Policy sourced from the Basildon District Local Plan Saved Policies document.

BAS SH4: Town Centre Shopping Frontages.

Changes of Use from Use Class A1 (shops) to Use Class A2 (Financial and Professional Services) or Class A3 (Food and Drink) at ground floor level within the Primary Shopping Frontages will be allowed provided that material harm to the retail function of the Primary Shopping Frontage or the vitality and viability of the town centre as a whole does not result.

In assessing whether harm would result the Council will have regard to the following factors:-

  • The generation of visitors;
  • Pedestrian flows;
  • The retail appearance and character of the frontage;
  • Whether a clear predominance of shops would remain in the Primary Shopping Frontage concerned; and
  • If necessary, the cumulative impact of a proposed Change of Use, with other proposed or permitted changes of use, will be taken into account.

Changes of Use to Class A3 uses must avoid creating a significant detrimental impact upon adjacent occupiers by reason of noise, fumes and smell.

A condition may be imposed requiring a window display, in order to prevent a dead frontage.

For the purposes of this policy, the Primary Shopping Frontages are defined as follows, and shown on the Town Centre Inset Maps:-

  • Basildon - The Eastgate Centre; South Gunnells; Town Square north and south sides;
  • Billericay - 50 to 96 High Street (even numbers) and 53 to 127 High Street (odd numbers); and
  • Wickford - High Street; the Ladygate Centre and the Willowdale Centre.

Please visit Basildon’s District Local Plan Saved Policies document for more information.