Ministerial guidelines
Retail Planning: Guidelines for Planning Authorities
The retail hierarchy, the sequential approach that puts town centres first, and caps on the size of shops and retail warehouses.
Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government · April 2012 · 73 pages
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- 45 5 5.2.1 Development Plans The Planning Guidelines on Development Plans (2007) recommend that planning authorities should set out a strategic vision for their area in the development plan. For plans relating to cities, towns and villages, this vision will include the creation of sustainable, high quality retail environments – attractive, vibrant and safe places which function effectively. In addition to sustainability objectives, development plans for cities and towns should include a range of design principles and policies which respond to local circumstances and which are capable of being expanded in more detail in local area plans and (where appropriate) in non-statutory guidance documents. In devising design policies, it is important that the policies are not overly prescriptive to allow for the creativity of skilled designers. Rather, the approach should be to specify the issues to be considered and then assess the response of the developer to those issues.5.2.2 Use of Design Briefs Planning authorities should consider including policies and objectives in their development plans or LAPs to either prepare design briefs for particularly important, sensitive or large-scale retail development sites or request applicants to submit design statements for major retail proposals, or retail proposals which are located in a sensitive area. The design brief should describe the site and its context, summarise relevant development plan or local area plan objectives and policies, identify any planning or development constraints, and give some indication as to the type, design, and layout of development which the authority would wish to see on the site. The design statement from the developer will then address the issues raised in the planning authorities design brief. (See Section 5.3 below)5.2.3 Specific Issues To inform and develop their proposed design polices and objectives, planning authorities may wish to consider preparing strategy documents which address specific issues that affect the appearance or functioning of a town or city and its retail areas. Each city or town will be different but the strategy should include devising a vision for the city/town and could include a public realm strategy, a signage/advertisement strategy, or a specific strategy relating to the implications of retail needs within an historic fabric context, e.g. dealing with matters such as access, servicing, floorplate size, difficulties in identifying suitable large sites in historic fine grain centres, and the re-use of historic buildings. This will give guidance to developers, public utilities and the public as to the particular vision for the area on that specific issue and ensure a coherent approach as development takes place.5.2.4 Public Realm A public realm strategy for example may be for all or part of an urban area, to give an holistic approach to the development of, for example, a new civic space, or in smaller towns and villages it may be to give an overall perspective on how that particular town or village would like to see its civic spaces develop, or it may be for an existing unwelcoming space, which requires some further thought. The strategy will include issues such as understanding the use and purpose of the public realm area, developing
- 46 5 a shared vision by users for this space, identifying the challenges, and then putting forward an implementation plan which may have both short and long-term actions. To ensure that the plan is implemented, monitored, and reviewed over time, an implementation group of interested parties should be set up. An example of a public realm strategy is the “Draft Dublin City public realm strategy: Your City Your Space. 2011-2017”. 5.2.5 Historic Centres As indicated in these guidelines, through using the sequential approach the focus for retail development will generally be the centre of cities and towns. In city/town centres, generally, development should be of a scale appropriate to the size of the centre in order to minimise the potential for adverse impact, and as such, retail development should recognise the special character of the area. Where a larger floor plate is essential to respond to the need of the particular retail sector, and this corresponds with the appropriate retail location within the city or town for such a use, a designed solution, using appropriate conservation principles and expertise will be required which will adapt the historic buildings, retaining the building in use and maintaining the essential character of the streetscape. 5.2.6 Urban Framework Approach Where, however, heritage issues are likely to be a major consideration in the development of a city or town, because of the wealth of protected structures, architectural conservation areas, and archaeology, planning authorities should consider how to enhance and harness these assets to bring economic wellbeing to the city/ town. In such circumstances planning authorities will need to make an in-depth examination and undertake a detailed examination of the city/town centre, through an urban framework approach, using either a statutory process such as an LAP or a nonstatutory planning framework. Within this planning context the planning authority can closely and precisely examine the particular issues that relate to the city/town. It may be one where the dominant issue is one of traffic congestion because of a narrow street pattern, or an issue around existing car parking and linkages from the car parks into the historic core; or it may be an issue relating to the appropriate location of different floor plate sizes reflecting the different needs of the different retail formats. Accordingly, in the situations above, the planning authority should take the opportunity to refine and reassess their Record of Protected Structures (RPS), ensuring that the buildings on the RPS are still existing, that the reasons for their protection including their intrinsic character and value are fully understood. Additionally where appropriate, the planning authority should also ensure that the boundaries for any Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) are reflective of the protection that is required to preserve the character of the place, area, group of structures or city/townscape. Planning authorities may find it helpful within this context to establish a hierarchy of areas in the city/town centre, indicating: those areas which are particularly sensitive with regard to architectural heritage1. and for which particular retail uses and unit sizes are suitable and where the focus may be on providing linkages between the different shopping areas (at 2 and 3 below);
- 47 5 those areas where, with appropriate conservation expertise, a variety of retail uses2. and sizes may be accommodated; and those areas where significant retail intervention is possible.3. Having established such a hierarchy, the planning authority should then decide the level of conservation protection appropriate to the different areas above, understanding the different requirements of the RPS and the ACA. Both of these designations have their own particular strengths, and the use of one or the other will depend on the particular local situation and its heritage value. Ultimately, the adaptation and re-use of historic buildings by way of appropriate interventions, stimulating the overall regeneration of an historic urban area, is preferable to allowing such buildings to fall into disuse while developments are relocated to edge-of-centre or out-of-town locations As previously indicated in Chapter 3, planning authorities should therefore be proactive in identifying opportunity sites, of different sizes and in the different locations of the core retail area, and providing the necessary linkages between the different types of retail areas of a city/town. It is important that these linkages are safe, pleasant, and attractive, particularly for the pedestrian and cyclist. Planning Authorities may also wish to consider as part of an overall approach to supporting their city and town centres, related issues of, for example, tailoring the contribution scheme to encourage retail development into the appropriate locations, having compatible traffic management and car parking measures to encourage city and town centre usage. Developers should be flexible in their approach to their floorspace/plate requirements and where possible adapt or develop formats which are suitable for a smaller floorplate through for example disaggregation, using one retail unit for a specific retail use, e.g. convenience goods, and another retail unit for comparison goods, or using multiple levels, or having a particular store format for areas where smaller floorplates are available and a larger format for areas where larger floorplates are available. Developers in sensitive or historically important locations should give some thought to the issues of signage and advertising, recognizing that a revised approach to their normal advertising, logos and symbols might be more appropriate and help enhance the design quality of their development. Further guidance and assistance including guidance on conservation principles can be found in Guidelines issued by the Department9 and in the accompanying Retail Design Manual. 5.3 Development Management and Quality Design While Chapter 4 (Retailing and Development Management) relates to the issues arising around retail development, its location, traffic implications, types of retailing, and early engagement with the planning authority, it is important that design is a critical issue in the consideration of any planning application for retail development. 9 Architectural Heritage Protection, Guidelines for Planning Authorities. Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, 2004, reissued by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, 2011
- 48 All designers of retail developments should be encouraged to carry out an appraisal of the distinctive character of the area adjoining the site and to consider how the design and layout of the proposed development responds to, and preferably enriches that character. If, however, the appraisal finds that the adjacent area is characterised by poor design, the design approach to the proposed development may have to be based on first principles. Where a design statement is being submitted with the application, it should include or summarise the character appraisal. 5.3.1 Use of Design Statements A design statement from the developer or design team would then be required which addresses the specific design brief, and indicates how the brief is fulfilled in design terms. A design statement is a short document which enables the applicant to explain why a particular design solution is considered the most suitable for a particular site, especially for larger or more complex forms of development. The statement will usually consist of both text and graphics, but is not intended to duplicate planning application documents. It may be of special value in explaining why the context requires an exceptional – rather than a conventional design approach. 5.3.2 Pre-application Consultations Where there are clearly defined design policies relating to retail use within a development plan or local area plan, this will provide the framework for discussion at the pre-application stage. Such consultation enables conflicts to be resolved at the outset which might otherwise delay – or even derail – a scheme at a later stage. Where a design brief is in place the applicant can be alerted to the need for the submission of a design statement with the application which addresses the specific design brief, and indicates how the brief is fulfilled in design terms. It would be useful for pre-application meetings relating to the development of sites where design issues are particularly important, e.g. within heritage towns or conservation areas, or which affect protected structures, to ensure that there is input from the Council’s architectural/conservation/design personnel, where available, to advise applicants in the interests of clarity and certainty on the key design parameters which will be applied in the evaluation of projects in such particularly sensitive areas and sites. 5.3.3 Assessment by Planning Authorities The Retail Design Manual will provide a robust framework to aid a systematic analysis of most retail developments and should ensure that all key issues are addressed at a formative stage in the design process. Where proposed development is acceptable in principle from a development plan viewpoint, every effort should be made to resolve any remaining design problems, whether by means of planning conditions (where third party rights would not be affected) or by inviting the applicant to submit modified plans where more significant changes are envisaged. Where the design is of such poor quality and contravenes the retail design objectives and policies of the development plan giving rise to a sub-standard retail environment, permission should be refused and the reasons for refusal should clearly indicate how 5
- 49 5 the layout and design would need to be reconsidered. 5.4 Retail Design Manual The Guidelines are accompanied by a Retail Design Manual which looks at the practical issues of relating design principles to retail development at a variety of scales and in various settings. It sets out design principles which should be used in formulating development plan policies and objectives, in discussing design quality at preapplication meetings, and in the assessment of planning applications and appeals. The principles range from assessing the site and location aspects of retail development to that of sustainable construction and environmental responsibility. Planning authorities and developers should promote and implement the achievement of these principles in the interests of delivering quality urban.
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- 52 Annex 1 Glossary of Terms This glossary covers forms of retail development and types of retail location. As retailing is dynamic, it should be noted that new forms of retailing may evolve which are inadequately described by current terminology, and should be assessed on their merits. A 1.1 Types of Retail Floorspace Total Shopping Centre Floorspace – internal space (measured from inside walls) of• a covered shopping centre including circulation space toilets, lifts and escalators gross retail area, gross non-retail area floorspace devoted to incidental activities such as foodcourt, administrative offices, walkways, car parking both integrated and surface. Gross Retail Floorspace – the total floorspace, as measured from inside the shop• walls, which includes sales space, plus storage space, offices, toilets, canteen, and circulation space. Net Retail Floorspace – the area within the shop or store which is visible to the• public and to which the public has access including fitting rooms, checkouts, the area in front of checkouts, serving counters and the area behind used by serving staff, areas occupied by retail concessionaires, customer service areas, and internal lobbies in which goods are displayed, but excluding storage areas, circulation space to which the public does not have access to, cafes, and customer toilets. A 1.2 Types of Retail Goods Although there is a trend for “scrambled merchandising” whereby some retail businesses sell both convenience goods and comparison goods, greater definitional clarity is obtained by adopting a goods-based retail classification. Retail goods categories can be divided into convenience goods and comparison goods as follows: Convenience Goods: - food;• - alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; - tobacco; - non-durable household goods;
- 53 Comparison Goods: - clothing and footwear;• - furniture, furnishings and household equipment (excluding non-durable household goods); - medical and pharmaceutical products, therapeutic appliances and equipment; - educational and recreation equipment and accessories; - books, newspapers and magazines; - goods for personal care; - goods not elsewhere classified; - bulky goods Goods generally sold from retail warehouseswhere DIY goods or goods such as flatpack furniture are of such size that they would normally be taken away by car and not be portable by customers travelling by foot, cycle or bus, or that large floorspace would be required to display them e.g. repair and maintenance materials;- furniture and furnishings;- carpets and other floor coverings;- household appliances;- tools and equipment for the house and garden;- bulky nursery furniture and equipment includingperambulators; bulky pet products such as kennels andaquariums; audio-visual, photographic and informationprocessing equipment; catalogue shops and other bulky durables forrecreation and leisure. The list is not exhaustive – bulky goods not mentioned in the list should be dealt with on their merits in the context of the definition of bulky goods A 1.3 Types of Retailing Supermarket Single level, self service store selling mainly food, with a net retail floorspace of less than 2,500 M2. Superstore Generally single level, self service stores selling mainly food, or food and some nonfood goods, with at least 2,500 M2 net retail floorspace but not greater than 5,000 M2 net retail floorspace and with integrated or shared parking.
- 54 Hypermarket Single or multi-level self service store selling both food and a range of comparison goods, with net retail floorspace area in excess of 5,000 M2 with integrated or shared parking. Shopping Centre Predominantly purpose-built centres comprising a mix of large and small units, typically anchored by a large convenience goods stores Retail Parks A single development of a least three retail warehouses with associated car parking. Retail Warehouse A large single-level store specialising in the sale of bulky household goods such as carpets, furniture and electrical goods, and bulky DIY items, catering mainly for carborne customers. Factory Shop A shop located as part of or adjacent to the production facility and specialising in the sale of manufacturers’ products direct to the public. Outlet Centres Groups of retail units in particular focusing on fashion and accessories which are generally associated with designer groups. They specialise in selling surplus stock and end-of-line goods at discounted prices. Forecourt Retailing Mini-supermarket linked to petrol filling stations. A 1.5 Types of Centre City and Town Centres Provide a broad range of facilities and services and fulfill a function as a focus for both the community and public transport. The term excludes district centres, retail parks, and local centres. District Centre Provides a range of retail and non-retail service functions (e.g. banks, post office, local offices, restaurants, public houses, community and cultural facilities) for the community at a level consistent with the function of that centre in the core strategy. They can be purpose built as in new or expanding suburbs or traditional district centres in large cities or town Local Centre or Neighbourhood Centre Comprise a small group of shops, typically comprising newsagent, small supermarket/ general grocery store, sub-post office and other small shops of a local nature serving a small, localised catchment population.
Source Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government: Retail Planning: Guidelines for Planning Authorities (April 2012) · Licence the publisher's termsText read from the publisher’s PDF; tables, maps and drawings do not survive as text, and page numbers are the PDF’s (its first page is 1). Check the original before relying on a passage.