View Policy SSV2 Midsomer Norton Town Centre: South Road Car Park on a map
4.42 South Road Car Park (SRCP), at the southern end of Midsomer Norton High Street, is allocated in the Placemaking Plan, through Policy SSV2, for mixed use retail-led redevelopment (intended to be for a food store). It was acknowledged in the Placemaking Plan that the site plays an important role as one of the main town centre car parks and through more intensive use including a food store, that sufficient public parking to serve both the store and the wider town centre would need to continue to be provided (both on-site and off-site elsewhere in the town centre, should opportunities be identified).
4.43 The proposed provision of a further food store in the town centre was in part to meet projected expenditure growth but was principally being facilitated to address qualitative issues and to help underpin and support improvements to the town centre offer. Midsomer Norton is a linear town centre, elements of which were, and continue to be, less attractive to customers. The strategy set out in the Placemaking Plan is to focus improvements and investment (public realm improvements, as well as shops and other town centre uses) on the south-western end of the High Street as the town centre core.
4.44 Despite some interest in the site from operators, it has not come forward for retail/food store re-development.
4.45 The requirements relating to retaining public car parking in the allocation were informed by parking surveys. These surveys undertaken in 2015/16 showed that SRCP was well used most of the day and that there was limited spare capacity. Those surveys did not consider duration of stay or car park use. Anecdotal evidence at that time suggested use of SRCP for long stay parking including by commuters. Therefore, updated parking surveys were undertaken in 2019 which also assessed duration of stay. This survey continues to show that SRCP is well used and there is limited or no spare capacity. It also shows that the car park is primarily used for short-stay town centre trips and there is no evidence of long stay commuter use. Initial analysis also suggests there is not spare car parking capacity elsewhere in the town centre. Within the current strategy and the modes of transport used to visit the town centre this demonstrates a current need to retain SRCP for car parking in order to help maintain its attractiveness as a shopping destination.
4.46 Moving forward there are two options presented for consultation. The first would be to retain the existing allocation for retail led mixed-use development with significant public car parking (albeit this has proven difficult to deliver). The second option would be to retain the site primarily for public car parking and not retail development, but with some potential for other compatible or secondary uses. Under this option there may be scope to explore the possibility of also utilising parts of the car park for other beneficial uses including solar energy generation e.g. through solar cell canopies over the car parking spaces. There may also be the scope to consider an element of the site being used for residential development, whist retaining the majority for public car parking. Further feasibility work needs to be undertaken on this approach.
4.47 Like many town centres, Midsomer Norton has suffered due to the restrictions resulting from Covid-19. There remains considerable uncertainty surrounding the recovery and therefore the future nature of the town centre. However, if it remains the case that an additional food store can and should be the catalyst for town centre improvement, available or potentially available opportunities will need to be assessed on a sequential basis, starting with sites within the town centre and then sites close to, and well linked to, the town centre.
4.48 In preparing the pre-submission Draft Plan assessment of consumer and retailer trends will be undertaken to consider whether an additional medium-sized food store should be provided and potential sites will also be considered. Following assessment of sites in the town centre, edge of town centre opportunities to be considered would include the Former Welton Bibby Baron site just to the north of the High Street, which is currently allocated in the Placemaking Plan and has outline planning permission for mixed use development comprising housing, employment uses and ‘small scale local’ retail.
Consultation Reference SV2
Amendment to Policy SSV2
Option 1: Retain South Road Car Park site allocation for retail, mixed use development, whilst also providing significant public car parking serving the new store and the town centre.
Option 2: No longer allocate South Road Car Park site for retail development, but retain it primarily as a public car park, providing additional benefits potentially including solar energy generation or a minor element of residential development.