Overview

Neath Port Talbot Council has been preparing a new Local Development Plan. The LDP will guide development across the County Borough, allocating land for new development, and provide detailed strategies for specific geographic areas / land uses. A key element of the LDP is a focus upon the main town, district and local centres across Neath Port Talbot, which provide a focus for local communities.

Project scope
New Local Development Plan
Retail and town centre evidence base
Main town, district and local centres
Food and non-food retail floorspace
Shopping and food and beverage patterns
Strategic and development management policies
Our role

In order to support the retail, leisure and town centres elements of the new LDP, we were asked to prepare a new set of evidence base information in relation to retail and town centre land use issues. This included:

  • Assessing the need for food and non-food retail floorspace across the County Borough.
  • Undertaking a review of the land use profile of the main town, district and local centres.
  • Obtaining and analysing up-to-date shopping and food and beverage patterns across the main settlements, including an analysis of their respective catchment areas.
  • Assessing the most appropriate locations to meet identified needs, including the need for planning new local centres to serve new/growing residential communities.
  • Advice on the content of strategic and development management policies for the new LDP.
Evidence base We prepared evidence base information to support the retail, leisure and town centres elements of the new LDP.
Retail need We assessed the need for food and non-food retail floorspace across the County Borough.
Centre profiles We reviewed the land use profile of the main town, district and local centres.
Shopping patterns We analysed up-to-date shopping and food and beverage patterns across the main settlements.
Location strategy We assessed appropriate locations to meet identified needs, including planning for new local centres.
Policy advice We advised on strategic and development management policies for the new Local Development Plan.
Outcome

The evidence base information was prepared to support the retail, leisure and town centres elements of the new Local Development Plan, including identified needs, appropriate locations and policy content for the new LDP.