Their strength, vitality, diversity and character will be protected and enhanced, to ensure continued access to a wide range of facilities for the community as a whole.

Protection of this role against the trend of the decentralisation of at least certain types of shopping is a priority which will be pursued, not only by restricting out of centre development likely to draw away trade and investment (see Policies S8 and S9) but most critically by improving the quality and accessibility of existing
centres to make them more attractive to both visitors and investors. It is vital for established town centres to respond to the challenge, in particular on quality of the shopping environment, of the latest wave of new free standing regional shopping centres, if they are not to become trapped in a spiral of long term decline.

An effective response will have a broad spread of benefits, particularly for less mobile sections of the local population but also for the general nature of urban activities, and should help to reduce the growth in travel with its attendant problems. Prosperous and thriving centres create an air of confidence and can act as a catalyst for encouraging further investment, but an atmosphere of decay can undermine regeneration and the revitalisation of the local economy. Subsequent policies indicate in more detail how the Council will seek to protect and enhance the Borough's existing centres and the Plan also contains proposals for a number of site specific schemes, over and above those which have recently been completed or are currently in hand in Ashton and Hyde.

At the same time, a range of appropriate improvement and development schemes will also be prepared and implemented in the other town centres, in order to support their roles as important district shopping centres and promote their distinctive commercial and historical
identities.

The Council is determined to ensure a prosperous town centre which will help stimulate confidence in the wider area, present a positive impression to visitors and provide an improved range of facilities for local people. A major project to pedestrianise and upgrade the surfacing and street furniture in an extensive area of Ashton town centre was nearing completion at the start of 1993 and plans were in hand for the development of a new covered shopping complex on the site of the existing bus station. This proposal and a number of other measures are described in the Chapter 17 of the Plan.

Each of the other town centres in the Borough serves important local needs, with Hyde having a more extensive catchment, but they also give a distinct identity to the constituent towns which make up Tameside. It is this historical and geographical background of formerly separate small manufacturing towns which results in the more dispersed pattern of town centre shopping floorspace seen in Tameside as compared with some other Boroughs.

Although directing the greatest investment priority to Ashton, as the only centre large enough to compete at the sub-regional level, the Council is also committed to supporting the role of the other centres, through both environmental improvements and new development schemes where appropriate. A major refurbishment of the 1960's built shopping precinct has recently been carried out in Hyde, along with pedestrianisation of Market Place and upgrading of the open market. An improvement scheme was started in Droylsden in 1992 and the need to refurbish the previously pedestrianised areas in Stalybridge and to upgrade shopping areas in Denton and Mossley has been recognised. These and other measures are described in more detail in the site specific chapters of the Plan.

Town centres provide the biggest concentrations of job opportunities, particularly in the services sector, and account for an estimated 25% of total employment in the Borough.  The benefits of having employment generating activities in town centres are clear.  Town centres are widely accessible, especially by public transport, so that people can easily get to their place of work and their employment opportunities are not so constrained by mobility.  A variety of land uses in a town centre adds to its vibrancy and people working there are likely to support the viability of the retail function of the centre through their consumer spending.

With environmental and access considerations likely to be influential in decisions by businesses on whether or not to remain or invest in a particular location, and given the closely spaced and competing nature of larger town centres in the Greater Manchester area, it is obviously important that the quality of these factors is maintained and wherever possible enhanced in Tameside.

The policy makes particular reference to the re-use of the upper floors of existing buildings. Upper floors can be suitable for a wide variety of uses, subject to a satisfactory relationship with neighbouring ones, which can contribute both to the function and interest of a town centre. The full use of properties will encourage proper maintenance and refurbishment and thus prolong the life of buildings and improve their appearance.

A town centre management strategy, drawing together public and private sector initiatives through a suitable forum, could help to enhance the quality and vitality of a town centre and sustain interest from various quarters.  Such a strategy could follow the broad framework of relevant policies in this Plan but also tackle a wide range of issues beyond the scope of the planning system.  If successful, town centre management could, among other things, ensure effective co-ordination of services and generate confidence among both existing occupiers and potential investors.

(a) Pedestrianisation of important shopping streets, subject to maintenance of adequate opportunities for bus penetration and essential servicing.

(b) Restricting traffic movements within town centres and traffic calming, subject to maintenance of adequate opportunities for bus penetration and essential servicing.

(c) Improving conditions generally for pedestrians, including improved access from bus stations, rail stations and car parks.

(d) Initiating environmental improvement schemes.

(e) Encouraging and supporting the refurbishment of dilapidated precincts and shops, through joint initiatives with the private sector where appropriate.

(f) Better integration of outlying parts of existing town centres into the main shopping area by stronger pedestrian links where practical, whilst encouraging a wide range of uses in the outer areas in order to reduce vacancies and decay.

(g) Encouraging and supporting the purposeful use of the upper storeys of existing retail units for a range of uses, including retail, office, other commercial and residential developments.

(h) Seeking high standards of shop front design.

As with environmental improvements, some road schemes have recently been carried out or are under preparation, such as the creation of an inner circulatory route in Ashton, and a number of others are described as site specific proposals in Part 2 of the Plan. In certain town centres, notably Hyde and Stalybridge, further work will be necessary before it is possible to indicate the most appropriate schemes. Whilst car parking provision will be managed for the benefit of shoppers and increased where possible, the Council recognises that public transport is particularly important in bringing people to Tameside's centres. The key to the balance between public and private transport access is seen to be improved routing of buses to serve the most important retail areas, upgrading of bus stations and assistance to buses through highway design and traffic management, at the same time as creation of improved highway infrastructure on certain town centre approaches

(a) Improving road infrastructure where necessary,
particularly where this will ease movement of through traffic which would otherwise have an adverse effect on environmental conditions and also improve access to town centre car parks.

(b) Ensuring that new shopping and leisure developments are safely and conveniently located in relation to traffic and pedestrian routes, public transport services and car parks.

Improving the provision of public transport infrastructure where necessary.

Further car parking schemes will be carried out, including provision of public parking in association with redevelopment projects, in order to improve town centre accessibility and to replace lost spaces. This will be subject to capacity being available on the associated highway network.

Given the limited resources for publicly provided schemes and the scarcity of suitable sites in some areas, there is a need to take advantage of opportunities for provision within or associated with new development. Where necessary, long stay parking for commuting to town centres will be accorded a lower priority, in terms of both location and amount, given the availability of public transport, and indeed may not be increased at all where this would only exacerbate peak congestion problems.

The Tameside area already contains a good distribution of food superstores, and also a non-food retail park close to a proposed motorway intersection. The particular pattern in Tameside of several closely spaced town centres, with shopping floorspace more dispersed than would occur with a single much more dominant centre, makes the well-being of each centre more fragile if trade is diverted. It is not simply the effect on existing town centre retailers which concerns the Council, but the knock on implications that reduced turnover could have for much needed private investment, both in upkeep or refurbishment of existing buildings and new development projects. Declining town centres would offer poorer facilities to people less able to travel to out of centre sites, which are never likely to be as easily accessible by public transport, whilst further out of centre retailing would tend to fan rather than control the growth of traffic. At the same time however, the Council must have regard, when considering proposals for retail development, to the benefits to the community at large which can arise from effective competition between retailers and types of retailer.

For the purposes of these policies, "large scale" retail developments will be considered to be those exceeding 1,394 sq. metres gross floorspace, either as individual stores or a closely associated group of stores.

As explained in the justification to policy S16, proposals for "small scale" retail development which could not be justified under policy S16, because they are not intended primarily to serve a local need, should be considered against the criteria in policy S9, despite being less than 1,394 sq. metres gross floorspace.

The boundaries of the town centres of Ashton-under-Lyne, Hyde, Denton, Droylsden, Stalybridge, Dukinfield and Mossley will be considered to be the same as the Town Centre Inset Boundaries on the Proposals Map.

One implication of the references in criteria (a) to the nature of the goods to be sold and the type of retail outlet involved, is that proposals for large food superstores or for large non-food stores selling predominantly bulky items, where closely adjoining car parking is typically required for customers to load heavy purchases, may be more likely to prove acceptable than groups of smaller units or specialist and comparison outlets which would be in more direct competition for trade with existing centres. 

However, although new out-of-centre retail developments may be predominantly aimed at customers arriving by car, it is reasonable that public transport accessibility and extension of journey patterns should also be taken into account.  This is both to avoid the added choice of outlets being unavailable to non-car users, and to make at least some headway in trying to restrain the need for, and extent of, private transport movement in urban areas and the consequent further growth in congestion and emissions.

(a) The development would not be expected to result in an unacceptable loss to the vitality and viability of any nearby town centre, taking account of the nature of the goods to be sold, the type of retail outlet involved, and the cumulative impact which the development would have in combination with any other recent or proposed schemes, and

(b) The development would not result in an unacceptable increase in congestion on the surround highway network, and

(c) The development would be reasonably accessible by a choice of means of transport, including public transport from a wide catchment area, and would not significantly extend journey patterns.

The Council will identify suitable sites for commercial development or redevelopment within the town centres, wherever possible.

To be able to achieve this, land capable of development must be available within the centres and in most cases the Plan identifies sites which could be suitable, although in some instances land assembly and clearance would be required first. The definitions of the existing town centres for the purposes of this policy are the Inset areas shown on the Proposals Map.

It is recognised that there are other important elements which make up a successful and buoyant town centre apart from retailing, such as office and leisure uses, and developments for these purposes will normally be equally welcome in town centres, either independently or in association with a retailing project. These should complement retailing within a town centre, with leisure and food and drink uses continuing the attraction of the centre through into the evening.

"Primary shopping areas" can be equated to the retail core of a town centre, in that they are typically dominated by retail and in particular Class A1 uses and are likely to command higher rental values than the rest of a centre.  The definition of the primary shopping areas of Tameside's town centres, for the purposes of policies S11 and S12, is based on a combination of locally observed factors including central location, larger pedestrian flows, higher quality premises and concentration of national multiples. 

A balance needs to be struck on this familiar issue, with some limitation being justified in the primary shopping areas as defined on the Insets to the Proposals Maps, so that non-retail uses do not cluster together to form dominant cells or grow in number to the point where they detract from the appeal of the centre. Setting precise standards for this issue has been fraught with problems in the past and some flexibility is desirable. However, as a guide, the Council would normally want to avoid more than two separately occupied non Class A1 units being situated adjacent to each other, and an overall proportion of such units exceeding one third, within the defined areas. These are listed in Appendix 3, in addition to being shown on the Maps.

Local shopping centres and parades will be reinforced by new development where appropriate, and enhanced through environmental improvement, access and car parking measures where possible.

The role of the local centres has to some extent been eroded over recent years by the growth of large food superstores and increased car ownership, often resulting in vacant units, less beneficial uses and deteriorating standards of appearance, sometimes exacerbated by vandalism. The Council would wish to do what it can to support the survival of local centres, subject to the availability of resources, because of their value to large numbers of people.

The circumstances in which development control powers may be used in order to protect the role of local shopping centres and parades, and to seek to ensure their survival, are set out in the succeeding policies S15 and S16.  However, a balance needs to be struck between the desirability of sustaining those facilities which meet a valuable community need, and the recognition that it is not the function of the planning system to preserve existing commercial interests for their own sake.  Ultimately, the main determining factor in whether local shops remain viable is whether people choose to continue to use them, although the Council will seek to encourage this through measures within its ability.

Exceptions to this policy may be allowed in circumstances where

(a) The centre would benefit in appropriate other ways from the new use proposed, or

(b) The harmful implications of a long period of vacancy would outweigh the impact of the proposed use on the range of retail facilities, or

(c) There is already more than adequate retail provision in the centre, to serve the local needs of the surrounding area.

For clarification, retail use is defined for the purpose of this policy to be that covered by Class A1 of the Use Classes Order.

Proposals for small scale retail developments outside the Borough's existing town centres, local centres and shopping parades will only be permitted where it can be shown that

(a) The proposal would primarily serve a local need that cannot be met by existing provision in the area, or on suitable sites within or adjacent to established local centres and parades, and

(b) The proposal would have no significant adverse effect on the vitality and viability of established local centres and parades, and

(c) The proposal would not lead to loss of amenity in adjacent residential areas, or to traffic problems on adjacent highways.

The type of retailing or goods to be sold could affect the area of impact within this "small scale" category (e.g. a non-food outlet specialising in a particular group of products) and it will therefore always be necessary to consider this aspect, as well as size, and in some cases to consider the use of planning conditions to limit the range of goods which can be sold.  Proposals which could not be justified under policy S16 , because they are not intended primarily to serve a local need, should be considered against the criteria in policy S9.

In comparison with the wider role of the Borough's town centres (as identified in the justification to policies S8-S10) the local centres and parades (listed in Appendix 4) cater largely for food and convenience goods needs of the local shoppers, who rely upon being able to walk in to the centre or secure access by public transport for day to day requirements.  The principle behind this policy is that new shops designed to meet essentially local needs, located within or adjacent to existing local centres, should be supported because they would generally strengthen the role of those centres.  There is activity in the retail development market, to fill something of a vacuum left at the more local level by the concentration of the major food retailers on strategically placed superstores, and this could be to the benefit of local centres if it can be directed there.

On the other hand, new small scale supermarkets placed elsewhere could draw trade and weaken existing local centres. In some areas where local shopping provision is seen to be deficient, scope may exist for additional retail floorspace unrelated to existing local centres. However, it will be necessary in each case to satisfy the criteria listed, taking into account circumstances such as the nature of the retailing envisaged, the characteristics of the site and the relationship to existing shopping facilities in the area.

This will include consideration of disabled parking, design of pedestrian areas, safety and personal security, access to buildings and provision for parents with young children.

Certain requirements for access to buildings used by the public are prescribed by the Building Regulations but in other instances achievement of desirable arrangements must rely upon negotiation and goodwill. Whilst there is no doubt that such considerations are more widely appreciated than they were in the past it is still important that the Council continues to raise them at every opportunity, so that as many people as possible can readily take advantage of shopping and other town centre facilities in the Borough. The policy is also intended to address the needs of other less mobile groups such as mothers with young children and to respond to concerns about safety and security which can affect nearly everyone. As well as helping to minimise disadvantage, measures of this kind should also make established town centres more generally attractive in competing for trade.

(a) Not result in an undue concentration of such uses in any particular area, where this would lead to an unacceptably detrimental change in the character of that area, and

(b) Not lead to unacceptable loss of amenity in adjacent
residential or sensitive areas, or impair highway safety.

It is therefore felt that this more narrowly focused policy should be added, to provide a basis for control in any part of the Borough. The policy is expressed in deliberately general terms so that a flexible approach can be taken, whilst making clear the type of considerations to be taken into account in assessing the circumstances of any particular case.

(a) Major new developments, and in particular those on the fringe of a town or local centre, should normally provide for all operational servicing requirements to be met on site, and should accommodate the customer and staff parking requirements outlined in the justification to policy E14, on or close to the site.

(b) Where in town or local centres it is neither practical nor desirable to provide the full parking requirement applicable to a free-standing development, account will be taken, where appropriate, of the accessibility of public transport, the availability of public car parks, the constrained nature of the site, and the likelihood of street parking giving rise to obstruction or hazardous conditions.  Where a change of use of existing buildings is proposed and there is no scope for providing off-street parking and servicing facilities, account will be taken of the traffic generated by the previous use.

(c) Where new buildings are proposed, space should
normally be provided on site for servicing vehicles to stand clear of the highway and to enter and leave the site in forward gear. In the case of infill sites, especially in the core of town centres and in Conservation Areas, account will be taken of restrictions of space or of the desirability of preserving the character of the street, in determining whether on-street servicing will be acceptable.

(d) Vehicular access to and from the highway should be of satisfactory width, alignment and visibility, as should any new public highway which it is intended to construct as part of the development.

(e) The development should not result in a substantial increase in the volume of traffic, especially heavy goods vehicles, using residential access roads. Traffic generated by the development should not cause unacceptable problems on the adjoining highway network.

(f) The development should be accessible to disabled people in accordance with current standards.

(g) The design of the development should be sensitive to the character of the surrounding area, and the height of new buildings should generally be in scale with adjoining or nearby buildings.  Materials should normally match existing materials prevalent in the area.  New buildings should create attractive and interesting facades, avoiding long stretches of blank walls on street frontages.

(h) New buildings should not create undue problems of overshadowing or overlooking of existing dwellings.

(i) Careful attention should be given to the design of new shop fronts, including security shutters, and of advertisements.

(j) Any open storage areas should be screened from view from public areas such as roads, open spaces or nearby dwellings, by the use of screen walls and landscaping as appropriate.  Materials should not be stored higher than the height of the wall.

(k) Careful consideration should be given to the use and appearance of walls and fencing, particularly where other measures could be used to achieve security or where high walls or fences could interfere with vehicle sight lines.

(l) In designing for the landscaping of a development where space is at a premium and pedestrian movement is high, consideration should be given to the use of attractive hard landscaping.  Where soft landscaping is practical, robust, low maintenance trees and shrubs should be used which are less likely to suffer from litter or vandalism.  High planting which could threaten security should be avoided.

(m) Certain town or local centre uses which can cause
problems due to noise, cooking smells, litter or anti-social behaviour, may only be approved subject to conditions which seek to limit noise, prevent nuisance from smells, or restrict late night opening where there are large numbers of dwellings nearby.

Although many of the detailed considerations will be very similar to those applying to free standing employment proposals as referred to in Policy E14, there are some important differences in the context of town centres. These include the typically greater need for design and external appearance to be sensitive to the character of the surroundings, the opportunity in many instances for some or all of the parking to be accommodated in public car parks, the greater potential contribution of public transport, and the increased need to take account of traffic management and pedestrian movement patterns. In the case of larger schemes, measures beyond the site can sometimes be necessary.

These criteria apply to developments within existing town centres and local shopping centres and parades, for Use Classes A1 (shops), A2 (financial and professional services), A3 (food and drink), B1 (business), C1 (hotels), D1 (non residential institutions) and D2 (assembly and leisure).

Free standing retail or other developments outside such centres would be subject to the criteria listed in Policy E14.

These criteria are described in more detail in supplementary planning guidance published by the Council, in particular Development Control Policy Guidance Note No., 3 "Town Centre and Local Centre Uses".