39. Retail Impact Assessment (and Assessment of Need)
What is it?
Policy RET1 of the Plan Strategy establishes a retail hierarchy to focus new retail development in existing centres in order of preference according to their type.
Policy RET2 requires proposals for main town centre uses outside of existing centres to be supported by a Retail Impact Assessment (and Assessment of Need) for proposals that have a floorspace of 1,000 sqm gross and above.
A Retail Impact Assessment (and Assessment of Need) considers the impacts of proposals for retail or other main town centre uses on the vitality and viability of Belfast City Centre, District centres and Local centres.
When is it required?
A Retail Impact Assessment (and Assessment of Need) should be provided with applications for retail or other main town centre uses (including cultural and community facilities, retail, leisure, entertainment and businesses) outside of existing centres that have a floor space of 1,000 sqm gross and above.
What should be included?
A Retail Impact Assessment (and Assessment of Need) should consider:
- the impact of the proposal on existing, committed and planned public and private investment in centres in the catchment area of the proposal; and
- the impact of the proposal on the vitality and viability of centres, including local consumer choice and trade
The Retail Impact Assessment (and Assessment of Need) should adopt the step by step methodology as referred to in paragraph 3.3 of the Retail and Main Town Centre Uses Supplementary Planning Guidance.
In addition, the following information should be provided:
- detail the nature of and reasons for the proposal;
- identify and justify a catchment area from which the proposal will draw trade and customers taking account of factors including the nature of retailing of the proposal and transport links. Where a designated centre is located outside but adjacent to the catchment, that centre should also be included in the assessment;
- identify a catchment area based on drive time journeys from the application site, sub-divided into 5-minute isochrone intervals, and clearly identified on a supporting catchment area map;
- include commentary on the vitality and viability of existing centres within the catchment;
- use an appropriate base and design year. The design year should generally be not less than 4 years after the base year, and include justification for the chosen design year;
- identify and use public published evidence sources for establishing existing and projected population, expenditure, and turnovers of existing retail developments for base and design years;
- justify trade diversion figures from existing facilities and any perceived diversions from outside the catchment area of the proposal;
- identify, consider, and justify the cumulative impacts of extant permissions and taking account of the proposal;
- examine the ‘no development’ scenario;
- impact of the proposal on existing, committed and planned public and private investment in centres in the catchment area of the proposal;
- impact of the proposal on the vitality and viability of centres, including local consumer choice and trade; and
- an electronic copy of all supporting figures and tables.
Guidance
Further guidance is contained in the Council’s Retail and Main Town Centre Uses Supplementary Planning Guidance.
