We support main town centre uses (such as retail, office, entertainment and leisure) being permitted within the defined Town Centres provided that they are designed at a scale and character which reflects the role and function of the particular centre. Sovereign Centros, as Asset Managers of Festival Place, also welcomes development proposals for retail and leisure uses, with a net usable sales floorspace exceeding 250sqm, in edge or out of centre locations not in accordance with an up-to-date plan, being required to undertake an Impact Assessment to ensure that any development that would harm the vitality and viability of the defined Centre would not be permitted.
We support Policy EMP3 being supportive to main town centre uses. However, for the boroughs main town centre, Basingstoke town centre, it would also be appropriate for we the Policy to contemplate other town centre uses being acceptable (for example civic, cultural and educational uses) to come forward in the primary shopping areas, such as Festival Place, as a means to encourage diversity and vitality in the Centre, subject to consideration of those uses against other Policies in the plan. We therefore believe that greater flexibility should be added to Policy EMP3 to encourage a wider range of uses that would be appropriate in the sole designated ‘Town Centre’ of Basingstoke, not just those that are defined as ‘main’ town centre uses and suggest the addition of the following wording (new text in bold):
"Main town centre uses (such as retail, office, entertainment and leisure) will be permitted within the defined town, district and local centres provided that they are designed at a scale and character which reflects the role, function and distinctive qualities of the centre. The full range of appropriate town centre uses (including for example education, cultural, community and medical uses) will be supported in principle within Basingstoke town centre, including the Primary Shopping Area, subject to their compliance with other policies within this Plan.”
"Any development that would harm the vitality and viability of a defined centre will not be permitted.”
Appropriate supporting text for this addition to the Policy should be incorporated based on the reasoning given above.