Barnet - DM11: Development Principles for Barnet’s Town Centre

Policy information sourced from Barnet’s Local Plan Development Management Policies

DM11: Development Principles for Barnet’s Town Centre

The council will expect a suitable mix of appropriate uses as part of development within the town centres to support their continued vitality and viability.

Town centre uses
1. Significant new retail and other appropriate town centre uses outside the town centres or any expansion of existing out of centre sites will be strongly resisted unless they can meet the sequential approach and tests set out in the NPPF or are identified in an adopted Area Action Plan. Edge of centre proposals will not normally be appropriate and therefore should demonstrate why they are not locating in a town centre site.
2. The town centre boundaries, primary and secondary retail frontages are shown in the maps in Appendix 5.
Primary and secondary frontages
1. A development proposal which reduces the combined proportion of class A1 retail use at ground floor level (including vacant) in the primary frontage below 75% will not be permitted. The proposal should not create an over-concentration of similar uses which detracts from the retail function of the town centre.
2. A development proposal which reduces the combined proportion of class A1 retail use at ground floor level (including vacant) in the secondary frontage below 65% will not be permitted. The proposal should not create an over-concentration of similar uses which detract from the retail function of the town centre.
3. Change from a retail use (Class A1) will be strongly resisted unless it can be demonstrated that there is no viable demand for continued Class A1 use. When it can be demonstrated that the site has been marketed effectively for Class A1 use acceptable alternatives to Class A1 use will be Class A2, A3, A4, A5 or community uses. Conversion of any Class A use to a community use will be expected to present an active frontage at ground floor and be able to demonstrate a similar weekday footfall to a Class A1 use.
4. Any significant new retail development will be expected to provide a mix of unit sizes, avoid an inward looking layout, maintain the street frontage and provide suitable and convenient linkages for shoppers to access other town centre uses.
5. Evening economy uses will be expected not to have an adverse affect on the amenity of local residents and be in keeping with the scale and character of the surrounding area.
Mixed use development
1. The protection of employment floorspace should meet the requirements set out in Policy DM14: New and Existing Employment Space unless otherwise indicated in the:
  - Site Allocation DPD
  - Town Centre Frameworks
  - Areas identified as a Locally Significant Industrial Site, Industrial Business Park or Business Locations.
2. Appropriate mixed use re-development will be expected to provide re-provision of employment use, residential and community use.
3. The council will consider the location of new and the relocation of existing community, leisure and cultural uses (including arts) to the town centres only where they maintain active frontages.

For more information please see Barnet’s Local Plan Development Management Policies