Retail - Wiltshire Council

Grimley acknowledged that the applicant had now prepared and submitted the necessaryinformation and GVA Grimley are now in a position to address the effects of the revisedscheme. and concluded that:• The current proposals are of a materially different scale and form of development to thatfor which planning permission already exists• Satisfied that the Applicants have demonstrated a clear quantative and qualitative needfor a significant scale of additional comparison retail floorspace in the Salisbury area andthat there is likely to be sufficient capacity for a larger development at London Roadwhilst still leaving significant capacity for additional development within the City Centre upto 2011.• We are satisfied there is also a qualitative case for additional retail warehouse typedevelopment as permitted at London Road to contribute to meeting the needs of bulkygoods retailers which may find it difficult to locate within the constrained historic citycentre.• The sequential test now provided identifies that there are no suitable sites or units likelyto be capable of accommodating the scale of comparison floorspace needs identified by2011, and there are not vacant units or sites likely to be suitable to accommodate a bulkygoods retail warehouse type development.• There are key opportunities coming forward in Salisbury City Centre, notably on thecentral car park / Maltings site which would be expected to accommodate a significantlevel of additional convenience and comparison goods floospace, although thedevelopment is unlikely to come forward from the period up to 2011 and is unlikely to beappropriate to accommodate significant bulky goods retail warehouse type development.In these circumstances we do not consider these sites could be regarded as beingsuitable, viable or available within a reasonable timescale to meet the identified need upto 2011 and in particular the needs of bulky goods retail warehouse type operators.• Consider that the applicants assessment of a 5% impact on Salisbury City Centre is areasonable estimate for a bulky goods development.• Do not consider the impact of a restricted bulky goods development is likely to seriouslyundermine the vitality and viability of the City Centre, which would still be expected toexperience significant growth in its turnover in real terms. However we consider anunrestricted open A1 retail park type development would have a materially differentcharacter and be likely to impact more directly on existing retailers and planned newdevelopments in the city centre.• In these circumstances GVA Grimley recommend that here are no sound reasons forrefusal of the current proposals based on retail policy grounds, provided they aresubstantially restricted to the slae of bulky goods or at the very least to the preferredscheme tested by the applicant and subject to the suggested minimum unit size conditionof 929 sq m.1.53 The application was refused at committee on 23 rd March 2008 and taken to appealinquiry which was held the week commencing 23 rd February 2009.1.54 The appeal (ref: APP/T3915/A/008/2074782/NWF) was subsequently allowed subjectto the conditions set out in the appeal statement (attached in appendix 1 to the documents)that states:‘the range and type of goods to be sold from the non-food retail units hereby permitted shallbe restricted to the following: DIY and/or garden goods; furniture, carpets and floorcoverings; camping, boating and caravanning goods; motor vehicles and cycle goods; andbulky electrical goods’.1.55 The inspector overall concluded that:CM09030/F 18