Policy information sourced from the Combined Policies of Epping Forest District Local Plan (1998) and Alterations (2006).
TC2 Sequential Approach
The Council will grant planning permission for retail and other town centre uses where these are appropriate to the function of the particular centre as identified in the hierarchy in policy TC1. Where a clearly defined need for retail or other town centre uses has been demonstrated, but no suitable sites or buildings, including sites suitable for conversion, are either committed or likely to become available within a realistic period of time within the principal town centres, consideration may be given to suitable sites in other centres, in the following preferential order:
- an edge-of-centre location of one of the principal town centres;
- a smaller town centre or district centre location;
- an edge-of-centre location of a smaller town centre or district centre.
This sequential approach will also be adopted for the smaller, district and local centres subject to the proposal being appropriate for the character and function of these centres. Only if these locations have been rejected will out-of-centre sites be considered. Such proposals will also have to be in accordance with other policies of this plan.
For more information, please see the Combined Policies document