Agenda item

The draft scoping document for 'Revitalising local high streets and secondary shopping areas in the city' is attached for discussion.

The City Development Manager Claire Upton-Brown will be attending to speak about the planning considerations for this review.

The panel had received the draft scoping document and recent press articles on the subject of revitalising High Streets.  The chair would be attending the DCLG conference in London on 18 September " The Future of UK High Streets: Driving Local Growth and Regeneration" and would report back to the panel.

Claire Upton-Brown, the City Development Manager attended to speak mainly regarding the planning context of this review topic, and how PCC tried to protect retail.  Within the Portsmouth Plan there were identified shopping centres in a hierarchy which was the following

The City Centre - Southsea - the Districts - then the retail offers outside of the policy

Challenges: The smaller retail offers provide a useful community service and are used by many as a top-up to major shopping and the danger to these had been highlighted during discussion of the Tesco application at Milton recently.  The government allows changes of use without the need for planning permission which weakens the local government position on retaining retail units.  As seen with the Tesco application there were challenges to the smaller shops with big users coming in and there was already a decreased demand due to the rise of internet sales.  There is evidence of decline at Fratton.  The questions were how to support a vast array of retail offers in the city and how to make attractive environment,  such as the encouragement of cafes and coffee shops in the daytime and give consideration to the evening environment in these areas.

During the panel's discussion of the issues that they were aware of the following arose:

·         Longstanding empty units (as evidenced by the Co-op and golf shop in Drayton and Farlington) impacted on the environment of the shopping area and footfall would drop significantly (Councillor Bosher reported that they had struggled to get a Christmas tree at Drayton the last year).

·         There was a need to encourage people back into the areas through the provision of community facilities such as libraries and mobile libraries which attract customers.

·         There was the issue of parking charges and bus services with the right routes to get people to the local centres.  With regard to the car park it was noted that Cosham High Street the car parking clamping had caused problems to the top Cosham High Street with regard to the library bus in Drayton and Farlington this was possibly at the wrong location.

·         There was a lack of a PCC information points throughout the city; these would be useful for buying tickets of big events (e.g. as Festival of the Sea) rather than people having to come into the centre of the city.

·         The lack of the right bus services affected the retail centres and could isolate communities as seen in Allaway Avenue.

The panel members felt it would be useful to have data regarding empty units in the shopping areas such Drayton and Farlington, Highland Road and see how statistics compared with similar neighbouring local authorities. 

Discussion took place about where there was success in filling units such as Milton shops where it was thriving as there was a good range of shops, a post office and a renowned butcher.  Whereas in Drayton and Farlington the post office had closed which had been a focal point and had made the more elderly population want to go out to the local shops.

The difference between the thriving Albert Road and the neighbouring Highland Road which had lots of empty units it was noticeable.  Members were keen to find out more about the Shopping Festival and Sherlock Trail which would encourage people to go further extending their trips. There was a need to encourage walking to the local centres also not just driving to superstores. 

Markets/events: The panel members would like further discussion with the appropriate officers on the possibility of pop-up themed markets across the city.  The farmers' markets were seen as attractive and there was the demand to these in more centres.  Members would be interested in exploring the possibility of seasonal events in the retail centres.  Councillor Swan reported that Portsmouth Football Club had been asked to have a presence in Allaway Avenue.

Members requested more information on:

·         The rates for empty properties

·         Access to the retail centres/ transportation links

·         parking in the shopping areas and how they were covered by parking zones/tickets for parking

·         The costs involved in setting up mini markets.

·          The demographics of the local areas of the secondary shopping areas so that events could be tailored to the local needs.

It was also asked if the mobile library bus could be used for events such as a Christmas grotto.  It was felt that major events took place in the south of the city whereas there was only one major event in the north being the fireworks display.

Future witnesses - these should include:

·         the Albert Road Traders' Association for them to explain how they have been successful and the Cosham Traders' Association to see how these were set up as if they could give support to new TAs in other areas. 

·         The representative from the libraries would also be invited to talk about the possibilities for and the siting of the mobile library and if in Drayton and Farlington the vacant Co-op would be a suitable site. 

Scoping Document

The members examined the draft scoping document which they approved, subject to amendment during the course of the review, and taking on board some of the suggestions made regarding witnesses at this meeting. 

Discussion took place about what the review could achieve and Councillor Winnington as the previous chair stressed that the recommendations needed to be implemented and reviewed as seen with the COUP update which had been as a result of the work of the previous EDCL Panel review.