New Local Plan - Issues & Options (Regulation 18)

Town Centres, Retailing, Leisure and Tourism Policies

27. Town Centres, Retailing and Leisure

27.1 National planning policy seeks to promote the vitality of town centres and requires planning policies and decisions to support the role that town centres play at the heart of local communities. It advocates taking a positive approach to their growth, management and adaptation which includes promoting their long-term vitality and viability by allowing them to grow and diversify in a way that responds to changes in the retail and leisure sectors. As well as allocating a range of suitable sites in town centres to meet the scale and type of development likely to be needed (over at least a 10 year period), it emphasises that residential development on appropriate sites can play an important role in supporting the health of town centres.

27.2 Local plans should also define a network and hierarchy of town and retail centres. The current town centre/retail hierarchy is set out in the table below. Centres beyond the administrative boundary are also shown as they potentially have a functional relationship with the District and a role to play in meeting the needs of residents. 

Table 20 Current town centre/retail hierarchy

27.3 Whilst the District's town and village centres have been evolving over several years, the Covid-19 epidemic greatly accelerated these transformational changes. With an increased number of transactions online, 'High Streets' are no longer just retail centres but are evolving into destinations where people expect to experience a range of activities, be it going to a park, having a coffee, visiting the gym, enjoying a meal out or visiting a museum. Whilst some of this change is happening organically, it is important that new Local Plan policies support change whilst still ensuring that places remain attractive, support the needs of local communities, encourage increased visitor numbers and promote an appropriate balance between retail and non-retail uses.

27.4 The current town centre boundaries for Market Harborough and Lutterworth will be reviewed, as will Market Harborough's defined primary shopping area. The policy approach to uses within these boundaries will also be reviewed as part of a positive strategy for the future of each centre.

27.5 Town centre masterplans have been prepared for both Market Harborough (2022) and Lutterworth (2021) with a remit of ensuring the future viability and vitality of the town centres and securing their role as local destination for retail, leisure and hosting of community networks and events. These masterplans will form part of the evidence base for the new Local Plan and its policies relating to the two town centres.

27.6 An up-to-date town centre, retail and leisure study will also be prepared to inform new Local Plan policy. While the scope of the study will encompass the changing role of town centres, it will identify the amount of new retail and leisure floorspace needed over the plan period. This evidence will need to consider the scale and location of additional retail provision needed to support proposed growth across the District. For example, there may be a need for new retail floorspace to be delivered alongside strategic development.

27.7 Key issues which the Local Plan can help address are:

• Positively supporting change within the District's town and local centres, making them attractive places to visit and protecting their character.
• Providing policy flexibility to support the challenges and opportunities faced by each retail centre.
• Allocating land to meet identified needs for retail and mixed-use development.
• Ensuring that strategic development delivers local services and retail facilities to meet day to day needs thus minimising the need to travel.

Town Centres, Retailing and Leisure