Policy information sourced from Enfield Development Managament Document (DMD)
DMD 28 Large Local Centres, Small Local Centres and Local Parades
Proposals involving a change of use from A class, leisure or community uses within local centres will be refused unless the proposed use provides a service that is compatible with and appropriate to the local centre.
A change of use from retail (A1) to non-retail on the ground floor will only be permitted if all of the following criteria are met:
- The role and function of the centre remains predominantly retail. The proportion of A1 shop units must be no less that 50% of the total number of commercial units within defined centres and there must be no less than 50% of A1 uses within any one parade;
- The use would not result in an adverse impact on the amenities of nearby occupiers, including through littering or fumes;
- The proposal would not have an adverse impact on safety and traffic flows or unacceptably add to traffic and parking problems in the area;
- Where applicable, the change of use would not result in a significant break in the continuity of the retail frontage of the shopping parade; and
- The frontage is retained/ protected and the design of the frontage would be compatible with the use of the premises and the surrounding area and achieves an active frontage at ground floor level.
Vacant Units
The change of use from A1 to other town centre uses will be permitted if a shop unit has been vacant for 12 months and robust evidence has been submitted to demonstrate that all efforts have been made to market the unit over that period, in accordance with the details set out in Appendix 13: ‘Requirements for Market Demand and Viability Assessments’.
This policy should be read in conjunction with Core Strategy Policy 17.
For more information please see the Development Managament Document (DMD)