Bedford Borough Local Plan 2040 Plan for Submission

5.0 Town centre and retail policies

Recent changes

(2) 5.1 The long-term trends affecting town centres identified in Local Plan 2030 have not changed. Centres are still challenged by the rise in internet shopping, the concentration of national chain retailers in larger retail centres outside of the borough and competition from out of centre shops. However, these pressures have been intensified by Covid-19 lockdowns and the reluctance of people to visit crowded areas as well as supply chain challenges. As a result, a number of businesses have had to close permanently and vacancy levels have risen.

(1) 5.2 In response to the above challenges, the government has provided support to town centres through a number of initiatives. The government's Town Deal Fund aims to drive the economic regeneration of towns across the country. Bedford has been awarded £22.6m to develop its proposals into Business Cases for delivery up to 2026. Bedford High Street has also been selected as a Heritage Action Zone to secure improvements to buildings and the public realm. The government has also introduced greater flexibility in the uses that can occupy shop units by creating a new use class for commercial, business and service uses, and permitting their change to residential use up to a certain size.

5.3 The Council has also produced a Bedford Town Centre Plan which sets out a series of actions to tackle challenges facing the town centre. The Plan covers the six themes of environment, regulation and property, promotion, strategy, connectivity and events. It sets out the Council's vision for the town centre as "Bedford – a place to live, work, shop, learn and explore".

(2) 5.4 As part of this local plan review the Council asked the public about the issues facing town centres and retailing in the borough. A wide range of comments were made and these can be grouped into the following areas:

• focussing on niche and independent small businesses
• enhancing physical and cultural features
• promoting events and activities, community space and leisure facilities
• increasing the number of town centre dwellings
• managing the night-time economy to reduce disturbance
• making the town safer
• increasing green spaces
• improving cleaning and maintenance
• promoting sustainable transport

5.5 These comments have informed the Council's work on regenerating and promoting town centres, and also the policy approach of the local plan. This section sets out an up-to-date planning policy approach that responds to the issues facing town centres.

Hierarchy of Town Centres

(1) 5.6 The Bedford Town Centre Study commissioned by the Council confirms that the town centre hierarchy set out in Local Plan 2030 remains appropriate. It confirms that Bedford town centre is the main focus for retailing in the borough. In order to maintain and enhance its role, it is important that the primary shopping area of Bedford town centre continues to be the preferred location for new retail development and other town centre uses.

5.7 Kempston (the Saxon Centre together with parades on Bedford Road and Bunyan Road) continues to perform the role of a district centre. In addition, the Council has identified a number of local centres which serve smaller catchment areas. Five local centres are designated within the Bedford urban area, whilst in the rural parts of the borough a number of Key Service Centres are designated which serve their surrounding rural areas. Remaining groupings of shops which are of purely neighbourhood significance are identified as neighbourhood centres. Wixams new settlement is identified as a potential Key Service Centre as, over the course of the plan period, the planned town centre will be constructed and, once completed, will serve the settlement and wider rural area.

(1) 5.8 Town centre boundaries are shown on the Policies Map. These are important for the operation of the government's 'town centres first' policy.

Amount of Development Required

5.9 The town centres' study has assessed the future need for new retail floor space in the borough over the plan period taking account of expected population growth, competition from other centres, internet shopping and unimplemented planning permissions. The study shows that there is insufficient quantitative demand to support the provision of additional convenience goods floor space in the immediate future, but that by 2030 demand could support up to 2,500 m2 of net additional floor space, increasing to 5,800 m2 net by 2040.

5.10 For comparison goods, quantitative demand to support the provision of additional floor space does not arise until after 2035 and only by 2040 could there be demand to support up to 12,400 m2 of net floor space. However, the town centres' study advises that the use of long-term projections should be treated with caution and reviewed regularly in order to test the accuracy of the forecasts against emerging datasets. Recent changes in shopping habits may mean that additional floor space is not needed.

5.11 The town centres' study also includes an assessment of the need over the plan period for new commercial leisure facilities (including leisure and entertainment facilities such as cinemas, restaurants, bars and pubs, nightclubs, casinos, health and fitness centres, indoor bowling centres, bingo halls, theatres and concert halls). The study concludes that for most commercial leisure categories there is already adequate provision. Although no new allocations are made in the plan, any future proposals for new commercial leisure facilities that come forward will be considered on their merits.

Location of Development

5.12 Government guidance in the NPPF requires a 'town centres first' approach to the location of new retail, office and leisure uses defined as 'main town centre uses' (known as the sequential test). It requires planning policies to promote the long-term vitality and viability of town centres, meeting anticipated needs for town centre uses in or on the edge of centres where sites are available or otherwise in other accessible locations that are well connected to the town centre. The town centres' study has considered potential development opportunities in and on the edge of Bedford town centre and no sites additional to those allocated in Local Plan 2030 have been identified.

5.13 If there is demand later in the plan period for retail and other town centre development, and there are no suitable vacant units available in and on the edge of town centres, then the Council accepts that that development will occur in accessible out of centre locations that are well-connected to the town centre in accordance with government guidance.

5.14 It is recognised that certain uses that are defined in the NPPF as 'main town centre uses' and therefore expected to locate as a preference in town centres, may have particular market and locational requirements which mean that exceptionally they may only be accommodated in specific locations. This may particularly be the case for bulky goods retailing and certain types of office and leisure development that require a parkland or main road setting. These types of development have specific needs that often cannot easily be accommodated in town centre locations. Furthermore, the business model of some commercial, business and service uses means that they prefer not to locate in a town centre. In such cases the Council will encourage them to locate in edge of centre locations and within easy walking distance of a town centre in accordance with the NPPF.

5.15 To ensure that out of centre development does not have an adverse impact on town centres, the NPPF states that proposals for new retail, leisure and office development should consider the impact on town centre vitality and viability, as well as on existing, committed and planned investment in centres in the catchment area of the proposal. The town centres' study has confirmed that for retail proposals the locally set thresholds in Local Plan 2030 remain appropriate given the vulnerabilities of the various centres.

5.16 Proposals for out of centre retailing will be expected to include details of the nature of the use proposed so as to demonstrate that the requirements of the sequential test are met. To ensure that a development does not change its character unacceptably in ways that would create a development that should have been refused on grounds of adverse impact on the vitality and viability of an existing centre, it may be appropriate to grant planning permission subject to conditions limiting the type of goods to be sold and preventing the development being subdivided.

Bedford Town Centre

(1) 5.17 The extent of Bedford town centre is shown on the Policies Map. This encloses the area predominantly occupied by main town centre uses, which 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, concert halls, hotels and conference facilities). The area is unchanged from that defined in Local Plan 2030.

5.18 A primary shopping area is also defined on the Policies Map, which encloses the area where retail activity is concentrated within the town centre. Retail uses are expected to locate as a preference within the primary shopping area. By defining a primary shopping area. the aim is to retain a core of activity, which is one of the main attractions and purposes of the town centre.

5.19 Within the town centre a range of uses appropriate to a town centre location will be encouraged. Allowing a wide range of uses will reduce vacancies and increase flexibility, giving niche retailers the freedom to locate where it best suits them. However, it is important to avoid a concentration of similar uses which might have a cumulative impact on such things as environmental quality, amenity or parking, or would increase the risk of anti-social behaviour and reduce the vitality, viability and diversity of the town centre.

(1) 5.20 Where an application for planning permission for residential use is required, the premises should primarily be located above ground floor level because of the importance of maintaining active frontages at street level, however outside of the primary shopping area, residential use at ground floor level may also be appropriate if it would not adversely impact the vitality and viability of the town centre as a whole.

Local shopping

(1) 5.21 Government guidance in the NPPF recognises the importance to communities of local shopping facilities which provide for people's day-to-day needs. Local plans should promote the retention and development of local shops in local centres and villages. Local shopping facilities reduce the need for residents to travel long distances and are particularly important for those with mobility difficulties, or who do not have access to a car. They promote sustainable living by encouraging travel on foot and by cycle. Local shops are also valuable for 'top-up' shopping trips for mobile, car-owning households. Policy TC1(S) (Hierarchy of town centres) identifies district, local and neighbourhood centres as being important for local shopping.

5.22 The town centres' study supports the identification of Kempston (Saxon Centre together with parades on Bedford Road and Bunyan Road) as a district centre. As a town centre, Kempston is a preferred location for new retail development. The town centre boundary is shown on the Policies Map and is unchanged from that defined in Local Plan 2030. A primary shopping area has not been defined for Kempston district centre as its size does not justify this.

(1) 5.23 Residential use should primarily be above ground floor level because of the importance of maintaining active frontages at street level, however in fringe areas of the district centre, residential use at ground floor level may also be appropriate, if it would not adversely impact the vitality and viability of the centre as a whole.

5.24 After Bedford town centre and Kempston district centre, Policy TC1(S) (Hierarchy of town centres) identifies the largest centres within the urban area as local centres. These have a good range of shops that are locally important, together with non-retail services and local public facilities. As town centres, they are the preferred locations for new retail development. The boundaries of the centres are shown on the Policies Map. These are unchanged from those defined in Local Plan 2030. Primary shopping areas have not been defined for local centres as their restricted geographical extent does not warrant this. The aim of Policy TC7 is to protect the diversity of uses and ensure that the vitality and viability of local centres is not adversely affected by changes of use.

5.25 In rural areas, Key Service Centres also perform the role of local centres and are important in serving their surrounding rural areas. Town centre and primary shopping area boundaries have not been defined for such centres because the town centre uses within them are often dispersed. They are instead protected by Policy TC7 which applies to all shops associated with the centre.

5.26 Neighbourhood centres, which can be either in rural or urban areas, are smaller centres which have a small catchment serving local needs and are of purely neighbourhood significance. They are not considered to be town centres in policy terms and are not defined on the Policies Map, nevertheless the essential shops within them can be important for those who do not have access to a car or for 'top-up' shopping trips. Smaller groupings of shops which are not large enough to form a centre, together with individual shops may also be important locally where they provide for essential needs.

5.27 In 2020 the government established new Use Class F2 which includes small shops of under 280 m² floor space mostly selling essential goods, including food, where there is no other such facility within 1,000 m distance. The creation of a separate class for such uses means that planning permission is needed before they can be used for other purposes. Public houses can also be important for local communities, particularly in rural areas. The aim of Policy TC8 therefore is to maintain essential local shops and public houses which are important for the local community and where there are no others nearby.

Impact of town centre uses

5.28 In order to avoid any over-concentration of un-neighbourly facilities, for example restaurants and hot food takeaways, and to maintain residential amenity close to residential areas, it may be necessary to restrict the opening times of town centre uses. In addition, it will be important that restaurants and hot food takeaways provide appropriate refuse facilities.