8. Shopping

The Shopping Policies will seek to contribute substantially to all three of the guiding objectives of the UDP. Shopping policies contribute to Economic Regeneration by promoting retail development and redevelopment within existing centres in order to maintain employment, commercial strength and vitality. Environmental Improvement will be sought through the promotion of retail development within existing centres, especially on areas of waste or underused land and within the Regeneration Priority Areas. Too often in the past the Small Town and District Centres have suffered from neglect and a poor standard of development. By directing retail investment into existing centres and hence securing their vitality, particularly within the coalfield towns and the inner urban area, where deprivation is greatest, a Reduction in Social Inequalities can also be achieved and the interests of disadvantaged groups as a whole are best protected.

There have been significant changes in the provision of new shopping facilities during the 1980's in response to - amongst other things - rising car ownership, changing product ranges, new technology and higher expectation in terms of shopping environments. In the Doncaster Borough since 1980, 2 out of centre retail warehouse parks have been established and 6 new food superstores and over 10 medium sized supermarkets opened in or adjacent to small town centres. These developments demonstrate a clear trend experienced elsewhere in the country of a shift of new shopping facility investment from town centres to out of town centre locations and urban fringe locations. The PPG6 (Revised) published in 1996 has observed this trend and seeks to ease the trend away from out of centres locations back towards contributing to the vitality and viability of existing town and district centres, in response to the Governments commitment to ensuring that growth and development is sustainable. There have been relativly rapid changes in the provision of shopping facilities in recent years and changes will continue to occur within the life of the U.D.P. The policies and proposals of the U.D.P. seek to ensure that new proposals for shopping facilities take into account the needs of both the retailer, the consumer and the community.

Shopping policies and proposals specific to Doncaster Town Centre are included in Chapter 15.

Many of Doncaster's small towns, particularly the colliery and former colliery towns, and the larger suburban Districts possess their own substantial centre, underpinned by shopping, and these play an important role in community life. They provide convenient access to a wide range of shops and other service and community facilities. Several have their own small retail market.

There are many reasons why these centres should not only be retained but supported and strengthened. Those within the community who are more likely to be relatively disadvantaged, such as those without access to a car; those with caring responsibilities such as young children or elderly relatives; the elderly; those with mobility problems; and many more, benefit from the presence of centres close to and easily accessible from home, providing a range of shops and services. The ready accessibility of centres to the pedestrian and the public transport user and the range of functions they provide in one place makes centres an environmentally friendly form of development, minimising vehicular, and particularly car-borne travel. The shopping centre is the heart of any town, providing much of its character, and if it loses its vitality, the viability of the centre declines and the effects are felt throughout the community, investment ceases causing a spiral of decay and neglect from which recovery can be difficult and protracted. In rural areas village shops play a vital role and the loss of the traditional village shop can have a particularly severe impact on the community it serves.

The purpose of Policy SSH1 is to ensure that Small Town and District Centres retain and increase their vitality and viability becoming more attractive to shoppers. Detailed measures to achieve this are set out in Policies SH 1, 4, 5, 12, 13 and 15, and in other relevant chapters of the Plan. Planning permission has been granted for a new District Centre consisting of a food superstore (5575 square metres gross), non food retail (2790 square metres gross) four shop units (140 square metres gross each) a fast food restaurant, petrol filling station with car parking within the Woodfield Plantation Mixed Use Regeneration Project (Proposal RP 3, Chapter 16). All these Small Town and District Centres are identified on the Proposals Map.

Shops are the key element of Small Town and District Centres and give them much of their vitality and viability. Nevertheless there are many other uses which are acceptable within these areas, which complement the shopping provision and contribute to the variety and liveliness of these centres. Policy SH1 defines the uses which the Borough Council consider to be appropriate to Small Town and District Centres. Uses such as banks, building society offices, betting shops, cafes and restaurants, residential uses on upper floors, hotels, libraries, churches and bingo halls, are often present in these centres and are perfectly acceptable and contribute significantly to the diversity and vitality of centres.

However, to ensure that shopping remains the predominant use and underpins the viability of centres, particularly in key areas of some of the larger centres, controls on non-retail uses are proposed, as set out in Policies SH4-5.

Policy SSH 2 relates to all those small centres (neighbourhood centres), shopping parades and identifiable groups of shops that are present in residential areas. Because of their small scale, these existing centres and parades are not individually identified on the Proposals Map but are located within the Residential Policy Areas. However, they do play an important role in the life of the local communities within which they are situated and the Borough Council wishes to secure their retention and their vitality as far as possible. Wherever opportunities arise, the Borough Council will undertake, promote and support suitable improvements, such as refurbishment, environmental improvement and provision of better car and cycle parking, public transport facilities and other servicing facilities.

Where opportunities arise, for example in association with new residential development, new neighbourhood shopping centres can be provided.

Saved UDP policy which is not replaced by the Core Strategy or Joint Waste Plan.

This proposal seeks to provide new shopping facilities in an area presently deficient in accessible local shopping provision. It is intended that the centre will comprise small scale convenience food shopping, car parking, community facilities and an equipped childrens' play area.

The Shopping development will form part of a mixed use redevelopment of the former school site comprising also residential development. It is possible that the community and play area facilities will be provided off-site on the open space/former tennis courts sites opposite with commuted sum contributions from the development.

Because of their small size, coupled with the small scale of the Proposals Maps, it is not possible to identify Neighbourhood Shopping Centres and Shopping Parades on the Proposals Maps. Nevertheless, it is considered important to maintain some control over the uses within them. Policy SH3 seeks to allow a degree of flexibility in the uses which may be permitted within neighbourhood shopping centres and shopping parades, whilst at the same time securing adequate protection for the key shopping element. This is dealt with further in Policy SH4. In this way it is hoped to secure the continued vitality of these important local facilities. The proposed range of uses and scale of shopping reflects the Borough Council's view as to what is appropriate to serve purely local neighbourhood needs, taking into account the sensitive residential location of most of these small centres and parades.

For the purpose of this and other policies as appropriate, a Neighbourhood Shopping Centre or Shopping Parade is defined as containing four or more shops which serve the everyday needs of a neighbourhood.

Shopping and associated service and community uses which provide for visiting members of the public are normally appropriate in shopping centres. Service uses include banks, building societies, betting offices and catering outlets. They help to provide the visitor with a wide range of shops and services in one centre and in that sense provide a "one stop" service.

However, the primary function of these centres remains the provision of convenience shopping facilities for the area which they serve. In order to protect this function, which in turn provides much of the vitality of these centres, it is necessary to avoid excessive interruption of ground floor shopping frontages by non-retail uses.

Saved UDP policy which is not replaced by the Core Strategy or Joint Waste Plan.

In certain larger centres it is considered necessary to identify a primary frontage where no further change of use to non-retail will be permitted at ground floor level. These centres are where there is a steady demand for shop units both from retail and non-retail users and where the introduction of service units within the principal retail areas could damage the viability of the centre.

Primary frontage policy aims to consolidate and strengthen the attractiveness, vitality, continuity and convenience of centres to the shopping public. At the same time it allows a more flexible approach to the establishment of non-retail uses in other parts of the centre.

Where a non - retail use is considered, the development must demonstrate that: (a) The resultant non retail use would not be likely to undermine the retail function of the shopping frontage it is located in, AND (b) The proposal would not create a concentration of non retail uses which would detract from the vitality or viability of the shopping frontage, AND (c) The proposal would create a form of development with an interesting and attractive shop frontage, to the satisfaction of the local planning authority.

Town centres have historically developed around trading activities taking advantage of the congregation of people and the opportunities to attract visitors. Despite the many changes through the centuries in trading patterns, markets continue to exist and thrive offering a retail service and a lively, attractive, bustling activity contributing directly to the vitality and viability of town centres. As hubs of intense activity, markets can cause a distinct disturbance to surrounding areas and outside of commercial policy areas can be detrimental to amenity. For historical, accessibility, amenity and trading reasons markets are properly to be located in commercial policy areas of town and district centres.

Unlike other retail facilities, markets have distinct servicing requirements particularly at the setting up and the clearing away of the market. During the opening hours of the market it will attract significant numbers of people. It is therefore necessary for both users, operators and stall holders of markets to have safe and proper access and servicing arrangements. It is essential that the design and the layout of market facilities contribute towards the streetscape. Markets by their nature of lightweight temporary constructions can detract from the design quality of an area. Therefore where market proposals are considered they must be sympathetic to the character of the area, this is particularly so in conservation areas, near to listed buildings and historic centres.

For the purpose of this policy, small shops are defined as having a floorspace of not more than 1200 square metres gross floor area.

Small shops form the principal component of shopping centres and parades outside Doncaster Town Centre. They give them much of their distinctive character and attractiveness. The Borough Council will continue to guide retail investment into these existing centres, in order to maintain their commercial strength and vitality. However, small shops can provide an essential service outside of established shopping areas. They provide for the less mobile and reduce the need to make specific shopping trips by car. Problems of disturbance and traffic are intensified where shops provide for more than local need. Therefore small shop proposals will be encouraged and considered favourably where they serve only a local need and are appropriately located. Appropriate locations will depend, amongst other things, on the impact on residential amenity and the need to satisfy traffic and access requirements. Also these will usually be in areas of substantial population and housing growth or where there are no shops within a reasonable walking distance.

Rural communities in particular depend on village shops as they provide an essential service and a focus for the communities they are located in. It is important that such existing shops are encouraged and protected. Proposals for farm shops will be considered against this policy and policy ENV12. Proposals for retail outlets within Employment Policy Areas are dealt with in more detail in Policy EMP13.

Major shop development, including large foodstores and retail warehouses can bring many benefits to consumers in terms of increased choice, more competitive prices and greater convenience. However, the introduction of these relatively new types of retail outlet, which have different locational requirements from traditional shops, inevitably has an effect on established retail patterns. Whilst it is not the function of planning to prevent competition between retailers, it is important that an increase in choice for one section of the population should not be at the expense of a reduction in choice for others. It is therefore important to ensure that the benefits of these relatively new forms of retailing are enjoyed by all sectors of the population, and not, for example, limited to those with access to a car.

It is also important to ensure that the vitality and viability of established centres is not undermined. Established centres, especially town centres offer far more than just shopping floor space although shopping is the key element and acts as an attractor around which other services and activities e.g. banks, leisure facilities, congregate. Each use brings with it its own particular features e.g. large building of architectural merit, colourful, bright and imaginative signage, quaint spaces of human scale, vibrant and bustling streets, quiet contemplative corners, artistic items of interest and curiosity. Such uses interact in a complex way where the sum of the constituent parts is much greater than its parts and provides town and other centres with a sense of place and distinction. This sense of place hinges on the success of the retailing activity. Out of centre retail developments offer a range of benefits and opportunities that some consumers want. However their scale, type and location should not be such as to undermine the vitality and viability of town centres that serve the community well.

Where possible, the Borough Council will encourage the location of major shopping development on suitable sites within or adjoining existing shopping centres. This may be done by, for example, assisting with land assembly, producing planning guidance for key town centre sites, adopting a positive approach towards car parking provision for town centre sites and by resisting developments on inappropriate sites. This will ensure that such development is widely accessible and may provide "spin-off" benefits to the centre as a whole by attracting additional shoppers. However, it will not usually be possible to satisfy the demand for major shop development solely within or adjacent to existing centres and appropriate off-centre provision has been identified within the UDP for both food and non-food retail development.

Spending projections and assessments of likely future floorspace needs have been carried out for the UDP and are summarised in Appendix 8.1. With respect to retail warehousing (bulk durable goods) it is estimated that up to 23,180 square metres of additional gross retail warehouse floorspace may be needed between the base date for the projections, 1994, and the end of the Plan Period, 2001.

Turning to major food retailing, the assessed floorspace requirement is 3,500 square metres gross 1994-2001, in addition to the existing commitments at Woodfield, Balby and York Road.

These floorspace projections have been used as a broad guide and as background to the preparation of the detailed policies and proposals for major shop development which follow.

Replaced by Core Strategy Policy CS7 - Retail & Town Centres. To view this policy please click here.

In line with Strategic Policy SSH 3, Policy SH8 sets out in more detail the locations where major shop development is considered appropriate and the circumstances under which proposals for major shop development outside the preferred locations may be considered favourably. With respect to the latter, the policy particularly seeks to ensure that no development is allowed which would be likely to prejudice the viability or vitality of Small Town and District Centres or prevent successful implementation of the Plan's major shopping proposals. Research is being undertaken on behalf of the Department of the Environment into factors that contribute to vitality and viability. When published the advice will provide guidance on how the impact of retail proposals on vitality and viability of existing centres can be assessed which will be utilised where appropriate.

Car Pollution emmissions are becoming of increasing concern and are identified in Government advice as criteria which new retail developments should take into account. However identifying what is unacceptable is likely to be redefined in the life of the U.D.P. and therefore proposals will be judged against the latest available appropriate advice. Requirements also seek to ensure that the location of proposals are accessible to non car owners reliant on public transport, cycling or walking.

For the purpose of this policy, major shop development is defined as having in excess of 1,200 square metres gross floor area.

More specific guidance on particular categories of major shop development follows. SH16 identifies requirements for new retail proposals.

Policy SH 9 acknowledges those existing areas of retail warehousing - York Road and Wheatley Hall Road - which comprise specialised shopping centres in their own right and within which planning permission will normally be granted for retail warehouse development/redevelopment. Food diner types of development are acceptable on retail warehouse policy areas where they serve users of the site and are ancillary to the main use. Their appearance and operations should reflect that of the retail warehouse park.

Policy SH9 also includes the retail warehouse park at Shaw Lane, Whealtley granted planning permission by the Secretary Of State for the Environment. Policy SH9 proposes a site for retail warehousing at York Road/Centurion Way, Bentley which is a "gateway" into Doncaster and development on the site should reflect this in its quality of design and landscaping. Since 1988 it has been the intention of the Borough Council to evenly distribute retail warehouse facilities across the Borough by establishing a retail warehouse park in the south west portion of the Doncaster Borough. In response to this a 9,400sq.metre (100,00sq.ft) retail warehouse park is proposed at Balby Carr within the Balby MURP (RP3) linked to the provision of the Woodfield Link Road which is necessary to provide adequate access to the new housing areas at Woodfield and other area of Balby.

Saved UDP policy which is not replaced by the Core Strategy or Joint Waste Plan.

The types of goods sold and sales area determine how new shops affect existing shopping centres. It is important to ensure that retail warehouse developments do not adversely impact upon existing shopping centres. By restricting sales to household and bulky goods and controlling the minimum size of retail unit, it should be possible to ensure that retail warehouse developments complement rather than conflict with the existing pattern of shopping. Increasingly, across the country, there is pressure to allow a wider range of goods including fashion, electrical, toys, etc to be sold from retail warehouses. This tendency could serve to undermine the viability of existing town centres. Conditions and/or Planning Agreements will be used as appropriate to control the ranges of goods to be sold and prevent subdivision of individual units. Retail warehouses are usually large dominant features and it is important that the impact of such proposals on traffic, visual amenity, environment of the surrounding area are properly taken into account. Food diner types of development are acceptable on retail warehouse policy areas where they serve users of the site and are ancillary to the main use. Their appearance and operation should reflect that of the retail warehouse park.

On the basis of the assessment of floorspace needs undertaken for the UDP and set out in Appendix 8.1, there is scope for one additional major food based superstore within the Plan Period. Taking into account: (i) the distribution of existing superstore facilities and, (ii) the location of future large-scale residential development as proposed in the UDP, it is considered that the proposed new superstore should be located within the south-western sector of the Doncaster urban area.

In accordance with this principle, it is proposed that a food superstore be provided as the focal element of a new District Centre to be created as part of the Woodfield Plantation Major Regeneration Project (see Proposal RP 3, Chapter 16)

The above proposal acknowledges the planning permission granted on Appeal in August 1993 for a food supermarket not exceeding 7250 sq. metres on 6.9 ha of land shown on the proposals map within the Bentley SMURP. The proposal provides the northern area of Doncaster Borough with a wider range of food shopping facilities. The development was completed prior to the adoption of the UDP.

A food superstore (5525 sq. metres gross) has also been granted planning permission at Woodfield Plantation, Balby. This proposal is part of the Woodfield Plantation Mixed Use Regeneration Project (Proposal RP3, Chapter 16). Apart from providing food shopping for 1,350 new dwellings at Woodfield Plantation it also provides improved shopping facilities in the south west sector of Doncaster Borough.

Replaced by Core Strategy Policy CS7 - Retail & Town Centres. To view this policy please click here.

The dispersed nature of much of Doncaster's settlement pattern, coupled with relatively low car ownership levels (i.e. compared to national levels) makes it important that adequate good-quality food shopping provision is available to serve local areas. This view is supported by the results of the Public Attitude Survey which indicated a preference for new food shopping provision to be in the form of smaller shops and supermarkets located close to the home

In order to secure the provision of good quality food shopping within local areas and to help strengthen the network of existing Small Town and District Centres, the Borough Council will welcome approaches from landowners, developers and retailers for supermarkets of up to 2,500 square metres gross with associated car parking in such centres, particularly those older centres where the convenience shopping needs strengthening and modernising. The boundaries of the Commercial Policy Areas of Small Town and District Centres have, where appropriate, been defined so as to provide opportunities for new supermarket development. Specific proposals are included in Policy SH13. Some small towns and district centres would find their vitality and viability threatened by supermarkets of 2500 square metres gross, therefore the scale of the proposal will be taken into account and ensure that the vitality and viability of the small town or district centre is not threatened.

This was not saved in 2007.

The sites referred to in Policy SH 13 have been specifically identified as suitable for new supermarket development. All of these sites have outstanding planning permission for supermarket development and all but the Denaby site are located in or adjacent to Small Town or District Centres. The latter is situated in an area not adequately served by existing facilities.

There has been a proliferation of planning applications in recent years for the conversion of shops to catering outlets and shops for the sale of hot food for consumption off the premises in particular. While there is clearly a public demand for hot food take-away shops they can be the source of complaint from local residents regarding opening hours, general disturbance, noise, litter, smell and traffic safety. For amenity reasons they should always be located within predominantly commercial rather than residential areas.

It is therefore considered appropriate to steer new hot food takeaway outlets to Doncaster Town Centre, Small Town or District Shopping Centres or Neighbourhood Shopping Centres and Shopping Parades, as defined in the UDP. They may also be acceptable within the larger Employment Policy Areas or Employment Sites, in accordance with Policy EMP13. Where planning permission is granted it will normally be subject to conditions, including: a restriction to the specific use stated (ie. hot food sales only); restricted opening hours; the provision of a proper method of ventilation and filtration and the provision of adequate litter disposal facilities.

The Borough Council will oppose proposals for large out-of-town shopping centres of the type at Meadowhall, between Sheffield and Rotherham. The range of goods these centres sell is very wide indeed and whilst they might provide attractive, modern shopping facilities, they are competing directly with the established town and city centres. Any proposal of this nature within Doncaster would be likely to jeopardise the vitality and viability of Doncaster Town Centre. The Borough Council attaches great importance to maintaining and, indeed, strengthening the Town Centre as a sub-regional shopping centre and will oppose the creation of any major centre anywhere within the Borough.

Enhancement works such as physical and environmental improvements; traffic management; and car parking and servicing improvements can help to attract more customers and improve the experience of shopping for shoppers. In turn, these increase a shopping centre's viability. The Public Attitude Survey highlighted the need for improvements to cleanliness and car parking provision associated with shopping centres. In recent years the Borough Council has instituted a programme of environmental and other improvements in a number of the Small Town and District Centres. The Council will continue to undertake and encourage improvements in these Centres, particularly those located within the Regeneration Priority Areas.

Saved UDP policy which is not replaced by the Core Strategy or Joint Waste Plan.

Shopping facilities are usually prominent buildings viewed by passers-by and more closely by customers. It is important therefore that proposals contribute to the visual environment and do not detract from it particularly through poor design and a proliferation of advertising. They should provide adequate facilities for customers. Policy SH16 seeks to make high design quality and harmony with their surroundings a requirement of all retail proposals.

Too much of the retail development undertaken since the 1960's has been of an inadequate standard in terms of design and materials. The Borough Council is anxious to address this issue and improve the overall level of design of retail development, both large and small, within Doncaster Borough. This will be achieved through the development control process, based upon the principles set out in Policy SH16. Particular attention will be given to ensuring that retail development proposals along main roads, within Doncaster Town Centre and within the main shopping thoroughfares of Small Town and District Centres are of a good standard of design and therefore contribute to the key objective of improving the environment.

In order to encourage energy conservation through recycling and reducing the need for special journeys to recycling centres, proposals for new supperstores should incorporate recycling facilities for glass, cans and newspapers. Facilities for the collection of other materials should also be provided as it becomes economic to recycle them e.g. plastics.