Retail floorspace is commonly divided into ‘convenience’ (i.e. food and day-to-day purchases) and ‘comparison’ (i.e. clothing, personal goods, household goods etc). These types of retailing have quite distinct characteristics and impacts. In large new retail developments located neither within nor on the edge of existing centres (i.e. centres listed in policy SC 1: The City’s Hierarchy of Centres schedule SC(i) Part A) it is necessary to ensure, through the use of conditions, that the type of retailing applied for is not subsequently altered without full consideration of any effects on the pattern of retailing in the area and the vitality and viability of the centre concerned and/or other nearby centres.

The sale of goods in out-of-centre retail parks and warehouses has usually been restricted to bulky household goods. This has been considered essential to safeguard the trade of the larger traditional centres, much of which is based on clothing, fashion and high-value personal goods. Part [B] of this policy maintains this approach.

In the convenience sector, one offshoot of superstore development is the increasing proportion of floorspace devoted to non-food sales. This has hitherto been regarded as of little consequence, and attention has focused principally on the food sales component. It has now emerged as an issue in its own right, and the requirements of policy SC 4: Retail Development will ensure that the impact of the non-food components of superstore proposals will also be assessed. The increasing prevalence of in-store concessions to activities such as pharmacies and post offices has also become a matter of concern where it has the effect of displacing these uses from traditional shopping frontages, a potential problem which is highlighted in National Planning Policy Guideline 8: Town Centres and Retailing (NPPG8). In these circumstances, it is necessary to include policies to control the content of food superstores where the lack of such control may cause adverse effects on outlets in adjoining or nearby centres.

[A] In locations which are neither within, nor on the edge of, existing centres (i.e. those listed in schedule SC(i) Part A), new retail developments of over 1,000 square metres gross retail floorspace (food), or over 2,000 square metres gross floorspace (non-food), will be subject to conditions limiting the use of the floorspace for the sale of convenience and/or comparison goods. Similar conditions may be imposed where the development is on a site within or on the edge of a town centre, if justified by particular circumstances.

[B] Retail warehouse units and retail warehouse parks in out-of-centre locations will be used for the sale of DIY, furniture, carpets and floorcoverings, household textiles, electrical goods including computers and related products, office equipment, motor vehicle accessories and gardening goods.

Individual retail warehouse units will normally have a retail floorspace of not less than 900 square metres gross floorspace/720 square metres net floorspace. The use of a retail warehouse unit for the sale of food and convenience goods will not normally be considered favourably.

[C] In out-of-centre retail developments, including superstores, the provision of in-store services such as post offices and pharmacies will not be supported if this is likely to jeopardise the continuing operation of a similar facility trading in a nearby centre.