About this page
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.
9.290 Outside the centres identified in retail hierarchy there are many small shops throughout the District both within the urban areas and in villages. These can often serve day to day needs and offer valuable social and community benefits, but a wide range of factors has contributed to a gradual reduction in the number of such units, including viability.
9.291 This policy reflects the changes to the Use Class Order. A new Use Class F2 Community Uses has been introduced which is separate from Class E (Commercial, business and service) use. The Government recognises the importance of small, local shops in meeting the day to day shopping needs of local communities, particularly in rural communities, large residential estates and outside main shopping areas generally. It states “Alongside community social facilities, the F2 class includes what would be considered shops servicing the essential needs of local communities. This is defined as a shop mostly for the sale of a range of essential dry goods and food to visiting member of the public where there is no commercial class retail unit within 1,000 metres and the shop area is no larger than 280sq m . This provides some protection for such shops, while placing those shops found on high streets and town centres in the new ‘commercial’ class.”
9.292 It is considered that the policy should be updated to clarify that the shops are for the sale of essential goods including food, in line with the Class F2 Community Use Local Shop definition.
9.293 The proposed approach is as follows:
Option A
Retain policy protecting dispersed local shops with amendment to clarify that the local shops are for the sale of essential goods including food (use class F2).
Advantages of Option A
This recognises the importance of small, local shops in meeting the day to day shopping needs of local communities, particularly in rural communities, large residential estates and outside main shopping areas. Protecting existing and making provision for new local shops also facilitates walking and cycling, minimising the reliance on, and discouraging unnecessary use of, private cars, especially for local trips.
Disadvantages of Option A
None identified.