Policy information sourced from the Braintree District Council Local Plan 2013-2033.

LPP 9: Retailing and Regeneration.

To ensure the long-term vitality and viability of the District’s Town, District and Local Centres, the Town Centres of Braintree, Halstead and Witham will be the primary location for main town centre uses such as retail, office, leisure and entertainment in the District.

Proposals that positively contribute towards creating attractive, vibrant and safe centres offering a diverse mix of uses, including those uses which offer wider community benefit, and that promote and improve choice, will be supported. In the main towns proposals which support the diversification of the evening economy, will be supported subject to amenity impact on residents and the surrounding area.

Convenience (Food) retailing across the District is expected to grow, with evidence suggesting that across the District 2,927sq.m (gross) of new floorspace will be required. For comparison goods (Non-food retailing) 10,315sqm (gross) will be required and for food and beverage provision 4,506sqm (gross) is needed.

The improvement and regeneration of the town centres will be promoted and the regeneration of the following locations is proposed to meet the identified need for additional retailing, community facilities and services and other main town centre uses:

  • Land at Manor Street/Victoria Street, Braintree
  • Land at Sainsbury, Braintree
  • Land at Tesco, New Street, Braintree
  • Land at Newlands Street, Witham.

Proposals for main town centre uses will be permitted when a sequential test, and if required an Impact Assessment, demonstrates that there are no sequentially preferable sites which could accommodate the development.

Impact Assessments will be required for main town centre use proposals for sites that are not within a Town, District, or Local Centre, which are in excess of the following floor space thresholds:

  • 2,500 sqm (Gross) - Braintree Town Centre
  • 1,500 sqm (Gross) - Halstead and Witham Town Centres
  • 1,000 sqm (Gross) - Great Notley District Centre
  • 500 sqm (Gross) - Local Centres
  • 400 sqm (Gross) - Sudbury.

The scale of development will need to be consistent with the following hierarchy, with larger scale development focused on the town centres:

  • Town Centres – Braintree, Witham and Halstead town centres
  • District Centre – Great Notley Neighbourhood Centre
  • Local Centres – Coggeshall, Earls Colne, Hatfield Peverel, Kelvedon and Sible Hedingham, with local centres proposed as part of Strategic Growth Locations and at Maltings Lane, Witham.

Local Centres will be protected from inappropriate development and enhanced to provide small-scale shops, services and community facilities for local residents.

For more information, please visit Braintree District Council’s Local Plan here.