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How this part of the Local Plan Options Document works
These Development Management policy option pages contain the following sections:
Policy background
- Relevant national policy or regulations
- National or regional trends
- Local situation and needs/li>
- How we have dealt with this issue in the past
- The thinking behind the policy
Policy options for the new Local Plan
We may suggest a variety of approaches:
- Keeping existing policy as it is
- Making small changes
- Replacing the policy with something that is substantially different
- Identifying factors or events which may affect this policy in the future
Policy option analysis
- A list of the advantages and disadvantages that we have identified for each of the policy options we are presenting.
View the Topic Paper on Healthy and Vibrant Communities for in-depth focus about this topic, and the evidence which informs our policy. Visit our library of Local Plan Options supporting documents to learn more.
Explore the policy
Select a section below to read more.
9.271 The NPPF states that planning policies should define a network and hierarchy of town centres and promote their long-term vitality and viability; define the extent of town centres and primary shopping areas and set policies which make clear which uses will be permitted in such locations.
9.272 The retail and leisure sector is undergoing a period of unprecedented change particularly affected by the continued rise of online shopping and home delivery. Town centres are having to evolve to become more than simply a place to shop, presenting themselves as multi-purpose destinations and increasingly places for leisure.
9.273 A key aspect of sustainable communities is good access to shops and other local services which help meet the day-to-day needs of local communities. It is therefore important that both new and existing communities have easy access to facilities, to reduce the need to travel and to maintain vibrant and viable centres. Local shopping is also important as it provides options for active travel.
9.274 Within Bath and North East Somerset there are a number of centres that serve different roles. Bath city centre acts as a sub-regional shopping and employment centre and is a major visitor destination; Keynsham, Midsomer Norton and Radstock town centres serve the residents of the respective towns and the surrounding catchment areas, Moorland Road District Centre acts as a key centre for the south west of Bath, and the local centres primarily serve local needs within the urban and rural parts of the District. The City Centre and Town Centres have Primary Shopping Areas designated which are the focus for new retail development.
9.275 The purpose of designating centres and defining their boundaries is to ensure their successful future functioning as the economic and social focal points of communities, maintaining and improving their vitality and viability and enabling a compatible mix of uses within them.
9.276 The NPPF no longer requires Primary Shopping Frontages to be identified in centres. As the new Class E use class covering ‘Commercial, Business and Service’ uses does not distinguish between shops, restaurants and other business and service uses, the practical application of focusing shops (former A1 use class) within a primary shopping frontage designation is no longer appropriate.
9.277 However, Primary Shopping Areas, where there is a contiguous concentration of main town centre uses, are still required to be the focus for retail development, and the Primary Shopping Area boundary forms the boundary for applying the sequential test (town centre first) policy for retail proposals.
9.278 The Primary Shopping Area will be the main focus, particularly at ground level, for active uses that attract pedestrians to the centre for example shops and restaurants (Refer policy option relating to Development within Bath and North East Somerset’s Town, District and Local Centres below). The area outside the Primary Shopping Area but within Bath City Centre and the Town Centres are proposed for a wider diversity of main town centre uses including for example offices, hotels, leisure uses. Having regard to this, there are locations where it is considered that the Primary Shopping Area in Bath should be extended to maintain and provide active frontages, in particular within Bath City Centre along Walcot Street which has a specialist retail role, supplementing the city centre retail offer; and along James Street West, Bath which was identified as a location to extend the retail, food and drink offer within the City Centre, and contribute to the vitality and viability of the City Centre.
9.279 It is acknowledged there are significant differences between local centres, particularly in terms of their function, layout and scale. This reflects the fact that centres have developed and evolved over time, as has the way in which communities use these centres. It is recognised that there is a degree of separation and fragmentation of uses within some local centres due to residential units being located between main town centre uses, however, overall the main activity within the centres is grouped together and concentrations of main town centre uses collectively represent a visible and functional centre. Having regard to the future growth areas there will be potential for new local centres. A Retail Assessment that considers the quantitative and qualitative needs of the district and growth areas will inform the draft Local Plan.
9.280 The approach is to retain the retail hierarchy policy as set out in the Core Strategy policy CP12, however, adapted to ensure that the ‘Development in Centres’ policy makes clear which uses will be permitted in such locations.
9.281 Bath City Centre should remain the principal sub-regional centre and the three existing town centres – Keynsham, Midsomer Norton and Radstock - should continue to be designated as town centres in the Local Plan.
9.282 The Primary Shopping Area within Bath City Centre should be extended to include Walcot Street (that part currently outside the Primary Shopping Area and the Local Centre designations), which has a specialist retail function and active ground floor uses contributing to the character, vitality and viability of the core Primary Shopping Area. In addition, it is proposed that the Bath City Centre Primary Shopping Area is extended to incorporate James Street West, enabling an extension of the core retail area of Bath and maintaining and requiring active uses at ground floor to contribute to the vitality and viability of the centre.
9.283 Other locations outside Primary Shopping Areas but within Bath City Centre and Keynsham, Midsomer Norton, and Radstock Town Centres where active ground floor uses should be maintained / provided within the centres may be identified for the Draft Local Plan.
9.284 As a result of the changes to the use class order (in particular Class E use) and having regard to some changes of use and other developments since the Placemaking Plan was adopted, there are changes required to some of the local centre boundaries. Some units are proposed to be added to the centre designation as they are considered to make a contribution to the successful functioning of the centre, and in other instances some units are proposed to be removed from the designated centre due to a change of use to a non-town centre or Class E use.
9.285 The emerging policy for the retail and town centre hierarchy is as follows:
Option A
Adapt Policy CP12 Centres and Retailing to focus on the retail hierarchy.
Update the Bath City Centre Primary Shopping Area to include Walcot Street, and James Street West, Bath.
Revise district and local centre boundaries listed below. Refer to Appendix 3 for detailed changes.
Proposed Changes to designations within the following Centres:
- Batheaston Local Centre
- Camden Road and Fairfield Road Local Centre
- The Avenue, Combe Down Local Centre
- Larkhall Local Centre
- Chelsea Road Local Centre
- Nelson Place East & Cleveland Place Local Centre
- Odd Down (Frome Road Local Centre and Upper Bloomfield Road Local Centre)
- Walcot Street Local Centre
- Weston High Street Local Centre
- Widcombe Local Centre
- oranges
- Keynsham - Queen’s Road Local Centre
- Saltford Local Centre
- Paulton Local Centre
- Peasedown St John Local Centre
- Batheaston Local Centre
- Chew Magna Local Centre
- Whitchurch Local Centre
Minor changes:
- Moorland Road, Bath District Centre
- Margaret’s Buildings Local Centre
- Twerton High Street Local Centre
Retain with no changes the following local centres:
- Julian Road
- St James Square
- Lansdown Road
- London Road
- Bathwick Street
- Bathwick Hill
- Bear Flat
- Bradford Road
- Mount Road
- Lower Bristol Road (currently designated on the Policies Map but not within policy text)
- Keynsham – Chandag Road
- Westfield
- Timsbury
- Bathampton
Advantages of Option A
- Extending the Primary Shopping Area will ensure that active ground floor uses are maintained or provided thereby contributing to ensuring the vitality and viability of Bath city centre.
- The boundaries will be in line with changes and revisions to the Use Class Order, for example health clinics are now a Class E use.
- To take into account Class E uses and main town centre uses not currently identified within the centres, and units which are no longer appropriate for designation, for example where there has been a redevelopment to residential use.
- The NPPF is clear that a town centre, including local centres, should be an area that is predominantly occupied by main town centre uses.
Disadvantages of Option A
- None identified.