JCS_MasterDocument_FIN_27.03.18

Policy SD2 - Retail and City / Town Centres
1. Settlement Hierarchy
The area’s city and town centres as defined below will be supported and strengthened to ensure
that they continue to be the focus of communities. Initiatives which safeguard and enhance their
role and function will be supported. The hierarchy of centres in the JCS area is:
Key urban areas
Gloucester City Centre and Cheltenham Town Centre
Market town
Tewkesbury Town Centre
Rural service centres serving their rural hinterland
Winchcombe Town Centre and Bishop’s Cleeve Village Centre.
2. Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Borough retail policies
Retail policies within the Boroughs of Cheltenham and Tewkesbury are set out in the saved
policies of the existing Local Plans. These policies will be reviewed and taken forward through the
immediate review of the JCS retail policy. Within the Boroughs of Cheltenham and Tewkesbury,
new retail development will be encouraged in accordance with the policies in the saved local plans
insofar as they are consistent with national planning policy
3. Gloucester City Centre boundary, primary shopping area and shopping frontages
In advance of the immediate retail review, for the interim, the city centre boundary and primary
shopping area boundaries, and primary frontages and secondary frontages for Gloucester City
Centre are set out on the policies map. Within Gloucester City Centre and the Primary Shopping
Area, the following approach applies:
i. Gloucester City Centre boundary and primary shopping Area;
Within the defined City Centre boundary, proposals for leisure, entertainment and recreation,
office, arts, culture, tourism, community facilities and residential development will be supported
provided they would not have a significant adverse impact on the amenity of adjacent residents or
businesses. Within the defined Primary Shopping Area, proposals for new A1 retail development
will be supported.
Proposals for A1 retail development located outside of the primary shopping area, and for other
main town centre uses where they are proposed in locations outside of the City Centre boundary,
will be assessed in accordance with the sequential test and impact test as set out in the National
Planning Policy Framework and Planning Practice Guidance (see criterion 6 below).
ii. Primary frontages;
Within the primary shopping frontage identified, the change of use of A1 (retail) premises will not
be permitted, unless it can be demonstrated that the unit is not suitable for continued A1 use, the
proposed use will maintain or enhance the vitality and viability of the area and it would not have a
significant adverse impact on the amenity of adjacent residents or businesses.
Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Joint Core Strategy 2011-2031
Adopted December 2017
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