of the centre.
8.34 Spelthorne’s proximity to Heathrow Airport, London and several large-scale tourist attractions means that there is potential for visitors to use facilities within the Borough, particularly in respect of hotels. This also presents the opportunity to enhance this provision to improve tourism opportunities within the Borough.
Sustainability Appraisal Indicators
Monitoring Indicators
| Indicator | Target | Data Source |
|---|---|---|
Net change in the floorspace for leisure uses within the Borough |
Increase in the leisure provision within the Borough |
Planning applications and appeals |
Key Evidence
61 Main town centre uses are defined in the NPPF as retail development (including warehouse clubs and factory outlet centres); leisure, entertainment and more intensive sport and recreation uses (including cinemas, restaurants, drive-through restaurants, bars, pubs, nightclubs, casinos, health and fitness centres, indoor bowling centres and bingo halls); offices; and arts, cultural and tourism development (including theatres, museums, galleries and concert halls, hotels and conference facilities).
62 Edge-of-centre locations are defined for retail purposes, as a location that is well connected and within 300 metres of the PSA. For all other main town centres uses, it is a location within 300 metres of a town centre boundary, however for office development this includes locations outside of the town centre but within 500 metres of a public transport interchange. Local circumstances should be taken into account when determining whether a site falls within the definition of edge-of-centre
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