Core Strategy Preferred Options document - Amazon Web Services

Strategies, Activities and Actions – Retail and Town Centres
Village and Neighbourhood Shops
A great many shops and services are located outside of the established
town centres and dotted throughout residential areas in the District's
towns and villages.
These perform a vital role in providing convenience goods and services
to meet people's day-to-day needs. The Retail and Leisure Study found
that village shops were particular important in providing local top-up food
shopping.
The location of such units within residential areas means that they can be
easily reached on foot, reducing the need to travel. Local facilities also
provide a lifeline for those without access to public or private transport. In
addition to the aforementioned benefits, the provision of village shops
and services can also help maintain a sense of place and community
within the settlement. The protection of local shops and facilities is thus,
for the foresaid reasons, considered to be crucial.
RTC2 Village and Neighbourhood Shops – Preferred Option
We will seek to protect existing retail uses within residential areas
outside of the defined town centres.
We will also support the provision of additional small-scale retail
development in conjunction with new residential development, as long
as such retail development will not undermine the role of the District’s
town centres.
The loss of such retail uses will only be permitted where it has been
clearly demonstrated that a retail use in the location is not viable and
that the proposed alternative use will still offer a service to the local
community that meets day-to-day needs.
RTC2 – Alternative Options
Option Why is it not preferred?
Protect existing retail within
villages, but adopt a more
flexible approach to
neighbourhood shops within
settlements that have a
town centre.
Within the District’s settlements with
a town centre (Rochford, Hockley
and Rayleigh) neighbourhood shops
outside of their centres still have an
important role to play in meeting
day-to-day needs of local residents.
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Existing neighbourhood
and village shops are
an important asset to
the local community.
The retention of such
facilities supports the
Sustainable
Community Strategy
objectives as outlined
in the introduction.
The secondary (village)
centres such as
Canewdon, Hullbridge
and Great Wakering
play an important role
in providing top-up
convenience facilities
to their immediate
hinterland, and
enabling local residents
to meet their day-today
convenience and
leisure needs without
travelling to more
distant town centres.
The District’s towns
and villages are diverse
in character reflecting
their history, location
and size.