Policy information sourced from the Bexley Local Plan
SP4: Supporting successful town centres
- To realise a network of successful town centres, the Council will work with key stakeholders including the Mayor of London and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), to maintain and enhance the vitality and viability of the borough’s hierarchy of town centres. In particular, the Council will:
- support proposals for main town centre uses in Bexley’s defined Town and Local Centres, including residential-led development on appropriate sites;
- ensure that all new development is appropriate in scale, design and location, and does not negatively impact on the hierarchy in accordance with national and regional policy and local need;
- maintain town centres as the places where commercial, business and service uses are concentrated, as designated on the Policies Map, and support development proposals for the intensification, renewal and modernisation of these uses;
- seek to secure a healthy mix of shop sizes and types, as well as encourage the introduction of pop-up shops and other appropriate temporary uses, including for cultural and creative uses, where they support the vitality and viability of the centre;
- apply the town centre sequential test to all relevant developments as set out in national and regional policy and the retail impact assessment on new developments and redevelopments over a locally set threshold of 280m2 gross;
- support an evening economy across the borough’s town centres, and a night-time economy in Bexleyheath, with new development supporting the creation of a comfortable, safe, attractive and accessible day and evening environment;
- support the development of new cultural venues in town centres and places with good public transport connectivity;
- strongly encourage hot food takeaway operators to comply with the Healthier Catering Commitment standards;
- support the creation of attractive town centres through high-quality design;
- work with partners to enhance existing markets and, where appropriate, to establish new markets;
- promote the provision of Shopmobility schemes or similar to ensure maximum accessibility for all;
- seek to ensure that the vitality and viability of the borough’s designated Neighbourhood Centres are maintained and enhanced in order that they continue to provide a level of service of neighbourhood significance; and
- develop a town centre strategy for each town centre in accordance with London Plan requirements.
For more information please see the Bexley Local Plan