Assessment of Planning and Retail Issues - Renfrewshire Council
Assessment of Planning and Retail Issues - Renfrewshire Council
Assessment of Planning and Retail Issues - Renfrewshire Council
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PROPOSED EXTENSIONS AT 4 ASSESSMENT OF PLANNING AND RETAIL ISSUES<br />
BRAEHEAD RETAIL PARK MAY 2010<br />
2 PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT<br />
Background<br />
2.1 The policy context for Braehead has been evolving over many years, from the<br />
original decision <strong>of</strong> the Secretary <strong>of</strong> State for Scotl<strong>and</strong> to approve the proposal,<br />
through various statements <strong>of</strong> Scottish retail planning policy, several structure plans<br />
- originally for Strathclyde <strong>and</strong> latterly for Glasgow <strong>and</strong> The Clyde Valley, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
<strong>Renfrewshire</strong> Local Plan, leading to the now-emerging Strategic Development Plan<br />
for Glasgow <strong>and</strong> The Clyde Valley.<br />
Original <strong>Planning</strong> Decision<br />
2.2 The Braehead shopping <strong>and</strong> leisure centre was approved on appeal by the<br />
Secretary <strong>of</strong> State for Scotl<strong>and</strong> in 1990. The Reporter appointed to conduct the<br />
public inquiry into the Braehead proposal reached the following conclusion, which<br />
was accepted by the Secretary <strong>of</strong> State:<br />
“The key policy COM1 states a preference for locating major new shopping<br />
proposals in or adjoining existing centres, but does not rule out the possibility <strong>of</strong><br />
exceptions, or <strong>of</strong> new additions to the hierarchy. The 1988 alteration to the<br />
structure plan proposes two new shopping centres that would be additions to the<br />
hierarchy. The sheer size <strong>of</strong> the Braehead scheme would give it sufficient status<br />
to be considered as part <strong>of</strong> the hierarchy, at about Tier 2 level. This distinguishes<br />
it from smaller shopping developments at sporadic locations that would dissipate<br />
<strong>and</strong> dilute shopping provision away from the recognised centres, without creating<br />
worthwhile focal points that would function as new centres. For this reason,<br />
Braehead would not set a precedent for other smaller retail developments”.<br />
2.3 Although the Secretary <strong>of</strong> State approved the Braehead development in 1990 on<br />
the basis that it would function as a new centre in the shopping hierarchy, the<br />
centre itself did not open until October 1999. The first Structure Plan to emerge<br />
following the opening <strong>of</strong> Braehead - the new Glasgow & The Clyde Valley<br />
Structure Plan - overlooked the fact that the centre had opened <strong>and</strong> was now a<br />
major element in the shopping hierarchy. However the Scottish Ministers, when<br />
approving the plan in 2002, inserted additional wording into the plan regarding<br />
Braehead: