Retail and leisure

SP5 - Retail and leisure Purpose 5.80 The purpose of this policy is to set out the magnitude of retail growth required in Buckinghamshire over the plan period, and the spatial strategy for distributing this. Implementation through Development Management Policies 5.81 In line with the NPPF, the requirements set out in this policy will be reduced proportionately where a proposal supports the reuse or redevelopment of vacant buildings. The circumstances where this does not apply are set out in footnote thirty of the NPPF. 5.82 Development proposals will also be expected to comply with policies relating to Strategic and Key Employment Sites, Other Employment Sites, Small Employment Sites, Tourism, Community, Sport and Leisure Facilities, Sport, Leisure and Recreation, and Fast-Food Outlets and Takeaways where relevant. Together, these policies help support Buckinghamshire's economy, visitor offer, cultural facilities, leisure provision and the health and wellbeing of communities. 5.83 In addition, proposals should accord with other relevant Development Management policies relating to Design of Developments, Residential Amenity, Heritage Assets, Conservation Areas, Health Impact Assessment, Transport Requirements for New Development, Parking Standards, Public Rights of Way, Infrastructure Delivery, Telecommunications Infrastructure, Biodiversity Protection and Enhancement, Biodiversity Gain and Nature Recovery, Green Infrastructure, Trees, Ancient and Veteran Trees, Woodlands and Orchards, Landscape Character and Visual Amenity, Pollution, Air Quality and Contaminated Land, Flood Risk, Sustainable Drainage Systems and Water Efficiency Standards. Together, these policies ensure that retail and leisure development is delivered in accessible and sustainable locations, contributes positively to townscape and environmental quality, supports climate resilience, and creates attractive, healthy, and vibrant places for residents, visitors, and businesses. This strategic policy is supporting Local Plan objectives 7 and 8. SP5: Retail and leisure 1. This plan will make provision for 59,210 sqm of floorspace for retail, food / beverage and leisure / cultural uses by 2035 in accordance with the following spatial distribution set out in order of preference: 2. Sites already developed or with planning permission: a) 6,108 sqm of floorspace were developed in 2024 / 2025. b) 20,897 sqm of floorspace have planning permission as of 1 April 2025 2. Reducing vacancy rates in our existing town centres to 10% can provide at least 14,300 sqm, and there is the potential for further capacity being met here if vacancy rates can be reduced further. a) High Wycombe 8,300 sqm b) Aylesbury 3,700 sqm c) Gerrards Cross 1,500 sqm d) Beaconsfield Old Town 300 sqm e) Princes Risborough 200 sqm f) Chesham 100 sqm g) Buckingham 100 sqm h) Great Missenden 100 sqm 3. The Local Plan allocates sites for retail uses of around 1 0,100 sqm of such uses in the following locations: a) Wycombe: 3,600 sqm b) Aylesbury: 5,000 sqm c) Chesham: 100 sqm d) Ascon Clinton: 1,000 sqm e) Other: 400 sqm 4. Large new development sites, including NESS sites, should make appropriate provision for ne w local centres and shopping parades to help meet the day-to-day needs of new residents. 5.84 The Council’s evidence base recommends meeting Buckinghamshire retail needs to 2035, reflecting the uncertainty associated with retail forecasts, this is 59,201 sqm of floorspace with the below breakdown. Table 5: Retail Needs for Buckinghamshire to 2035 Convenience retail (sq.m gross) Comparison retail (sq.m gross) Food /beverage (sq.m gross) Leisure /cultural (sq.m gross) Total (sq.m gross) 9,798 20,612 17,033 11,767 59,210 5.85 Eighty-five percent of the need relates to the growth in population over the plan period. The Council’s strategy is to seek to meet the needs first by reducing vacancies in existing centres and then through the provision of new centres within the large development sites allocated in the plan. This will help support our existing centres whilst reflecting the fact that much of the need is associated with new development. Data from the Council’s economic development team indicates lower vacancy rates than that identified by the retail evidence, indicating that there has been improvement in our town centres since the study, and some of vacant capacity has already been filled. 5.86 This policy promotes a town centre first approach, bringing forward town centre uses in our town centres and then supporting our larger allocations. The plan allocates sites where we expect retail development to come forward at Wycombe, Aylesbury, Chesham, Aston Clinton, and then smaller sites at Beaconsfield, and Little Chalfont.