midsomer norton retail core feasibility study€¦ · final published version 20th february 2013...

1 Final Published Version 20th February 2013

Midsomer Norton Retail Core Feasibility Study

Report by Strategic Planning Advice Ltd

in association with

Lunson Mitchenall & FSP Architects & Planners

August 2012

113-123 Upper Richmond Road

London SW15 2TL 020 8785 3402

[email protected] 07748 655301

mailto:[email protected]


Contents

Executive Summary 3

Synopsis 5

Recommendations: Preferred Way Forward for Midsomer Norton 11

Appendices

1 Introduction 34

2 Midsomer Norton: the Offer 37

3 Midsomer Norton: Retail and Leisure Operator Demand 46

4 Midsomer Norton: Potential Markets 48

5 Midsomer Norton: The Competition 51

6 Midsomer Norton: Lessons to be Learnt from Elsewhere 53

7 Midsomer Norton: Alternative Scenarios 65


Executive Summary

Midsomer Norton is a long way from achieving its potential as the retail/leisure centre of the Somer Valley. This conclusion in no way denigrates the

considerable achievements made in recent years by the community, but fundamental structural issues remain.

This report identified two key projects that need to be delivered in order to achieve the town’s potential:

Development of a new large food store of 45,000 sq ft in South Road would be feasible on South Road Car Park with under croft parking. This

proposal will need to be ratified, inter alia, with the planning and highways authority, but the site is designated for food retail within the draft Core

Strategy and Midsomer Norton’s Economic Regeneration Delivery Plan.

Three locations for a new food retail site have been identified within the report; South Road, the extension of the existing Sainsbury store over The

Hollies and the core site itself. Sequentially in planning terms, this would demonstrate the capability of the town centre to provide a site for food

retail over an out of town proposal.

Regeneration of the Retail Core (‘Palladium to Brewery site’) – Regeneration of the Retail Core, either as a whole or in phases, would offer an

enhanced retail offer by dint of providing larger retail units of up to 10,000 sq feet within an overall potential of 22,000 sq feet of retail (gross). The

historic features of the Palladium and the Brewery would be retained and the scheme would provide a home for a 23,000 sq feet business hub

(gross). A fundamental role for the core site would be to provide an attractive link between the new supermarket and the High Street. There are

two delivery scenarios:

Scenario 1: Retail Core regeneration as a standalone project – is not financially viable on its own as it would require an injection of capital / gap

funding.


Scenario 2: Retail Core as part of a combined South Road food store anchor/Retail Core regeneration project. – external investment funding from

the public or private sector, or a combination of both would potentially enable an overall combined development.

In order to progress the regeneration of Midsomer Norton and deliver the two key structural projects referred to above it is vital that steps are taken to

bring the South Road (owned by B&NES) to market as soon as possible, thereby enhancing the value of the Retail Core.

There are three key sources of funds which could be applied to finance the regeneration of Midsomer Norton including:

Commercial investment funds, supplemented as necessary with gap funding from the public sector.

Section 106 funds such as the Alcan Development Section 106 money which could be applied to a business hub based in the Retail Core could offer

a further £445,000 to assist regeneration.

Revolving Infrastructure Fund which is administered by the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership.

There are also a series of projects which would increase the vibrancy of the town centre which need to be addressed over and above those identified

above, including the following priorities identified by the Midsomer Norton Economic Development Partnership:

Redesign of the Hollies Gardens - to provide a focus space (for a market or public entertainment) and improve public realm and movement in the

town centre.

Partial pedestrianisation of the lower High Street (from Martins to the Town Hall).

Redevelopment of the Town Hall (namely reinstating the original 1860s ground floor hall and improved facilities) and its curtalage – namely The

Island, to maximize the potential of the historic/civic heart of the Town.


Synopsis

The Council’s Brief

Our advice has been prepared in response to the Town Council’s Study Brief “Retail Core Feasibility Study”, key phrases from which are:

“In its quest for a proactive approach, the Midsomer Norton Economic Development Partnership[ (MSNEDP) recently identified an opportunity to develop a range of options to stimulate and enhance the retail core offering focusing on the area from Fat SAMs to the Palladium but within the overall high street retail core from Martins to the Island.”

Underlying the Brief is the commitment in the Bath & NE Somerset Council’s Draft Core Strategy to “strengthen Midsomer Norton’s Town Centre by facilitating redevelopment and improving the public realm. Midsomer Norton is seen as being the principal market town centre of the Somer Valley with a catchment population of approx. 46,000.”

Report Layout

The Report comprises the following sections:

This Executive Summary

The Team’s Recommendations

Appendices, which contain the evidence underpinning the recommendations and the reasoning behind the recommendations up to the interim study

stage.

Midsomer Norton: the Offer

This is based on a profile or health check of the town centre and a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis of the centre. It

concluded:

There are few multiple shops in the town centre, which is consequently dependent on independents, several of which are dynamic businesses.

The Sainsbury’s supermarket is relatively small, has no real competition in the town centre, but it faces significant competition from supermarkets

elsewhere. There is a demand for a bigger, better supermarket. People recall when Morrisons was closed, sold to Sainsbury’s and refurbished: trade in

the town centre fell.

The town centre offers a good array of services that bring people into the centre e.g. schools and the Methodist Church


A few shops and services bring people in from a wider area than the town and its Somer Valley hinterland: e.g. Jacaranda and Moody Goose, the skate

board park (almost the only facility for young people) and specialist shops such as Hobbs.

The High Street is very long and suffers from major gaps in the shopping frontage, especially on the north side.

There is a lack of pedestrian crossings on the main desire lines over the High Street and South Road (for the car park)

Signage to the town and within the town centre is poor.

Free and relatively abundant car parking are real assets; however the main car parks tend currently to exacerbate the severance of the centre between

the north and south sides.

The river and the landscaping are a very important feature.

Respondents frequently commented on friendliness and a sense of community.

The leisure offer is weak apart from one or two restaurants and cafes and the skate board park.

There is a sense that older people, who have grown up in the town, are loyal to the centre, whilst newer residents tend to be more footloose and

susceptible to being drawn to large supermarkets and well-known brands. Events are needed to raise the profile of the town centre among those newer

residents.

A further dimension of the previous point flows from the combined effect of high volumes of house building (which tends to be on the outskirts of the

town), the decline of employment in Midsomer Norton and the development of supermarkets and other shops elsewhere: an increase in commuting to

centres well supplied with attractive, alternative shops. There is a demand for more jobs in the town, partly in order to reduce the loss of retail

spending.

There is recognition that the internet can be a threat or an opportunity for smaller retailers.

Midsomer Norton: Retail and Leisure Operator Demand

Our own experience and soundings with retailers and leisure operators in relation to Midsomer Norton indicate:

Supermarkets are already established in Midsomer Norton (Sainsbury’s and Lidl) and operators (e.g. Sainsbury’s and Morrisons) would be interested in

a larger store in the town centre if a suitable site can be created; the interest in the town (as a consumer market) is already manifest in the various out-

of-centre proposals on behalf of different supermarkets. Waitrose could be attracted to a smaller store, say 35,000 sq.ft., but not while Sainsbury’s

remain in the town centre.

Many national names operate a large but limited number of stores; they reckon to achieve sufficient national coverage by being represented in major

towns and cities; many of the fashion chains fall into this category and they are not likely to consider Midsomer Norton positively at the moment. The

situation of Midsomer Norton can be illustrated from the current list of requirements for Bath, Frome and Shepton Mallet; there are currently no

national retailer requirements for Midsomer Norton.


National operators that seek wider representation include Costa, Greggs, Poundland and QS; in the appendix we have listed the national retailers which

are looking for representation in similar towns to Midsomer Norton and their space requirements. All of these are possible candidates for space in

Midsomer Norton, probably only after confidence and footfall in the town centre have been increased through the development of a major foodstore in

the town centre.

Regional and local chains, such as L & F Jones’ retail shops (HQ but no shops in Midsomer Norton) and Bath Bakery, are interesting because they know

the trading environment and bring the financial clout and trading experience of a group. There are better prospects for attracting regional and local

chains in the short term than national multiples.

Independents form the majority of traders in Midsomer Norton; they include some excellent examples like Reflections and Miller Ashman; the turnover of independents can be high as entry to the business is relatively easy. In the short to medium term we see independents being an important source of business in the town.

Leisure operators such as cinemas are difficult to attract in the early stages of regeneration; they are rarely viable, even in a more favourable economic context, unless the capital costs are carried by a third party, e.g. a major retail development or a supermarket. The best prospects in the short term are for community facilities (not-for-profit, re-using existing buildings and with overheads reduced by the use of volunteer staff).

Midsomer Norton: Potential Markets

There are several different markets that are (or, most importantly, could be better) served by Midsomer Norton: residents of the town and its Somer Valley

hinterland, who represent a wide range of economic groups, people working in Midsomer Norton and visitors and tourists. There are significant planned

increases in both the working and the resident populations. The opportunities are important.

Midsomer Norton: the Competition

Midsomer Norton loses large amounts of convenience spending:

To alternative centres with a different (often better) supermarket from J Sainsbury, which is the only mainstream supermarket in Midsomer Norton; the

main alternatives recorded are in nearby market towns but Tesco in Paulton is obviously important; some of this loss could be clawed back with

improved supermarket provision in Midsomer Norton

To Bath and Bristol, probably both in and out of centre locations, and much of this loss is linked to commuting trips to the two cities; some of this

outflow will also be linked to trips to Bath and Bristol for comparison shopping or leisure; the linked nature of these trips limits the scope for clawing

back spending for Midsomer Norton. The corollary of this outflow is that Midsomer Norton gains business from the employers located in and near to

the town.


Midsomer Norton loses large amounts of comparison shopping expenditure, principally to Bath and Bristol, but also to retail parks that have developed in

market towns such Shepton Mallet and Trowbridge; whilst there are comparison shops in Midsomer Norton, there are not enough of them, they are not

large enough and they do not offer the feel-good factor that makes for an attractive shopping experience.

The catering offer was mentioned in relation to two centres outside Midsomer Norton: Clark’s Village, which operates as a leisure and shopping experience,

and Wells; however, given the limited offer in Midsomer Norton, it is certain that much larger flows of leisure spending leave the town than is indicated by

the above results, much of it linked to other trip purposes.

Midsomer Norton: Lessons to be Learnt from Elsewhere

We have drawn a number of lessons from the experience of regeneration in Thame and Bridport town centres and from experience of development trusts:

Events are important in drawing people into the centre.

Regeneration takes time, ten years so far in the case of Thame. Indeed the process goes on, as with the maintenance and renewal of any asset.

Supermarkets are critical: their size, quality, location and the relationship to the town centre.

Both towns studied played to their local strengths: tourism and food in Bridport and effective competition with other centres in the case of Thame.

The importance of free parking.

Local and regional multiples as well as independents are an important part of the town centre offer.

Local leadership is important in both cases and development trusts are well established as vehicles for the expression of local leadership and for

promoting change.

Midsomer Norton: Alternative Scenarios and the Way Forward

In the final part of the study we make our recommendations, having reviewed the brief to which we are responding, the planning priorities for Midsomer Norton and the options which we put forward in our proposal. The recommendations are summarised here but set out in full in the section after the Executive Summary entitled “Recommendations: Preferred Way Forward for Midsomer Norton.” In a competitive market it is vital that the town centre should play to its strengths, which we summarise: a retail and leisure offer that for the foreseeable future will mostly rely on independents; a good-looking centre with the river as a distinctive feature, which can become more attractive to visitors; a regional facility (the skateboard park) that can be built on to increase the attraction of the centre to young people; a large and varied catchment population; and strong and ambitious local leadership which has already demonstrated its capability and commitment (with the support of B&NES). We have set out how the national context is currently very favourable for local initiatives.


We report on the scenarios that we evaluated at the interim, brainstorming, stage. From this evaluation we have concluded that the prime determinant of

the future direction and health of the town centre is the next round of supermarket investment: the scale and location of that investment. Our considered

view is that the Councils should aim to secure a substantial supermarket in the town centre. The benefits of this are threefold:

1. It will provide an attractive destination store in the town centre, generating additional footfall and the opportunity for additional trade in the rest of the

town centre; clearly such a supermarket will compete with some existing traders, but experience shows that nimble traders are able to meet this

competition.

2. It will assist the local planning authority to resist out of centre development proposals if the evidence shows that they will have detrimental effects;

such proposals, if implemented, will, in our view, have a detrimental effect on achieving the Council’s objectives and the objectives of the Draft Core

Strategy.

3. By concentrating retail and other services in the town centre where they are accessible on foot, by bicycle and by bus as well as by car, it will make

Midsomer Norton as a whole more sustainable. It will also enhance social cohesion in the town centre.

Whatever happens on the supermarket investment front, there are actions that can be taken in the short term; some of these actions, we suggest, should

be taken regardless of the direction of supermarket investment; they are part of the normal care and maintenance of the town centre.

In the light of the above we have recast the scenarios into four supermarket options and a package of complementary measures (labelled town centre

management, for which we identify priorities).The supermarket options are distinguished by the different patterns of supermarket investment, the first

three being options in which a substantial supermarket is located in the town centre:

1. On South Road car park

2. In the High Street Core

3. As an extension or re-development of the existing Sainsbury’s’ store.

Beyond these three there is a cocktail of options involving major supermarket investment outside the town centre.

Evaluation of the town centre options indicated that issues of land assembly are significant for both the core site and the existing Sainsbury’s store, but

both those schemes could provide direct access to the High Street. However the core site has limited capacity and can be discounted for the present

purpose. The interest of the Sainsbury site lies in the opportunity to offer support for the expansion of the store in return for Sainsbury’s withdrawing their

interest in an out of centre development. On balance the South Road car park site should be promoted.


The Core Site as a Linking Developments

On the assumption that the preferred option of a supermarket on the South Road car park is implemented, we have prepared proposals for the core site to

maximise connectivity between the new supermarket and the High Street. A significant link could be achieved on any one of the three ownerships (which all

run from South Road to the High Street) and indeed, alternatively, at either end of the site. The scheme presented relates to the central ownership parcel.

The key features of the scheme we have proposed are: it sits at a crossroads location on the main movement patterns in the town centre; a two/three story

development is envisaged, utilising the level changes across the site; it provides an attractive link between the proposed supermarket and the High Street; a

mix of uses including shops, a restaurant and business units; a development that is capable of expansion to either side as and when land becomes available;

a new courtyard with expanded frontage to the river. The redevelopment of the core site is unlikely to be commercially viable; it should however be seen as

a vital regeneration project to ensure that the High Street secures the maximum benefit from a new supermarket on South Street; in this context the deficit

funding of the core site should be tied to the development of the supermarket.

If the redevelopment of the core site nevertheless proved unviable, then an interim solution, pending an improvement in values, would be to improve,

perhaps with an attractive art scheme, the current link between South Road and the High Street at the southern end of the site between Norton Fried

Chicken and the Charcoal Grill.

The business units are potentially the hub of a chain of business units, both on the core site and elsewhere in suitable units in the town centre; they need to

be managed, for example by a locally controlled development vehicle. They could play an important part in increasing employment, and hence workplace-

based retail and leisure spending, in the town centre.

Whilst we have focused on a supermarket scenario and related proposals for the core site, it should be emphasised that the most productive approach for

the town centre is not a single scenario or master plan but a series of initiatives, each preparing the ground for the next initiative, for example through

increased footfall and rent.


Recommendations: Preferred Way Forward for Midsomer Norton From the evaluation undertaken at the interim stage we have concluded that the prime determinant of the future direction and health of the town centre is

the next round of supermarket investment: the scale and location of that investment. The footfall generated, and the turnover attracted, by a major

supermarket is so great that any new development will have a major effect on the trading prospects of the town centre, effects that may be positive or

negative. We believe this is the most effective way to play to the strengths of Midsomer Norton. Our considered view is that the Councils should aim to

secure a substantial supermarket in the town centre. The benefits of this are threefold:

1. It will provide an attractive destination store in the town centre, generating additional footfall and the opportunity for additional trade in the rest of the

town centre; clearly such a supermarket will compete with some existing traders, but experience shows that nimble traders are able to meet this

competition through changes in their product range or service offer. It will also help to maintain the viability of public services in the town centre e.g.

the library.

2. It will assist the local planning authority to resist out of centre development proposals if the evidence shows that they will have detrimental effects;

such proposals, if implemented, will, in our view, have a detrimental effect on achieving the Council’s objectives and the objectives of the Core Strategy.

3. By concentrating retail and other services in the town centre where they are accessible on foot, by bicycle and by bus as well as by car, it will make

Midsomer Norton as a whole more sustainable. It will also enhance social cohesion as the town centre in its present form appeals to increasingly limited

sectors of the population.

Whatever happens on the supermarket investment front, there are actions that can be taken in the short term; some of these actions, we suggest, should

be taken regardless of the direction of supermarket investment; they are part of the normal care and maintenance of the town centre.

In the light of the above we have recast the scenarios A to Eb above into four supermarket options and a package of complementary measures (labelled

town centre management) which draws on scenarios A to D and other sources. The town centre management package comprises actions, programmes and

initiatives that should either complement a major in-town centre supermarket investment or be implemented as an urgent campaign if a major in-town

centre supermarket cannot be achieved.


The supermarket options are distinguished by the different patterns of supermarket investment, the first three being options in which a substantial

supermarket is located in the town centre:

1. On South Road car park (Figure 1)

2. As an extension or re-development of the existing Sainsbury’s’ store (Figure 2)

3. In the High Street Core (Figure 3)

Beyond these three there is a cocktail of options involving major supermarket investment outside the town centre; the known proposals or possibilities are:

a. Sainsbury’s build 55,000 sq.ft. at Westfield

b. Tesco extend their store at Paulton

c. A supermarket is developed at the Welton Bag site.

There could also be a number of combinations of these out-of-centre proposals.

The existence of three sites in the town centre with potential for supermarket development is valuable if the planning authority is minded to resist

proposals for out of town centre supermarkets.


Figure 1 Evaluation of Supermarket Options: South Road Car Park


Figure 2 Evaluation of Supermarket Options: Sainsbury’s Site


Figure 3 Evaluation of Supermarket Options: Core Site


In the table below we set out an evaluation of these options:

Evaluation of Supermarket Options Site/Criteria South Road car park, town

centre (Figure 1) Existing JS store, town centre (Figure 2)

Core site, town centre (Figure 3)

Out of town centre

Site capacity, sufficient? Max 60,000 sq.ft. total & 301 car parking spaces, subject to planning. Sufficient

45,000 sq.ft. sales plus 10,000 sq.ft. storage. 110 car parking spaces on site plus ready access to Pows Orchard/The Hollies and JS car parks (151 spaces) Sufficient

25,000 sq.ft. sales plus 10,000 sq.ft. storage; 70 car parking spaces on site plus ready access to South Road car park (286 spaces) Insufficient

By definition sufficient: will be defined by supermarket operator

Effectiveness, in contributing to TC regeneration

Detached by one block (core site) from High Street; requires attractive linking development on core site

Integrates directly with the town centre with frontage to High Street. Stimulus for redevelopment of core site.

Integrates directly with the town centre with frontage to High Street.

Very detrimental to the town centre

Site/Criteria South Road car park, town centre (Figures 1 & 4)

Existing JS store, town centre (Figure 3 & 5)

Core site, town centre (Figure 2 & 4)

Out of town centre

Deliverability Issues to be addressed:

One site to be acquired

Considerable level difference on site

Possible contamination

Major car park out of use during construction

Issues to be addressed:

Secure JS agreement

Acquire additional land (shops and greenspace)

Three main and other lesser landownerships to be acquired.

Operators acquire land/option; major hurdle is planning consent; developments contrary to planning policy; robust evidence will be required.

Other Most of site owned by B&NES; important potential capital receipt.


Issues of land assembly are significant for both the core site and the existing Sainsbury’s store, but those schemes could provide direct access to the High

Street. However the core site has limited capacity and can be discounted for the present purpose. The interest of the Sainsbury site lies in the opportunity

to offer support for the expansion of the store in return for Sainsbury’s withdrawing their interest in an out of centre development. On balance the South

Road car park site should be promoted. The existence of all three sites is itself useful ammunition in addressing out of centre proposals.

The following diagrams show the different options together with related consequences and actions to address them: 1. Deep brown: develop on South Road car park (Figure 4) 2. Yellow: extend existing Sainsbury’s (Figure 5) 3. Blue: develop on Core (our) site ( Figure 6) The plum coloured diagram (Figure 7) illustrates the scenario in which the town centre supermarket proposals all fail and a substantial supermarket is developed out of centre. The final diagram (Figure 8) sets out a number of initiatives which we have termed town centre management because they are part of the regular

maintenance and renewal of any centre that wants to remain competitive. Clearly much greater effort needs to be put into them if the fourth scenario

happens. We suggest the following priorities:

1. Initiatives and programmes already underway which need to continue:

a. Events and programmes to raise profile of town centre & attract people to it

b. Continuing improvement of the public realm, which includes cleansing and maintenance.

2. Initiatives that should yield significant early returns:

a. A special development vehicle, which relates to both retail and non-retail businesses.

b. Business Improvement District

These two initiatives involve raising money to be spent for the benefit of the town centre and it may be appropriate to merge them, possibly

starting with the development vehicle which can be established relatively quickly and which could, having initiated some positive changes in the

town centre and gained the confidence of the business community, promote a Business Improvement District. It could build on the existing Town

Trust.

3. Development of a food (or other specialist) theme

4. A number of other initiatives that will contribute to health of the town centre:

a. Midsomer Norton Savings & Loans Institution (Bank)

b. Skills and business development training

c. Introduce the Midsomer Norton £


d. Social networking promotion

The Council has rightly highlighted the issue of quality of development; supported by the planning policies for the conservation area, this can be achieved

through the controls made possible by landownership, through development control or through persuasion. The Council should also set a standard with any

development of its own.


Figure 4 Supermarket Options & their Consequences/Opportunities/Threats: South Road Car Park

Resist applications for out-of-centre supermarkets

Build attractive link route from South Road CP to town

centre (five options):

1. Middle section of core site

2. Palladium site

3. Brewery site

4. South of core site

5. North of core site

J Sainsbury succeed with application in Westfield

JS TC store retained by

JS &

held vacant indefinitely

JS TC store retained by JS

&

operated as a supermarket

JS TC store vacated and

sold to anyone but a

supermarket operator

Opportunity to introduce

a good medium format

store to Midsomer

Norton

A major blank in the

core retail frontage:

Scope for Council or

Development

Vehicle to negotiate

a people-drawing

use e.g. market,

concerts or non-

threatening (to JS)

tenant e.g. in

fashion

Negotiate re-

orientation of

store (to relate to

High Street) as

condition of

Westfield

consent

No further out-of-town centre supermarket development

Proceed with next rounds of regeneration of the town

centre:

Independents

Local & regional chains, wide distribution national

chains e.g. Boots, Costa

Other national chains?

Proceed urgently with next rounds of regeneration of the town centre:

Independents

Local & regional chains, wide distribution national chains e.g. Boots, Costa


Supermarket on South Road car park

40,000 sq.ft. without land assembly

55,000 sq.ft. with land assembly

Space for petrol filling station?


Figure 5 Supermarket Options & their Consequences/Opportunities/Threats: Develop Existing Sainsbury’s’ Store

Extend existing Sainsbury’s:

Frontage on and to High Street (as well as access to rear car park)

55,000 sq.ft.

Need to replace The Hollies green space

Requires acquisition of adjacent premises



Test market & planning precedent for effectiveness of new supermarket as

defence against out of centre proposals

Another supermarket operator succeeds with

application in Westfield

Or another major supermarket on Welton

Bag site

Or Tesco extend their Paulton store

significantly

No need for linking or other development, but

incentive to develop core site will be increased

Proceed with next rounds of regeneration of the

town centre:

Independents

Local & regional chains, wide distribution

national chains e.g. Boots, Costa


Lends urgency to proceeding with next

rounds of regeneration of the town centre:

Independents





Figure 6 Supermarket Options & their Consequences/Opportunities/Threats: Core Site

Supermarket in the High Street Core (Farthing, Palladium, Brewery & others)

Requires land assembly by negotiation or CPO

33,000 sq.ft. net sales possible on three main ownerships

Store double-oriented: south to car park, north to High Street



Test market & planning precedent for effectiveness of smaller supermarket as defence against

out of centre proposals

J Sainsbury succeed with application in Westfield

A major blank in the core retail

frontage

Scope for Council or

Development Vehicle to

negotiate a people-drawing

use e.g. market, concerts or

non-threatening (to JS) tenant

JS TC store

retained by JS &

Held vacant

indefinitely

JS TC store

retained by JS &

Operated as a

supermarket

JS TC store vacated

and sold to anyone

but a supermarket

operator

Work with JS as

condition of Westfield

for re-orientation of

store to relate to High

Street

No need for linking development

Opportunity to

introduce a good

medium format store

to Midsomer Norton

Proceed with next rounds of regeneration of

the town centre:

Independents





Independents

Local and regional chains, wide distribution national chains e.g. Boots, Costa



Figure 7 Supermarket Options & their Consequences/Opportunities/Threats: No New Town Centre Supermarket;

Supermarket Developed Outside Town Centre

JS town centre store retained by JS &

held vacant indefinitely

Supermarket proposals in town centre fail

&

J Sainsbury develop a substantial supermarket outside the town centre

JS town centre store retained by JS &

operated as a supermarket

Negotiate re-orientation of store (to

relate to High Street) as condition of

Westfield consent

Opportunity to introduce good

medium format store to

Midsomer Norton e.g.

JS town centre store vacated &

sold to anyone but a supermarket

operator

A major blank in the core retail

frontage:

Scope for Council or Development

Vehicle to negotiate a people-drawing

uses e.g. markets, concerts or to

negotiate non-threatening (to JS)

tenant e.g. fashion


Independents

Local and regional chains, wide distribution national chains e.g. Boots, Costa



Figure 8: Town Centre Management

TOWN CENTRE MANAGEMENT

Development Vehicle established to:

Acquire leases or freeholds of key town centre retail

premises for letting to targeted retailers

(independents & local chains)

Acquire leases or freeholds of town centre premises

(a hub and in other off-peak locations) for

letting/licensing to self-employed and small

businesses

Events and programmes to raise profile of

town centre & attract people to it, e.g.

Go Skateboarding Day

Expand Farmers’ Market

The recent Battle for the Winds

Arts & cultural events

Sports (schools & other)

Development of a food (or other specialist)

theme:

Retail

Catering

Wholesale

Training & Teaching

Markets & Festivals

Social network links e.g. for recipes and

hints

Craft food production

Ancillary products e.g. kitchenware

Tourism marketing

Local radio links

Social networking promotion for:

Boosting sales of TC retailers

Promoting small business opportunities to

young people

Linking local firms to sources of advice &

expertise

Business Improvement District to:

Prepare business plan for town centre

improvement initiatives e.g. public realm,

events, food theme, town guides

Raise funds from TC businesses (subject

to vote)

Raise funds from other sources e.g. s.106,

cloud funding

Implement plan

Might be handled by development vehicle

or town council

Continuing improvement of the public realm e.g.

River

Easier and safer pedestrian movement

Appearance & stability of key buildings

Midsomer Norton Savings & Loans

Institution (Bank)

To lend to local SME’s including

shops

Funded by wealthy local firms and

individuals

Model: the Bank of Dave

Skills and business development training:

Targets: town centre shops & services &

small businesses

Training vehicles:

o Links with local colleges

o Peers

Introduce the Midsomer Norton £


The Core Site as a Linking Development On the assumption that the preferred option of a supermarket on the South Road car park is implemented, we have prepared proposals for the core site to

maximise connectivity between the new supermarket and the High Street. The linking development would however still be valid if the supermarket were

not built in order to link the largest car park in the town centre to the High Street.

We understand there are three principal owners of the core site and the site offers considerable flexibility as to how it is developed. Ideally, given the poor

and unsightly state of the buildings, the whole site would be redeveloped at the same time. However that makes for quite a large scheme and it maximises

the scale of land assembly required. A significant link could be achieved on any one of the three ownerships (which all run from South Road to the High

Street) and indeed, alternatively, at either end of the site.

The main constraints that we have identified, without surveys, are:

The change of level across the site, which is both a constraint on cost grounds and an opportunity to plan at different levels.

The potential flood risk

Existing buildings on site, both a design constraint and an opportunity. The Brewery and Palladium are important buildings in the town’s history, and

there are some potentially interesting structures embedded in the rear site. Cleaned and restored the Brewery could become a landmark building in the

street scene. All of the existing buildings offer the opportunity to create the unique “character” spaces sought in today’s competitive market.

Potential ground constraints and contamination.

Landownerships to be acquired, which can be mitigated as a constraint through phasing.

Road access and deliveries.

In planning terms the constraints are likely to be those of detailed design; in the adopted local plan the site lies within the town centre and the

conservation area; the frontage forms part of the primary shopping frontage; it also lies within the town centre in the Draft Core Strategy.

In order to expedite progress and to create flexible possibilities of subsequent expansion of the scheme, we have prepared outline proposals for the middle

site (Figures 9A, 9B and 9C). Key features of the scheme are:

It will sit at the crossroads of movement within the town centre and will become the natural point to showcase town life: events, schools’ activities, leisure,

children’s activities, local people’s products and services etc.

A two/three storey development with a pedestrian route running between South Road and the High Road


Shops and other features to sustain the interest of shoppers as they make their way between the supermarket and the High Street; the multiples

described in Chapter 3, e.g. Costa Coffee and Edinburgh Woollen Mill could be accommodated in this scheme as the layout of the space is flexible,

capable of providing units up to 10,000 sq.ft.; however these firms are not currently candidates for Midsomer Norton and it needs a major supermarket

to be built before they might be interested. The units could also be suitable for independent traders.

A new courtyard to make best use of the river frontage

A mix of uses including shops, restaurant and a small business hub.

The business hub could be expanded, particularly on upper floors, to become the main focus of small firms and new jobs in the town. Figure 7B shows

how the hub could be expanded on to the two adjacent sites to give units in the 200 – 2000 sq ft size range, managed by the development vehicle. This

expansion follows the footprint of the Palladium and The Brewery Building, which, if restored and converted, could become one of the most attractive

buildings in the High Street.

Units designed to be capable of expansion onto plots at either side as and when land becomes available (Figure 9B, Later Possibilities)

It is not an end-state building but rather a sheltered flexible framework within which people can try new ideas and go on to develop them in different ways

as the centre develops. The small shops may succeed and expand into larger ones. They may eventually be replaced by some of the better-known retail

names, if a supermarket comes to South Road and the town becomes more of a destination. Alternatively small units may support a theme for the town,

such as high quality food. Or kiosks may take off as a permanent market, expanding back into a Market Hall in the Brewery and Palladium Buildings.

The scheme is unlikely to be commercially viable; it should however be seen as a regeneration project designed to “Strengthen the shopping offer in Midsomer Norton town centre to serve the Somer Valley by facilitating redevelopment and improving the public realm. “ (Draft Core Strategy, Policy SV1). It will probably be a suitable project to be undertaken by the development vehicle. The Local Economic Partnership may be a source of funds for this project.

If the redevelopment of the core site proved unviable, that is, if insufficient grant or soft loans from local sources are available, then an interim solution, pending an improvement in values, would be to improve, perhaps with an attractive art scheme, the current link between South Road and the High Street at the southern end of the site between Norton Fried Chicken and the Charcoal Grill.


Town Centre Regeneration: a Continuing Process

The most productive approach for the town centre is not a single scenario or master plan but a series of initiatives, each preparing the ground for the next

initiative, for example through increased footfall and rent.

A possible sequence might run as follows:

1. The in-town supermarket option. This is the first step for a number of reasons:

It will be attractive to a developer and supermarket operator at this early stage in the regeneration of the town centre

It will provide support for the Council’s case, if it should choose to refuse planning permission for the proposed out of town centre supermarket

expansion and development

It should, provided an effective and attractive link can be created, generate significant additional footfall in the town centre for the benefit of

other traders and community facilities.

2. As footfall increases and confidence in the town centre grows, the centre will become more attractive to other traders, initially independents, who

know the area and who can fit into existing premises more readily than multiples; this might be linked to a food focus.

3. If steps 1 and 2 are successful, footfall, values and confidence should have increased sufficiently to market Midsomer Norton to certain regional and

national multiples.

4. The town centre then becomes, by dint of

a. an improved retail and catering offer,

b. the special interest of the food campaign and

c. the care applied to the historic fabric,

attractive to tourists in greater numbers.

Employment and Small Business Development

Given the risk to current sources of employment in the town and the unsustainability of high and increasing levels of commuting, it is important to consider

how the town centre might contribute to higher levels of local employment. At this stage in its regeneration Midsomer Norton cannot be considered a

competitive office location e.g. for offices that might relocate from Bath or Bristol. Retail and related services will, if successfully expanded in the town

centre, generate additional jobs requiring a range of skills. Further jobs will need to be generated in new and small businesses. Some of the underused

premises should be considered for small business use e.g. the B&NES offices and the town council’s offices; shops in secondary locations could also be


considered for small business, possibly for firms which are non-retail but for which a face to the public is useful. Premises over shops could also be suitable.

Promotion of small business would require a flexible planning approach and would benefit from supportive action from schools and colleges. A

development vehicle could facilitate the availability of premises. Even if the units could not realistically be in one building, there would be merit in creating

a hub for SME’s (e.g. in the core site), with a single management and a number of shared facilities e.g. meeting rooms; this would help to promote inter-

trading between the tenants and enable support services to be provided. This initiative would need to tap various sources of funds, for example the s.106

contribution of £445,000.


Appendices

1 Introduction

2 Midsomer Norton: the Offer

3 Midsomer Norton: Retail and Leisure Operator Demand

4 Midsomer Norton: Potential Markets

5 Midsomer Norton: The Competition

6 Midsomer Norton: Lessons to be Learnt from Elsewhere

7 Midsomer Norton: Alternative Scenarios


1. Introduction

The Council’s Brief

Our advice has been prepared in response to the Town Council’s Study Brief “Retail Core Feasibility Study”, key phrases from which are:

“In its quest for a proactive approach, the Midsomer Norton Economic Development Partnership[ (MSNEDP) recently identified an opportunity to develop a range of options to stimulate and enhance the retail core offering focusing on the area from Fat SAMs to the Palladium but within the overall high street retail core from Martins to the Island.”

Underlying the Brief is the commitment in the Bath & NE Somerset Council’s Draft Core Strategy to “strengthen Midsomer Norton’s Town Centre by facilitating redevelopment and improving the public realm. Midsomer Norton is seen as being the principal market town centre of the Somer Valley with a catchment population of approx. 46,000.”

Whilst the Brief focuses on the core site, it rightly puts that issue into the context of the role of the town centre in its wider catchment area, which includes the centres with which Midsomer Norton competes. We have taken this context seriously firstly because it gives important messages about what might be viable on the core site and secondly because the future health of the town centre may depend on other actions alongside, or, even in the short term instead of, the redevelopment of the site.

Research Undertaken

The following tasks have helped to provide a picture of the position and prospects of the town centre:

A profile of the catchment or market area of the town including changes such as additional housebuilding or changes in employment numbers; the profile includes the key socio-economic characteristics.

A profile and critical appraisal of the town centre of Midsomer Norton, using sources such as Goad maps and reports and through observation in the town centre: a. Retail, leisure and service outlet mix b. Rents and footfall c. Key access points, e.g. car parks, public transport, pedestrians, and movement patterns d. Key attractors and stores, including services such as the schools, which bring many people into the town each day e. Recent and planned changes and developments f. Public realm and ambience g. Primary and secondary frontages

Examination of other town centres:


a. Those that compete with Midsomer Norton e.g. Bath and Frome. b. Centres elsewhere in the country with similar catchment characteristics which can provide useful lessons for the future development of the town.

Face to face interviews with 12 retailers, leisure providers and other businesses/facilities in the town centre in order to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats both of Midsomer Norton as a shopping centre and of the competing centres.

Analysis of the potential for development and refurbishment of the core site, as a whole and in parts: development constraints and opportunities, alternative options and their viability and how they might be delivered.

The above evidence was assembled and reviewed in a brainstorming meeting on 12th July. The brainstorming session also considered the options that we have considered for the future of the town centre and the team’s recommended vision of the future role and functions of the town centre.

Throughout the process soundings have been taken with retailers and leisure operators to assess their response to Midsomer Norton as a possible trading location.

An issue which is central to any strategy for the town centre is the emerging proposals for out-of-centre supermarkets. This has had to be a driving factor in our recommendations. Much of the evidence will be familiar to the Council and others with an interest in the town. Nevertheless we reproduce it, as succinctly as we can, in this report because the evidence and our interpretation of it are fundamental to the advice we are giving on the town centre.

Key Strands

There are key strands that run through our advice on the town centre; we introduce them at the beginning of the report because they should be borne in

mind when readers consider the evidence, as well as the recommendations:

Strengthening the town centre is not a one-off initiative; it is a continuous process which needs to go on in the long term, indeed forever. Regeneration

in a market economy is a process of generating increasing business and value, such that each round of investment and improvement opens new

opportunities e.g. in the early stages it will be easier to attract local independents to open shops in town than national multiples; later, once footfall

and confidence have increased, it will be possible to attract the national multiples who look for representation in a wide range of communities.

The town centre may be in myriad ownerships and tenancies, but it should be considered as a single living entity: it has an image and a role in the eyes

of others, especially its customers, and that role and image needs to be maintained and updated constantly. Shopping malls are the classic example of a

managed retail offer. Recognition of the need to manage town centres has belatedly been recognised in the current political support being given to

town centre management initiatives: the Portas Report and the Government’s Response, Portas towns and various guides to which we refer in Chapter

6.


The Context to Council’s Brief says: “There is, however, strong leadership with a vision”. This strong local leadership is one of the greatest assets of

Midsomer Norton and will be critical to the future health of the town centre. Actions have already been initiated, with good effect, and this report

provides a full agenda for further action by local leadership, and not just the Council.

Report Layout

The evidence and our advice are presented in the following sequence in order to tell a story:

What does Midsomer Norton have to offer its customers at the moment?

Who are those customers i.e. what markets could be (better) served by Midsomer Norton?

What is the competition; where else do Midsomer Norton’s customers go and for what types of shopping?

Are there useful lessons to be learnt from other towns, about town centre improvement and about local vehicles such as development trusts?

Where does this evidence lead in terms of alternative futures for Midsomer Norton and which look most likely to deliver the Council’s objectives; what

does that say for the future of the core site?

Much of the report has been written in tabular form; we believe that makes accessing the information easier. It also makes for a more succinct report

without loss of information or analysis.

Acknowledgements

As relative strangers to Midsomer Norton we had a lot to learn in order to gain some understanding of the character and dynamics of the town and the town centre. We have enjoyed full and enthusiastic support from the District and Town Councils in the supply of information and in opening doors to meet key people in the town. We have also had very helpful responses from all the people we have interviewed; no-one has refused an interview and people have been frank and informative in responding to our questions. Underlying these responses is a very strong commitment to the town and town centre. We are grateful for this support and hope that we have done justice to these contributions in our advice.

The interviews have an importance beyond the information and views that have been imparted: the future of the town centre depends on strong local leadership and engagement (i.e. continuing dialogue and participation e.g. through investment) and local businesses are likely to have a major role in the rejuvenation of the town centre. We enlarge on this key issue later in the report.


2. Midsomer Norton: the Offer The profile below derives from our own observation of the town centre, from comments made in the interviews and from other reports on the centre. It is

followed by an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Midsomer Norton as a place to run a retail or leisure business.

Profile and critical appraisal of the town centre of Midsomer Norton

Features Commentary Retail, leisure and service outlet mix. Key attractors and stores, including services such as the Methodist Church, which brings many people into the town each day.

Few multiples: J Sainsbury, Lidl, Martin’s, M & Co, Argos, Lloyds Pharmacy, banks, building societies; proportion is significantly below national average. Even for Boots, one has to travel to Bath or Frome Many independents. Destination independents (drawing significant trade from beyond the town (including by internet) include Jacaranda Café, BA3 (on the back of the regional pull of the skateboard park), Moody Goose Restaurant (and Rooms) and others. Many public and commercial services drawing people to town: Midsomer Norton Primary School, the Methodist Church, solicitors, doctors, dentists, post office, library…… There is no tourist office in Midsomer Norton. Other facilities near the town centre include the skateboard park and the leisure centre Midsomer Norton has a Farmers Market on the first Saturday of every month in the Methodist Church on the High Street and features stalls selling meats, fish, fruits and vegetables, cheeses, organic quiches and salads and herbs.

Rents and footfall, primary and secondary frontages

Core of centre is the length of the River; secondary frontages are from the River to Lidl and around the Island, and tertiary frontages are from Lidl to Stone Cross. Rents and prices for retail premises very low (in investment terms): £10-£13 per sq.ft. overall; Zone A would be higher; £100-£140 per sq.ft. capital value. This range of overall rents compares with around £30 per sq.ft. in Frome and £10-£15 per sq.ft. in Shepton Mallet. The High Street is very long and lacks a clear prime pitch. A number of non-retail frontages interrupt the shopping frontage: residential at 28-31 and 93-97, the Methodist Church and the B&NES Council Offices; Sainsbury’s also faces away from the High Street and presents a blank façade to the street.


Holly Court has been developed as a two-storey mall, but, in spite of forming one of the possible links between South Road car park and the High Street, it offers only very small units, a number of which are vacant, and it does not appear to be at all successful. It demonstrates that any link will have to be attractive in its own right to be successful as a link. Footfall is strongest in the section where the River is open; it is reportedly weak on Saturday afternoon and, some say, on Saturday morning. Secondary locations: M & Co, Lidl and Argos are the only significant stores in the eastern end of the High Street; other shops in this area are small, very mixed with neither a special focus nor a local parade type of offer; a number are in service uses e.g. estate agent, solicitor, building society. The Island area is similar in commercial character, albeit without the larger multiple units; it does however contain one or two destination shops, Casswells, Docky’s Deli and Hobbs (sports goods).

Key access points, e.g. car parks, public transport, pedestrians, and movement patterns

For pedestrians the town centre sits centrally within the built-up areas; however some are beyond walking distance. Within the centre there is a number of places where pavements are narrow or non-existent , for example the western end of the High Street, where it curves up the hill towards the parish church. The garden at the Hollies forms an attractive pedestrian and sitting area, but it does not represent an easy link between Sainsbury’s and the town centre. Apart from at the traffic light junction of the High Street and Silver Street, there are no controlled or zebra crossings on the High Street, which can make crossing tricky as traffic on a one-way street tends to move quite quickly. On the south side the landscaped river makes for a very pleasant pedestrian environment in the core of the centre. The disposition of the car parks, the orientation of Sainsbury’s and the lack of other significant retail frontages on the north side mean that the south side of the High Street effectively operates as a one-sided shopping street. It is also noticeable that there is no controlled or zebra crossing on the important pedestrian route from South Road car park to the High Street. The principal entry points to the town centre (car parks) are:

The west end of the High Street to Sainsbury’s car park or off the middle of the High Street adjacent to the Methodist Church Hall

Silver Street and High Street into South Road and the South Road car park

High Street into the car parks adjacent to Argos, Lidl and M & Co.


Signage to Midsomer Norton from outside the town is poor. Similarly directions within the town centre are not clear, which is critical, not just for getting to the shops but because the one-way street can mean long detours if a turn is missed. The Somerset and Dorset Railway route now forms part of the National Cycle Network (Colliers Way) connecting Bath to the South Coast. The route runs some way north of the town centre. (Question: is town centre signposted on the route as it passes through Midsomer Norton?) The short term parking bays on the High Street are useful for people making a quick errand; they also have the useful effect of slowing the traffic on the one-way street. There is no bus station but there are bus stops in the High Street. B&NES car parks (all free): 1. South Road: approx. 286 spaces 2. Pows orchard/The Hollies: 84 spaces* 3. Leisure Centre: 71 spaces Other car parks (all free, usually for customers only): 1. Sainsbury’s: 67 spaces* 2. Lidl: 80 spaces 3. M & Co: 30 spaces 4. Argos: 70 spaces *(Goad estimate a total of 250 spaces in the Hollies/Sainsbury’s area; the above figures are taken from B&NES’ and Sainsbury’s’ websites.) The car parks either side of the High Street core are well located but movement from them to the High Street is not easy or encouraged. The free car parks are probably the single most frequently mentioned (by our interviewees) good feature of the town centre.


Midsomer Norton: SWOT Analysis

Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

Responses These statements are almost all drawn directly from the interviews. We do not necessarily endorse them nor have we checked their truth.

Strengths Retail & leisure services Good for cafes, friendly (Café) business often full Many smaller independents Independent traders who have adapted to changing market demand and to new competition.

Markets served Lack of competition (no other PO’s in town) Local focal point for 14 parishes Lunchtime trade from the industrial estates Main customers are young mums with pre-school children Midsomer Norton attracts some tourists; café attracts customers from Bristol, Bath and Keynsham Restaurant attracts customers from Bath, Bristol, Wells etc; hotel rooms draw customers from national market Good bus service to villages and Bath and Bristol Close to rail network (for destination business) Schools in and near to town centre, generating footfall

Access Free car parking; plenty of it (several respondents) N.B. other CP’s in B&NES are Pay and Display; Nice atmosphere due to River (several mentions) Good appearance thanks to flowers.

Other Norton Hill and Somer Vale (Secondary) Schools are good. Sense of community, very loyal customer base (several mentions) Town Council and Chamber of Commerce are very active A pleasant working environment A strong sense of community and a loyal workforce


Weaknesses Retail and leisure services Midsomer Norton leisure offer limited to pubs, one or two of them unattractive sometimes threatening Hotel/restaurant guests disappointed by town e.g. ongoing saga of disturbance/intimidation around Greyhound PH Some independents flourish in spite of the town centre Multiple grocer competition growing in all areas damaging/destroying independent business Saturday afternoon very quiet; not a place for leisure shopping. Evenings are very quiet No reason to come to town centre on Saturday morning On-line trading Loss of shops that are a destination; offer limited to those who live or work in Midsomer Norton Poor mix of shops in High Street, limited range of shops (several mentions) Too many charity shops but they are better than vacant premises Too many takeaways; too many pubs Shops too small. No butcher or fishmonger No men’s or women’s wear shops esp for young people Empty shops (several mentions)

Markets served Many customers with low spend New residents not spending in Midsomer Norton Closure of local firms (several mentions); staff were skilled and well paid Many young people are brand-driven (Next, River Island, …..) and will not use a town centre independent even if it stocks good clothing

Access One way system makes for long detour if turning missed Traffic backing up at the lights at the junction of High Street and Silver Street Signage to South Road car park and from there to High Street shops poor. No protected pedestrian crossing points on High Street (except at lights) or South Road adjacent to the car park Internet slow at times Traffic congestion can be a problem


Rent and rates Business rates are too close to those of Bath premises; rates relief of limited help as RV’s are too high. Reportedly rates were an issue for Paperworks Plus who have recently relocated and downsized. Rents are high c.f. Paperworks Plus’ premises reported taken by charity, who outbid several retailers. Charity reported to pay no rates and to employ voluntary staff, giving them an advantage in bidding for premises. Owner of former Channel 5 shop willing to negotiate rents but most will not.

Other Expectation of “pretty Cotswold town” unfulfilled. High Street is a mess e.g. broken and untidy paving; infrastructure & public realm poor

Opportunities Retail and leisure services Need bigger units in order to widen range of shops (several mentions) e.g. New Look Larger supermarket on South Road car park with link through to High Street. Supermarket and car park should take whole of South Road car park and the Palladium/Brewery sites. Use vacated (?) JS site for leisure and fast food e.g. bowling and McDonald’s. Bring Lidl and M & Co into core of centre and grant them planning permission for residential development. Get quirky shops Support for larger supermarket with petrol filling station on South Road car park; bigger and better supermarket e.g. Waitrose or M & S Need M & S or good independents to create a destination The rebirth of our high streets with local people running businesses supported by local people Need good clothing store e.g. M & S, Next, Bhs, New Look Internet sales have provided good growth for some retailers in town centre Re-position town centre for a livelier evening economy Hotel or hostel to serve skate park which draws customers from wide area e.g. Swindon, Bristol, Bath, Plymouth When the former Morrison’s store closed for refurbishment by Sainsbury’s, there was a marked fall in footfall in the High Street Better leisure offer Late opening

Markets Retired people and similar groups, having time, shop as a social activity (aiming to meet people).


Large (quoted as 50,000) and attractive catchment population (several mentions) Housing development in Midsomer Norton and Peasedown: additional customers with good incomes Skatepark, opened in 2010, brings customers from miles around, on foot from the villages and by train and bus from places such as Swindon, by car from Bath (parents) More employment in the town to reduce need to commute and consequent loss of retail spending

Access and environment Town setting, broad High Street offers potential Signage into and within Midsomer Norton is poor Add lighting on the river

Events Hold a Go Skateboarding Day (21st June each year in multiple locations round the world) Uplifting events that boost confidence and make people more inclined to spend; recent examples include Jubilee and passing of the Olympic torch Need an event each month to raise profile, or installations, anything……farmers’ markets, vintage clothing markets

Implementation and management issues Many buildings owned by trusts (charities and groups of individuals) B&NES building in High Street underused but in conspicuous location Grounds/scope for a class RV appeal on behalf of town centre traders? Support for development vehicle that could acquire (leases of) town centre premises and let them to suitable target tenants which would have been identified beforehand. Community Alcohol Partnership helping to make people feel safe in town centre Limit scale of projects in order to reduce the number of (often disagreeing) parties involved.


Threats Retail and leisure services Threatened supermarket proposals Supermarket opening/expansion provokes marked drop in independents’ ordering from wholesaler/cash and carry; Supermarket impact felt in relation to specific product ranges e.g. cheap confectionery for the Post Office/shop Supermarket threat realised in Shepton Mallet: Tesco moved out of town centre and TC declined, then Tesco moved back to near TC with adjacent retail park but TC has failed to regenerate. JS relocating to Westfield: a threat to the High Street; JS would also draw trade from nearby industrial estates, at expense of town centre. A bigger supermarket will match the retail offer of more traders in the town (several mentions) Supermarket needs petrol filling station. Reportedly LA gave Tesco planning permission for the Paulton store with an agreement that Tesco would build a retail parade in the town centre, but this has not been delivered. The high street continues to be one of the most vulnerable parts of the economy with pressure now not only from other retailers but the internet which is a force for good and bad. Many specialist retailers no longer need a high street presence as they can operate their business via the internet. More and more shoppers also are choosing the internet as a preferred method to shop.

Markets Busy/working people shop out of area (sometimes out of choice as well as because of where they work): they are less likely to meet people and it is more efficient Growth in commuting which already takes people and their money to Bath, Bristol, London and Cardiff; unhealthy pattern of loss of local jobs, housebuilding and supermarket development (several mentions, especially re loss of jobs); commuting judged to affect lunch not dinner business (restaurant) Economic climate, mainly its impact on confidence and the willingness of people to spend the money they do have; old people especially affected by confidence. Economy is reducing corporate business and the frequency of dining out

Access Car parks need management in order to provide fairly for shoppers and for employees High cost of vehicle fuel deters trips esp for small items

Other Ban on flowers in NHS hospitals


Conclusions

Key findings from this appraisal, which includes important comments about the markets served, or not served, by Midsomer Norton are:

There are few multiple shops in the town centre, which is consequently dependent on independents, several of which are dynamic businesses.

The Sainsbury’s supermarket is relatively small, has no real competition in the town centre, but it faces significant competition from supermarkets

elsewhere. There is a demand for a bigger, better supermarket. People recall when Morrisons was closed, sold to Sainsbury’s and refurbished: trade in

the town centre fell.

The town centre offers a good array of services that bring people into the centre e.g. schools and the Methodist Church

A few shops and services bring people in from a wider area than the town and its Somer Valley hinterland: e.g. Jacaranda and Moody Goose, the skate

board park (almost the only facility for young people) and specialist shops such as Hobbs.

The High Street is very long and suffers from major gaps in the shopping frontage, especially on the north side.

There is a lack of pedestrian crossings on the main desire lines over the High Street and South Road (for the car park)

Signage to the town and within the town centre is poor.

Free and relatively abundant car parking are real assets; however the main car parks tend currently to exacerbate the severance of the centre between

the north and south sides.

The river and the landscaping are a very important feature.

Respondents frequently commented on friendliness and a sense of community.

The leisure offer is weak apart from one or two restaurants and cafes and the skate board park.

There is a sense that older people, who have grown up in the town, are loyal to the centre, whilst newer residents tend to be more footloose and

susceptible to being drawn to large supermarkets and well-known brands. Events are needed to raise the profile of the town centre among those newer

residents.

A further dimension of the previous point flows from the combined effect of high volumes of housebuilding (which tends to be on the outskirts of the

town), the decline of employment in Midsomer Norton and the development of supermarkets and other shops elsewhere: an increase in commuting to

centres well supplied with attractive, alternative shops. There is a demand for more jobs in the town, partly in order to reduce the loss of retail

spending.

There is recognition that the internet can be a threat or an opportunity for smaller retailers.


3. Midsomer Norton: Retail and Leisure Operator Demand It is convenient to consider retailers and leisure operators who might come to Midsomer Norton under a number of headings:

Supermarkets

National names that limit their representation to major towns and cities

National names that seek wider representation

Regional and local chains

Independents

Whilst there already exceptions, the above groups are generally distinguished by different locational criteria for their outlets.

Our soundings with retailers and leisure operators in relation to Midsomer Norton indicate:

Supermarkets are already established in Midsomer Norton (Sainsbury’s and Lidl) and operators (e.g. Sainsbury’s and Morrisons) would be interested in

a larger store in the town centre if a suitable site can be created; the interest in the town (as a consumer market) is already manifest in the various out-

of-centre proposals on behalf of different supermarkets. Waitrose could be attracted to a smaller store, say 35,000 sq.ft., but not while Sainsbury’s

remain in the town centre.

Many national names operate a large but limited number of stores; they reckon to achieve sufficient national coverage by being represented in major

towns and cities; many of the fashion chains fall into this category and they are not likely to consider Midsomer Norton positively at the moment. The

situation of Midsomer Norton can be illustrated from the current list of requirements for Bath, Frome and Shepton Mallet; there are currently no

national retailer requirements for Midsomer Norton.

National operators that seek wider representation include Costa, Greggs, Poundland and QS; the list below shows the national retailers which are

looking for representation in similar towns to Midsomer Norton and their space requirements:

Retailer Space Required (square feet)

Co-op Food 3,000-5,000

Costa Coffee 1,000-1,500

Edinburgh Woollen Mill 1,500-2,000

Greggs the Bakers 1,500

Original Factory Shop 10,000

Peacocks 3,000-5,000


Phone Shops e.g. Phones 4U 1,000

Savers (discount toiletries) 2,000-3,000

Specsavers 1,500

WH Smith 2,000-3,000

Wilkinsons 7,500-10,000

All of these are possible candidates for space in Midsomer Norton, probably only after confidence and footfall in the town centre through the

development of a major foodstore in the town centre, which we address in the last chapter.

Regional and local chains, such as L & F Jones’ retail shops (HQ but no shops in Midsomer Norton) and Bath Bakery, are interesting because they know

the trading environment and bring the financial clout and trading experience of a group. There are better prospects for attracting regional and local

chains in the short term than national multiples.

Independents form the majority of traders in Midsomer Norton; they include some excellent examples like Reflections and Miller Ashman; the turnover of independents can be high as entry to the business is relatively easy. In the short to medium term we see independents being an important source of business in the town.

Leisure operators such as cinemas are difficult to attract in the early stages of regeneration; they are rarely viable, even in a more favourable economic context, unless the capital costs are carried by a third party, e.g. a major retail development or a supermarket. The best prospects in the short term are for community facilities (not-for-profit, re-using existing buildings and with overheads reduced by the use of volunteer staff). In the progressive regeneration process that we recommend for Midsomer Norton (see below) a wider range of retailers and leisure operators will become candidates for the town centre at successive stages in the process, as footfall is increased and turnover and confidence boosted.


4. Midsomer Norton: Potential Markets We have looked briefly at the different markets that are (or could be better) served by Midsomer Norton. The potential markets are residents of the town

and its hinterland, people working in Midsomer Norton and visitors and tourists. We have also considered anticipated changes in these markets.

The Catchment Area

“The Somer Valley covers the urban areas of Midsomer Norton, Westfield and Radstock, together with a rural hinterland containing the principal villages of Peasedown St John and Paulton.” …..”The Somer Valley Area includes Midsomer Norton, Westfield, Radstock, Peasedown St John, Paulton, Shoscombe, Camerton, Timsbury, High Littleton and Farrington Gurney.” “Critical mass of a combined Comparator area offers greater potential than towns and villages individually.” (Draft Core Strategy)

Population and Employment

MSN, Radstock & Westfield

Somer Valley

Source Population 21000 44500 Core Strategy Additional Housing 2006-26 2700 Core Strategy

Assume p.p.hh. 2.2 SPA from sources

Additional population 5940

Total population 2026 50440

Increase to 2026 (%) 13

Employment

Workforce population 2001 14,950 B&NES Local Economic Assessment Employment net increase 2006-26 1000 Core Strategy

The Somer Valley area transcends the administrative boundary between B&NES and Mendip (Draft Core Strategy), implying that the catchment population is greater than is indicated by the B&NES figures above.


Socio-Economic Status

The relevance of socio-economic status is that it has an influence on the spending power of the population.

In the Somer Valley average weekly incomes are below the B&NES figures but higher than in the region (B&NES Local Economic Assessment).

We have also considered the Index of Multiple Deprivation, for which local results are provided overleaf. They show that:

- 17 of 24 wards (71%) are in least deprived 40% of wards

nationally

- None are in the 20% most deprived wards

- 3 of 24 wards (12.5%) are in the 21%-40% most deprived

wards

- Among the "MSN" wards one, MSN West, is in the median/middle range, the lowest rank of any MSN ward

Whilst there are, as in any town, pockets of deprivation, the scale of deprivation is not sufficient to undermine the viability of the town centre; indeed there

are large numbers of households with high spending power. Neither does there appear to be the commonly found phenomenon of deprivation

immediately around the town centre, which elsewhere influences the retail offer (more discount and charity shops) and which deters higher spending

households from visiting the centre.

Visitors and Tourists

Number of visitors to Bath & North East Somerset per year: 4.5 million. Total value of tourism: £348 million

Type of Visitor Numbers Spend

Domestic staying 631,000 £104m

International 254,000 £78m

Day Visits 3.6m £166m

Total 4.5m £348m

The interviews have revealed that the town already attracts visitors. The potential for more in an area of high volume and high value tourism is great.


Midsomer Norton Town Centre: Hinterland, Index of Multiple Deprivation MD = most deprived; LD = least deprived

Ward No and Name MD 20% MD 21%-40% Median 20% LD 21%-40% LD 20%

52 Welton 1

53 MSN North 1

54 Thicketmeaad 1

55 MSN Central 1

56 MSN South 1

57 Redfield 1

58 MSN West 1

25 Farrington Gurney 1

71 S Paulton 1

72 Paulton 1

73 East Paulton 1

80 Clandown 1

81 Radstock North 1

82 Writhlington 1

83 Radstock 1

101 Westfield North 1

102 Westfield South 1

103 Radstock West 1

104 MSN East 1

9 Bathavon South 1

74 Peasedown St John East 1

75 Peasedown St John North 1

76 Lowewr Peasedown St John 1


77 Peasedown St John 1

3 4 11 6

5. Midsomer Norton: the Competition The information on the centres that compete with Midsomer Norton, and for what types of shopping, has been derived principally from the interviews with

retailers and others with a stake in the town centre.

Centre Reasons for Visiting Bath Multiple opticians

Clothing etc Young people especially, prompted by:

Variety

Big city

Lack of awareness of Midsomer Norton offer To which many people commute for work

Bristol Clothing etc Multiple opticians Young people especially

Frome Larger alternative foodstore, better than in Midsomer Norton. M & S Simply Food. Nice centre. Catherine Hill is attractive shopping street

Shepton Mallet Larger alternative foodstore Retail park, adjacent to Tesco Superstore, comprising: Laura Ashley, Costa Coffee, Boots, Sports Direct, Pampurred Pets, Argos, New Look

Trowbridge 20 minutes, small mall, High Street Retail parks: Spitfire and Trowbridge retail parks, which are adjacent and include: B & Q, Bensons for Beds, Currys, Harvey’s Furniture, Carpetright, McDonalds, Comet, J D Sports, Cheap Kitchens, Matalan, Dreams Beds (total 124,282 sq.ft.)

Paulton Tesco: larger, alternative food store, ample car parking.

Longwell Green North of Keynsham; B & Q and next door Gallagher Retail Park: River Island, Clarks, New Look, Next, Boots, M&S,

Outfit, Carpet Right. Farm shop

Clark’s Village Outlet Centre, 90 shops including catering etc, designed for day out. “Clarks Village outlet offers over 90 stores,


restaurants and cafes, plus plenty to entertain the whole family”

Wells Has more retail shops than Midsomer Norton and the added attraction of the cathedral for tourists Better retail and catering than Midsomer Norton

Conclusions Midsomer Norton loses large amounts of convenience spending:

To alternative centres with a different (often better) supermarket from JS, the only mainstream supermarket in Midsomer Norton; the main

alternatives recorded are in nearby market towns but Tesco in Paulton is obviously important; some of this loss could be clawed back with improved

supermarket provision in Midsomer Norton

To Bath and Bristol, probably both in and out of centre locations, and much of this loss is linked to commuting trips to the two cities; some of this

outflow will also be linked to trips to Bath and Bristol for comparison shopping or leisure; the linked nature of these trips limits the scope for clawing

back spending for Midsomer Norton. The corollary of this outflow is that Midsomer Norton gains business from the employers located in and near to

the town (we know this from interviews with leisure/catering operators)

Midsomer Norton loses large amounts of comparison shopping expenditure, principally to Bath and Bristol, but also to retail parks that have developed in

market towns such Shepton Mallet and Trowbridge; whilst there are comparison shops in Midsomer Norton, there are not enough of them, they are not

large enough and they do not offer the feel-good factor that makes for an attractive shopping experience.

The catering offer was mentioned in relation to two centres outside Midsomer Norton: Clark’s Village, which operates as a leisure and shopping experience,

and Wells; however, given the limited offer in Midsomer Norton, it is certain that much larger flows of leisure spending leave the town than is indicated by

the above results, much of it linked to other trip purposes.


6. Midsomer Norton: Lessons to be Learnt from Elsewhere

1. Introduction

This note is a brief analysis of two market towns which are deemed to be on a positive track - being successful examples of town centre regeneration and

past the stage of aspiration.

Against a background for Midsomer Norton of underperformance in its expected role as a market town serving a wider rural catchment area and with a

possible remedy being to upgrade the retail and service offer, the aim here is to see whether there might be some lessons for Midsomer Norton from

successful comparators.

The criteria used in testing relevance as a comparator were:

1. A town of similar size; Midsomer Norton is about 10,500 population (without Radstock and Westfield)

2. A free-standing town, not a suburban centre or a town within a conurbation such as W Yorkshire

3. A town that serves a rural hinterland (about 44,500 in total within the Somer Valley), which is of a higher socio-economic grouping than the town

itself.

4. A town that has regenerated its town centre offer successfully.

2. Possible Comparators

A range of suggested towns were given a preliminary examination. These were Shepton Mallet in Somerset, Keswick in Cumbria, Thame in South

Oxfordshire, and Bridport in West Dorset. Bridport and Thame appear to fit the criteria.

Shepton Mallet

Shepton Mallet, on inspection, was thought not to have been successful in regenerating the town centre. In the town (population c. 10,000 and about 18

miles south of Bristol and Bath), the Townsend Retail Park on the site of the old Clarks Shoes factory near the town centre has been very popular and has

attracted major multiples (e.g. Boots, New Look, Laura Ashley, in addition to the large (c. 8,000 sq m) Tesco’s). There has been considerable grant-funded

investment in renovating buildings and cleaning up of the medieval market cross. The last 20 years have seen the arrival of Mulberry handbags HQ and

other new service businesses to balance local manufacturing job losses plus award-winning new housing schemes. However, despite all of this, Shepton’s

Friday market and its retail occupants in the High Street and Market Place are struggling (with many units vacant) and the art centre closed.


Keeswick

Keswick has been a success, catering for tourists of all sorts and swelling its population considerably on a seasonal basis. It hosts a beer festival, and, for

those of a more cultural bent, has built a Theatre by the Lake to complement the town museum and art gallery and has its famous Pencil Museum. In retail,

as a gateway to the Lakes, alongside the many independent tea and fish and chip shops, it has specialised in walkers and outdoor pursuits – with most of

the multiples present. But at 5,000 residents, it is less than half the size of Midsomer Norton.

3. Bridport: Selected Case Study

Background

Bridport (population 12,977) is located near the coast at the western end of Chesil Beach in West Dorset. It is slightly further from London than Midsomer

Norton (road distance). It originally thrived as a fishing port and rope-making centre. The port is no longer in existence although the harbour at West Bay is

a mile away. It has a large rural hinterland.

Bridport has a thriving commercial centre with a twice-weekly street market and monthly farmers' market. A butcher's shop on West Allington (RJ Balson &

Son) is known as "England's Oldest Family Butchers", and claims a continuous line of family butchers back to the year 1535.

Employment

The town has some light industry, most notably Palmer's Brewery and two or three survivors of the rope making industry. Examples include AmSafe’s

(whose aviation products can be found on most commercial aircraft, including seat belts, restraints, cargo and barrier nets etc) and Edwards Sports. Even

today, the goal nets of any major football championships are likely to have been made at Edwards’ in Bridport as would be the tennis nets, the wooden

posts and the umpire's chair at Wimbledon.

Markets, Shows and Festivals

The town has been nicknamed Notting Hill Gate-on-Sea. The Bridport Art Scene has gained a national profile. Over 100 artists now participate in the main

Bridport Open Studios event which takes place over the three days of the August Bank Holiday weekend. The popularity of the event has led to three more

open events in November, Easter and May. The biggest artist-led venue is the St Michael's Studio complex on the St Michael's Trading Estate. It provides

studios for 25 artists and attracted over 700 visitors in the 2009 Bridport Open Studios event. A new development on the trading estate has just (June 2012)

received planning permission.

The Bridport Literary Festival has been running since 2005 and has played host to the biggest literary lions including Elizabeth Jane Howard, Victoria

Glendinning, Claire Tomalin, Jonathan Dimbleby, Max Hastings, Julian Fellowes, Alexander Waugh, John Julius Norwich, Minette Walters, Fay Weldon, Bill

Oddie, Robin Hanbury-Tenison, Katharine Whitehorn, Kate Summerscale, Michael Dobbs and Ann Leslie DBE.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coast

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesil_Beach

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishing_port

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rope

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_market

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmers%27_market

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Championships,_Wimbledon


Tourism as well as second-homing is important to Bridport. The town styles itself ‘Gateway to the Jurassic Coast’. In addition Bridport is active in festivals

and other events. The Food Festival is held in late June at Asker Meadow. It showcases locally produced foods for which the area is well known. The Beer

Festival is also held in the same field which is run by the Bridport Round Table and opens till late.

The raft race, organised by the RNLI, is held in July in the River Brit basin at West Bay. Participants build a 'floating vessel' and row it a few hundred yards up

the River Brit before returning to the lake by the harbour sluice gates. The idea is to avoid sinking, capsizing or falling in.

The town holds its annual carnival on the third Saturday in August. The main feature is a carnival parade of floats, walking acts and majorettes. Other

attractions on the day include carnival darts, carnival golf, a grand car boot sale, carnival fete and a fun fair. After the carnival South Street is closed for the

night as live music is played while people dance in the street. Bridport's fun fair, which is situated on Asker Meadow, a local nature reserve next

to Morrisons supermarket (located at the southern end of the town centre), is open late.

A torchlight procession takes place the following night where 1,500 torches are carried 2 miles from the town centre to a bonfire at West Bay. This is

followed by live music and fireworks. West Bay's fun fair opens till late. The annual events raise money for local good causes and organisations.

On the Thursday before the August bank holiday weekend each year Bridport hosts the Melplash Show at the West Bay Showgrounds. This is one

of Dorset's three biggest agricultural shows.

Retail

National multiples (not including charity shops), representing perhaps 15% of Bridport’s 180 or so retail and catering outlets by number, include WH Smith,

Clintons Cards, Peacocks, Blockbuster, Threshers, Waterstone’s, Stead and Simpson, Timpson’s, Specsavers, Waitrose, Ladbrokes, Costa Coffee, Superdrug,

M & Co and Co-op Pharmacy. There is a Lloyds, a Nationwide, a Nat Wet, an HSBC and a Barclays Bank. There is a Wetherspoons pub.

The one ‘primary’ category where there is a gap in the offering is a TV/radio specialist supplier.

The 2001 West Dorset District Council survey found that 75% of businesses offering retail products and services could be classified as local (i.e. independent

businesses with no outlets in other towns). This would mean that, discounting the national multiples, about 10% of these businesses overall are local or

regional multiples.

The 2006 survey showed that there were no vacant shops in the town centre. Today, there appear to be just two vacant outlets in the three main shopping

streets (East Street, South Street and West Street). One of these is the former Woolworths’ store

Using the combined surveys of 2001 and 2006, and counting both ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ providers of products/services, the top five products/services in

terms of the largest numbers of alternative suppliers are:

Clothes and Shoes at 14 outlets

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RNLI

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majorette_(dancer)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_boot_sale

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fete

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fun_fair

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_music

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_reserve

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morrisons

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonfire

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firework

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_holiday

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorset

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_show


Gifts (at 13)

Take-aways, including ‘secondary’ take-away providers, for example, Husseys (South Street) warm baked items (at 13)

Hairdressers at 12

Restaurants (at 8)

Cafes (at 11, which includes ‘secondary’ cafe providers such a Husseys Tea Room in West Street where the ‘primary’ service is Bakers/Bread).

Note that the Street Markets held on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and the Farmer’s Market, have not been taken into account in this retail product/service

survey. There are not only similar products on sale in the markets, but also additional products/services.

Commentary from Local Officials

In talking about Bridport’s progress to Joanna Witherden - the WDDC’s officer in charge of implementation of Special Policy (i.e. of the Local Plan) - a

number of points were brought out:

success has by no means been the WDDC’s doing. Whilst there has been a lot of Council work, it is slow progress and a rocky road. However, there

are very positive community partnerships;

Bridport has been discovered by London and ‘Notting Hill Gate-on-Sea’ is not wrong. There is a strong arts focus;

Bridport is helped by its location. The coast nearby is a draw. It is far enough from bigger conurbations, has a strong hinterland and yet it is not

over-targetted by the national chains;

Waitrose took over from Somerfield in the town centre three years ago and gave the place a lift;

Heritage and conservation projects have been important (the old Town Hall just reopened had an HLF grant). A local development body wants to

restart the Literary and Scientific Institute. There is a conservation area.

Bob Gillis, the Town Clerk, echoes much of this. He says:

They are lucky to have a vibrant street market (on Wed and Sat, but especially Sat), and lucky to have had Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall do a lot of

visiting in Bridport which has built up as a food centre over the last 10 years;

The local charitable trust is vibrant and runs the Arts Centre and the 1930s theatre (The Electric Palace) is a successful private enterprise attracting

medium-sized bands and reasonable comedians;

The restaurants are doing quite well, but, despite surviving not too badly, ‘everything today is on a bit of a knife-edge’;


Waitrose (‘thank goodness is in the town’) is praised for being community-minded and is welcomed locally. Lidl - out of town - came in 2 years ago

and is fine too.

Conclusions

Compared to Midsomer Norton, Bridport has a stronger tourist business and it is on the A35, a main south coast route. Notable in the liveliness of the town

are the number of local voluntary organisations that have contributed to commercial, social and cultural activity. Whilst a number of national multiples are

represented in the town, local and regional multiples are also important as are independents. Two supermarkets, Waitrose and Morrisons, are either in or

sufficiently close to the town centre such that they support trade in other stores in the centre. It has developed a specialist role, which has aided by the

presence and support of a celebrity chef, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

4. Thame: Selected Case Study

Background

Thame, population about 11,000, is 14 miles east of Oxford, 10 miles south-west of Aylesbury and 47 miles from London. The entire town centre is

designated as a Conservation Area and the wide, boat-shaped High Street is a striking sight for new visitors. The design owes its origins to medieval town

planning and the requirements of the market. The church, ancient inns and houses in a variety of styles and materials create a scene once described as

‘picturesque in an unpretentious way’.

Employment

The town's two largest employers are Omnicom-owned CMP Group (the world’s largest outsourced sales organisation and lead sponsor of the Thame Arts

and Literary Festival - see below) and Travelodge, both of which have their head offices on the edge of the town. Switchgear and lighting manufacturer, W.

Lucy & Co, has been based in the town since 2005.

Markets, Shows and Festivals

There is a twice weekly cattle market and a very popular street market every Tuesday which goes back to 1219 and was the grant of the Bishop of Lincoln.

Local food is big in Thame. On Tuesdays - as noted above - the town hosts an open air market for a wide range of food and non-food goods. Every second

Tuesday in the month the regular market is supplemented by a Farmers' Market offering local, farm-fresh produce. In addition, in 2010-11, Thame

introduced Saturday Farmers' Markets taking place around the Town Hall on the fifth Saturday in a month.

The Thame Food Festival (www.thamefoodfestival.co.uk) is a well-established discerning foodie event now in its 5th year. The patron is TV chef and

writer Lotte Duncan and Ambassador the Very Hungry Local Frenchman, Raymond Blanc of nearby Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons.

http://www.thamefoodfestival.co.uk/


Thame stages the Oxfordshire County and Thame Show, the largest one-day agricultural show in Britain. It used to be held on the third Thursday in

September, the same day that the three day Thame Fair opens in the town centre. On the day of the show local schools were closed. In 2010, the show was

moved to the last Saturday in July. In October a smaller fair is held in the parking area in Upper High Street. In June the Thame Festival is held, which

includes a carnival through the main streets, a flower festival and a fete on the Southern Road recreation area.

Locals and visitors are encouraged to celebrate the written word and to meet authors and talk about books at the three day Thame Arts and Literary

Festival (www.talfestival.org).

Council and Community Partnerships

A priority for the Town Council in 2011-2012 has been the commissioning of a Town Plan, with community consultation being a key factor of the Plan’s

evolution. The Council is intent upon ensuring that any future development is what the town wants and needs, and that the necessary infrastructure is in

place to service such development.

Community sport is important with an excellent community sports centre. In February this year, Thame’s new football stadium, Meadow View Park, was

opened, marking the crowning point for the project achieved by the Thame Football Partnership and Thame Town Council.

Retail

Historic and eclectic, Thame retains its traditional High Street shopping experience. Its marketing strapline to encourage shoppers to use the town is ‘Try

Thame first’. Mixing well-known retail chains with individual specialist shops, the town offers, in the words of its marketing material, ‘an excellent and

refreshing way to buy both every-day and unusual products, all in a single visit.’ With the high levels of product knowledge and customer service that is

sometimes only found in the smaller outlets, Thame's shops aim to offer real ‘service added-value’ to a shopping trip.

The opening of a Waitrose supermarket adjacent to the town centre (see Goad map extract) with a linking row of small shops has been very influential in

upgrading the retail offer in the town centre: nine additional multiples have located in Thame since the arrival of Waitrose: Superdrug, Robert Dyas,

Steamer Trading Cookshop, Clinton, Cargo, Sainsbury’s, Costa,The Aga Shop and HSBC and seven of these are very close to the access path to Waitrose. In

addition eight small shops have opened on the new path to Waitrose. Key factors in the arrival of the multiples have been Waitrose and its car park, the

upgrading of the public realm in the core of the centre and improved rail services from Birmingham to Marylebone.

National multiples (not including charity shops), represent perhaps 15% of Thame’s 130 or so town-centre retail and catering outlets by number. These

include Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Martin’s, Fuji Film, Clintons Cards, Robert Dyas, Boots, Clarks Shoes, Viyella, Superdrug, The Aga Shop, Corals Betting, Costa

Coffee, Co-op Travel and Co-op Funerals. There is a Lloyds, a Nationwide, a Nat West, an HSBC and a Barclays Bank.

There are only six vacant outlets at present.

http://www.talfestival.org/

http://www.talfestival.org/

http://www.talfestival.org)/


Unlike many other local towns, Thame adopts a car-friendly approach with extensive (over 600 spaces), and mostly free, car parking in the town centre

close to the shops. As the town’s web-site puts it: ‘There's no need to struggle with heavy shopping over great distances in Thame. All the shops are within

easy walking distance of each other. The pavements are wide and walking around this historic town is an enjoyable experience in itself.’

The web-site continues: ‘Of course, Thame isn't just about shopping. The town centre also contains a wide variety of pubs, restaurants, cafés and take-

away outlets. There is also a generous mix of Banks and Building Societies, Estate Agents, Accountants and Solicitors. It has even got that rare item

nowadays… a Post Office.’

Commentary from Local Officials

Key points made by an official from the Town Council were:

Waitrose (one of the biggest formats) is just off the High St and is a great benefit to the town. It certainly has a positive spin- off into the High St where

there are some strong specialist independents as well as national multiples.

Thame is 25 miles from Henley and Marlow which are both very upscale and pricey. People travel in from there as Thame is known for good quality but

is a lot cheaper.

The community associations in Thame are very strong. They cover everything from music, arts, sport…….

the Farmers Market (every 2nd Tuesday and 5th Saturday) and the ordinary market on Tuesdays (at which there are 42 stalls) are very important and

popular. Coaches come in to these from London!

Car parking is free and this is incredibly important The County Council had wanted to put in charges. But they gave the Town Council delegated powers

and a delegated budget. The fines pay for the enforcement...so it costs the Council nothing

They do not have a particularly strong Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has been trying out a loyalty card...but it is not yet a strong feature in the

town.

Conclusions

It is important to Thame that Waitrose is very well located in relation to the town centre. Again voluntary activity is important in organising events that

bring people from some distance into the town.


Experience Elsewhere

We have also gathered some evidence, references and links for other communities where local people are taking action to support their town centre.

Development Trusts (source: Wikipedia) are organisations which operate in the United Kingdom that are:

community based, owned and led engaged in the economic, environmental and social regeneration of a defined area or community independent but seek to work in partnership with other private, voluntary and public sector organisations self-sufficient or aiming for self-sufficiency, and not for private profit.

There is no set form of legal structure, and a development trust may be registered as a company limited by guarantee, a community interest company or an industrial and provident society. Many register as charities.

The activities undertaken by development trusts are various and include:

running the local shop and post office developing play park and recreational facilities managing a housing development developing renewable energy projects such as wind farms setting up training programmes.

They are informed by a belief that community regeneration which is achieved through community owned enterprise is the way to build strong and sustainable communities.

There are over 500 development trusts throughout the UK, co-ordinated in England by the Development Trusts Association (DTA).

Westway Development Trust “Westway Development Trust was formed in the 1970s, to take on the challenge of regenerating and managing derelict land under the A40 flyover, which had sliced through North Kensington. Forty years on, the land has been improved and brought into use, but there is still plenty to do. Needs have changed, buildings have aged and many projects have flourished and grown.

Westway pioneered community ownership for major public assets, even though, in the 1970s, many saw our derelict land as a liability. Social enterprise was the key to unlocking the potential. Through this enterprise we now earn our own money, using our initiative to generate income, and we use that income to pay for a wide programme of community benefits, as described here on our website.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_limited_by_guarantee

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_interest_company

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_and_provident_society

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_office

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Play_park&action=edit&redlink=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housing_development

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_farm


The community programme we can deliver for our locality, and beyond, is now very substantial, but to preserve and increase this we need to maintain our enterprise, create new income streams, find new initiatives and forge new partnerships; and to continue to use our regeneration as the driving force for growth”

The land under the motorway is held in trust on a sub-lease from the local authority, who themselves hold it on a lease from Transport for London.

“The story of the Westway Development Trust is one of conflict, for it was born out of bitter clashes between an angry local community and the two planning authorities that gave consent to the motorway intruder - the GLC (Greater London Council) and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. But it is also a story of hope. Over 20 acres of derelict land have been reclaimed. Today, a diverse portfolio of commercial developments, occupying one fifth of the land, contribute to the local economy and fund the Trust's charitable activities. Community facilities range from landscaped gardens to charity offices and from sports and fitness centres to lunch and social clubs. The Trust began life with a Council grant of £25,000. Today it is a self-sufficient charity with an annual turnover above £6 million and assets estimated at over £20 million.” Source: WDT website

In Malmesbury, Wiltshire, the Neighbourhood Planning Team has a business task group which is developing economic strategies for the town which involve

provision for the use of empty units.

The Glendale Gateway Trust is an independent charitable, community development trust set up to support the community of Glendale – one of the most

sparsely populated areas of the country. Glendale, with a population of 6,000 people, covers 250 square miles of rural North Northumberland. It was

established in 1996.

In 2003 the Trust bought a huge block of empty and derelict properties in Wooler Town Centre with Market Town Initiative funding and a significant loan

from a local benefactor. Working in partnership with a housing association, new retail units were created, flats and housing for young people developed

and an additional 15 affordable housing units built by the housing association. The project has been nationally acclaimed as an example of good practise

and was subject to an independent review which can be downloaded from this website.

In total this project attracted £2.9M of investment.

In 2006 as a programme of national closures the YHA announced that Wooler Youth Hostel would close. The Trust immediately recognised the importance

of the Hostel to the local economy and in partnership with the YHA bought the building and manage it under a license agreement.

The Trust has championed the purchase and renovation of key High Street properties in Wooler creating 22 new affordable houses in the town, facilitating

new retail units on the High Street and developing small local buisness office units at the Cheviot Centre. It has also worked with local businesses in

developing the retail offer in the town.


Links to other development trusts are provided on the websites of both Wikipedia and the Development Trusts Association.

Another useful reference is the Association of Town Centre Management’s “100 Ways to Help the High Street”: www.100ways.org.uk.

An organisation that recognises the importance of small shops for specialist food producers is Making Local Food Work, which could be relevant if

Midsomer Norton chose to develop a food theme.

Conclusions

The main lessons we draw from the above evidence are:

Events are important in drawing people into the centre.

Regeneration takes time, ten years so far in the case of Thame.

Supermarkets are critical, their size, quality, location and the relationship to the town centre.

Both towns studied played to their local strengths: tourism and food in Bridport and effective competition with other centres in the case of Thame.

The importance of free parking.

Local and regional multiples as well as independents are an important part of the town centre offer.

Local leadership is important in both cases and development trusts are well established as vehicles for the expression of local leadership.

http://www.100ways.org.uk/


7. Midsomer Norton: Alternative Scenarios In this chapter we

review the brief to which we are responding, the planning priorities for Midsomer Norton and the options we put forward in our proposal

consider the local and national contexts

report on the alternative scenarios that we evaluated at the interim, brainstorming, stage

set out the preferred scenario of a supermarket in the centre and the alternative sites for it

describe the recommended way forward for

o a supermarket,

o the core site and

o a complementary package of town centre management measures.

Consider fallback strategies in the event that the preferred options cannot be realised.

Council’s Brief “B&NES’ Draft Core Strategy saw the strengthening of Midsomer Norton’s Town Centre by facilitating redevelopment and improving the public realm. Midsomer Norton is seen as being the principal market town centre of the Somer Valley with a catchment population of approx. 46,000.” “In its quest for a proactive approach, the Midsomer Norton Economic Development Partnership (MSNEDP) recently identified an opportunity to develop a range of options to stimulate and enhance the retail core offering focusing on the area from Fat SAMs to the Palladium but within the overall high street retail core from Martins to the Island.”

The Draft Core Strategy

“The District will be made up of competitive, healthy and attractive urban, town and village centres within a rich and varied rural setting.“ “The southern part of the District will become more self-reliant, facilitated by economic-led revitalisation alongside local energy generation. The roles of Midsomer Norton and Radstock Town Centres will be complementary to each other and continue to provide key employment, services and leisure provision for both their communities and those within the Somer Valley. Midsomer Norton town centre will be the principal centre with an improved public realm well related to the new integrated Town Park.” (The Spatial Vision)


“Cross cutting objective: Pursue a low carbon and sustainable future in a changing climate:

reducing the need to travel by achieving closer alignment of homes, jobs, infrastructure and services……” (Objective 1) “Challenges (for the Somer Valley):

Vulnerable local economy dependent on a narrow range of industries and a few large employers.

A number of large vacant, underused or ageing factory sites.

High levels of out-commuting due to lack of local employment opportunities.

Perceived difficulty in attracting economic investment in the area.

Limited broadband infrastructure capacity.

Transport congestion and limited opportunities for large scale transport intervention.

Poor public transport in rural areas areas leading to isolation for those without private transport.

Competition with neighbouring towns in Somerset - mixed quality of Midsomer Norton town centre, dominance of road network in Radstock centre.

Access to community facilities - maintaining and enhancing local village centres.

High level of existing housing commitments e.g. 2,200 dwellings exacerbating

Imbalance of housing over jobs.

Lack of formal open space.

Poor town centre environments and insufficient retail offer.” (In the Somer Valley) “There are particular opportunities to facilitate local energy generation.”

“Strengthen the shopping offer in Midsomer Norton town centre to serve the Somer Valley by facilitating redevelopment and improving the public realm. “ (Policy SV1)

1. “Key Opportunities/Priorities a: Unlock redevelopment sites in the town centre (boundary defined on the Proposals Map) to avoid the need for out of centre retail development, particularly in respect of vacant/underused buildings such as the former Palladium cinema and former brewery. b: Enhance the public realm. c: Enhancement of leisure provision including the Town Park. d: Focus on the southern end of the High Street as the retail core.

2. Scope and Scale of Change Make provision for: a: About 200 homes (including existing commitments).


b: Some larger retail units in the core areas of the High Street. c: Modern office space to offset the loss of manufacturing jobs. d: A district heating network.

3. Placemaking Principles a: Strengthen the shopping offer in the southern end of the High Street and provide better pedestrian connections from the main car parks to the core retail area, creating a stronger frontage to South Road. b: Enable more intensive use of the South Road car park providing the opportunity to accommodate a modern food store. Any development here should retain public car parking for the town centre.” (Policy SV2, Midsomer Norton Town Centre Strategic Policy)

The Brighter Futures Community Plan, Somer Valley Partnership

“The Plan's ambition is to create a thriving and vibrant area with a sense of wellbeing, its own identity and promoted as a whole, with Midsomer Norton

and Radstock as the focus. Facilities in Midsomer Norton and Radstock will be available and accessible for the communities in the surrounding villages.”

Our Tender Proposal We suggested some examples of scenarios which might be relevant to Midsomer Norton:

1. “Capturing a higher share of catchment area expenditure by an improvement in the general retail and service offer, especially in sectors where

expenditure leakage is high, for example clothing and fashion.

2. Developing a specialised role such as books in the case of Hay-on-Wye and antiques in the case of Tetbury; this brings customers to the centre from

beyond the conventional catchment area, creating the opportunity to capture their spending on other goods or services.

3. Attracting tourists, for which an attraction or attractions are necessary, which can generate spending in a wider array of facilities e.g. catering and

accommodation, but which is subject to significant seasonal peaks and troughs; Wells and Street are good examples in the area.

4. Capitalising on other services which draw people to a town, for example the Skatepark in the present case. Markets can be a powerful draw: Bury in

Lancashire (admittedly a much larger town) attracts 1200 coaches a year to its markets.”

Local Context: Profile of Midsomer Norton Now It is an all-purpose town centre, characterised by:

National convenience stores (Lidl and Sainsbury), but a lack of competition in this sector

A limited choice of comparison stores, the largest being M & Co, Argos, Norton Discounts and Casswells

A large number of independent stores and service outlets, a few of which are destination shops including Hobbs (Sporting Goods), Jacaranda, BA3 (on

the back of the skateboard park), the Moody Goose, Docky’s Deli and others


A valuable record of friendliness and good personal service

A large and diverse customer market: town residents from a range of socio-economic backgrounds; retired people; tourists; the workforce in the town

centre and the industrial estates; a large catchment area including well-to-do households; there is a concern that the town centre may increasingly be

serving an older population that is loyal, and missing out on newer residents who are footloose and do not have the same loyalty.

A large number of other services provided by the town centre to the same catchment: solicitors, doctors, banks, dentists, post office, library, the leisure

centre, the Methodist Church.

In summary we suggest that the town play to its strengths: a retail and leisure offer that for the foreseeable future will mostly rely on independents; a

good-looking centre with the river as a distinctive feature, which can become more attractive to visitors; a regional facility (the skateboard park) that can be

built on to increase the attraction of the centre to young people; a large and varied catchment population; and strong and ambitious local leadership which

has already demonstrated its capability and commitment (with the support of B&NES)

Rapidly Changing National Context This local context is matched by an exciting wider context of change, which creates interesting and challenging opportunities for Midsomer Norton. The

diagram below contains some of the hints and strands of change that are taking place across the UK.

Secret millionaires

The Totnes Pound

Enterprise hubs

Leadership of Place

Empower individuals and communities Localism & the Big Society

Transition towns

Diyeconomics

Cambridge & Counties Bank Cloud funding

Crowd funding

Portas funding

Social enterprise

Dave’s Bank


Some of the key strands above are:

A new bank established to serve small and medium enterprises, the major banks having let them down

Small firms raising finance from thousands of customers and supporters via the internet

Towns that are acting locally to secure a more sustainable future for their community

Communities where people have acted voluntarily to support those in need

A guy who set out to show that you could lend to small firms more cheaply than the banks

Alternative economics which focuses on new forms of economic activity

A push to have responsibility carried as locally as possible, for example for caring, because the nationally funding institutions are failing

A new concern for the health of town centres as the heart of communities

Groups of individuals and small businesses coming together for local networking combined with global contacts and trading

A device to keep money generated locally within the local economy. The positive messages from this glimpse of a different economic and social world are that it offers real opportunities for Midsomer Norton: firstly for the

town centre as a potentially viable local economic entity and secondly for individuals and small businesses in the retail and leisure sectors.

Potential Scenarios At the interim reporting stage (brainstorming session) we examined a number of scenarios and evaluated the contribution they could make to the

regeneration of the town centre. The scenarios were:

A. Do nothing or unchanged policy for town centre

B. Capturing a higher share of catchment area expenditure by an improvement in the general retail and service offer, especially in sectors where

expenditure leakage is high, for example clothing and fashion. Key elements:

a. Additional comparison retailers especially in

i. mid-range clothing for men and women

ii. shoes, also mid-range

b. If Sainsbury’s proposal at Westfield and Tesco’s proposed expansion at Paulton are built, the town centre will need to focus hard on offering a

distinctive product e.g. destination shops with a high standard of service

C. Developing a specialised role such as books in the case of Hay-on-Wye and antiques in the case of Tetbury; this brings customers to the centre from

beyond the conventional catchment area, creating the opportunity to capture their spending on other goods or services. No specialised role for

Midsomer Norton has emerged from the interviews. However cafes and restaurants stand out as attracting customers from beyond the immediate

catchment area of the town e.g. Jacaranda, Moody Goose and the Centurion Hotel, which is owned by L & F Jones Foodservice (cash and carry business


serving independent retailers and located on the Westfield Industrial Estate; also owners of Paul Loader, butcher in Radstock, and 17 Jones

Convenience Stores). There could be scope for Midsomer Norton to become a destination for good eating out, perhaps ranging from good quality

budget eating (e.g. for skatepark users) to gourmet dining. This role could be expanded to a more general focus on high quality food, its production,

distribution and presentation, linked to related services e.g. cookery classes. A detailed asset audit of the town might reveal some alternative

specialisation foci.

D. Attracting tourists, for which an attraction or attractions are necessary, which can generate spending in a wider array of facilities e.g. catering and

accommodation, but which is subject to significant seasonal peaks and troughs; Wells and Street are good examples in the area.

a. Midsomer Norton already attracts tourists e.g. on a day out from Bath

b. Hotels and restaurants attract visitors from beyond the catchment.

c. Improved retail offer and care and maintenance of the historic core will make the town centre more attractive.

The potential in tourism at a minimum level derives from a very widespread enthusiasm for a “day out”; the destination does not need to be the

Parthenon – a few interesting shops to browse round and a choice of places to eat is sufficient.

E. Create the site, with land acquisitions if necessary, and the infrastructure for a substantial supermarket to locate in the town centre in order to draw

more people into the town centre and its shops: by substantial we mean a store that is big enough and attractive enough (e.g. in relation to accessibility

and parking) to provide a viable alternative to the out of town centre proposals.; in the current context in Midsomer Norton this amounts to some 50-

60,000 sq.ft. gross (sales and storage)(tbc).

a. The main focus for this option is the South Road car park, which requires improved links to the High Street.

b. The alternative site would be the linking site (Palladium/Farthing/Brewery) which could accommodate a supermarket of about 35,000 sq.ft. net

sales area.

Evaluation of the Scenarios The scenarios were evaluated on three criteria:

1. Effectiveness (in achieving the Council’s objectives)

2. Deliverability

3. Risks

Scenario/Criteria Effectiveness Deliverability Risks

A. Do nothing or unchanged policy for town centre

Very low. No impact on footfall. No improvement of retail/leisure offer.

Straightforward Further out of town centre convenience store/supermarket


No appeal to regional or national multiples.

development. Further disinvestment in the fabric including historic buildings of the centre Midsomer Norton loses out to competing centres; lower role in hierarchy


B. Capturing a higher share of catchment area expenditure by an improvement in the general retail and service offer, especially in sectors where expenditure leakage is high, for example clothing and fashion.

BB A variant of this would be to focus on good quality independents or small local/regional chains

If delivered, would achieve the Council’s objectives of strengthening the retail offer and making Midsomer Norton more self-reliant. Could also, through increased footfall, stimulate additional trade for, and investment by, independents in retail and leisure. BB Several independents in the centre offer a very good standard of service; a focus on independents would major on this feature as one means of competing with supermarkets.

Current conditions in Midsomer Norton (footfall, image and character of centre) unlikely to attract significant participation by national or regional fashion brands. Size and configuration of premises limits range of candidate stores. Redevelopment to create appropriate sites unlikely to be viable given the low level of market demand (but see Scenario E). BB could be implemented in existing shops; it would be more effective if a development vehicle was established to take leases of key premises and let them to appropriate retailers

Failing development schemes & vacant premises. C.f. Holly Court. Further out of town centre convenience store/supermarket development. BB Financial risk of leases: premises may remain vacant or tenants may default.


C. Developing a specialised role Candidate specialist roles for Midsomer Norton might be the eating out focus mentioned above or a more general food theme.

Much could be achieved in the present stock of premises. Considerable effort is required in

Failure because the campaign does not reach critical mass i.e. does not have the attraction to significantly increase Midsomer Norton’s draw in


However we have found limited evidence to support a general food focus (for example the presence of L & F Jones but not in the courses run at Norton Radstock College). Food and eating out roles could be combined. The food role could be valuable in strengthening the fundamental convenience shopping role of Midsomer Norton as a district centre. Its draw in both the town and the hinterland could be increased, generating increased footfall for the benefit of all traders in the centre. Would be an attraction for the many tourists in the area. Could be a stimulus for small & medium business development in related products and services. The Moody Goose demonstrates the drawing power of high quality food (and accommodation)

order to design and implement a successful campaign, including promoting and mounting events and markets. This approach would build on the personal service that is a strong feature of many existing businesses in Midsomer Norton.

its catchment area.


D. Attracting tourists, for which an attraction or attractions are necessary

This would add spending power in the town centre.

Tourist literature for Bath and NE Somerset does not feature Midsomer Norton as a main attraction; the town’s attraction is a

Money might be wasted if the campaign failed.


relatively modest one: an attractive, albeit a bit faded and marred by some unhappy redevelopments, historic town. It does attract visitors now and it will continue to do so, providing a destination for people wanting to drive out for the day or half day. Given that the retail and leisure offer of the town is weak at the moment, it is unlikely that significantly increased tourist traffic could be generated on its own.


E/a Create the site, with land acquisitions if necessary, and the infrastructure for a substantial supermarket to locate in the town centre

South Road car park

This would achieve significant benefits:

A substantial alternative supermarket to Sainsbury’s in the centre.

Additional footfall in the centre for the benefit of the centre as a whole

A strengthening of the Council’s case if it was minded to resist out of centre supermarket development.

An urgent requirement if the Council is to be well equipped to respond to the expected out of centre supermarket applications.

Depending on the capacity and servicing of the selected site vis-à-vis the scale of supermarket that meets the requirement, the tasks and costs could be significant:

Land assembly; the large majority of the site is in public ownership

Infrastructure investment, including the creation, if necessary, of replacement car parking (proposals indicate some 301 spaces in undercroft parking).

Financial, which would be mitigated by the Council, who are the principal landowner, entering into an agreement with a developer (who would enter into agreement with a supermarket) before committing substantial capital. That the link to the High Street fails to work effectively, increasing competition with High Street traders without generating spin-off trade for other shops. Disruption of the town centre and of trade during construction.


Probably a substantial financial gain to the Council who own the majority of the site


E/b Create the site, with land acquisitions if necessary, and the infrastructure for a substantial supermarket to locate in the town centre

Palladium/Farthing/Brewery site

Similar benefits to E/a. Added advantage that supermarket could front directly onto the High Street, facilitating linked shopping trips for the benefit of the High Street as a whole.

Depending on the capacity and servicing of the site vis-à-vis the scale of supermarket that meets the requirement, the tasks and costs could be significant:

Land assembly or partnerships, possibly involving compulsory purchase; only a very small part of the site is in public ownership

Infrastructure investment, including the possible creation of an elevated link to the South Road car park and extensive earthworks

Financial, which would be mitigated by the Council entering into an agreement with a developer (who would enter into agreement with a supermarket) before committing substantial capital.

The sequel and conclusions of the case are contained in the section entitled “Recommendations: Way Forward for Midsomer Norton”, which follows the

Executive Summary>

midsomer norton retail core feasibility study€¦ · final published version 20th february 2013...

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