Policy information sourced from the Mole Valley Local Plan

EC3: THE URBAN ECONOMY

1. Development that enhances the attraction of Dorking and Leatherhead town centres as destinations for shopping, business, leisure, cultural and recreational activities will be encouraged within the Town Centre Boundaries, as defined on the Policies Map.

Dorking and Leatherhead
2. Within the town centres of Dorking and Leatherhead, the Primary Shopping Area, as defined on the Policies Map, will remain the focus for retail activity and other town centre uses. In this area:

  • Within the primary frontages at ground floor level, as defined on the Policies Map, development within Use Class E will normally be permitted.
  • Within the secondary frontages at ground level, as defined on the Policies Map, development within Use Class E, Sui Generis uses suited to a town centre, Class F1 and Class F2(b) will normally be permitted.
  • Within the primary and secondary frontages, the scale and nature of the proposed use should retain an active frontage at ground floor level and demonstrate a positive contribution to the vitality, viability, balance of services and/or evening economy of the town centre.
  • Within the primary and secondary frontages, the effective and efficient use of upper floors for main town centre uses, town centre neighbourhood facilities, or residential use, is supported subject to other local planning policies.

Local Shopping Centres
3. Within the built up areas of Ashtead, Fetcham and Bookham:

  • Existing local shopping centres, as defined on the Policies Map, will be maintained and enhanced where possible. The Council will support a range of Use Class E and other appropriate uses in these centres. Development proposals involving a change of use from Class E will not be permitted unless the alternative use maintains an active frontage and a range and mix of products and services in the centre, without harming the vitality and viability of the local shopping centre.
  • The retention and expansion of employment floorspace will be encouraged. Redevelopment proposals providing managed workspace, flexible workspace and/or nursery/starter accommodation will be particularly encouraged to support small businesses within the built up areas.

Loss of a Commercial, Business or Service Use in a Designated Area
4. Applications resulting in the loss of:

  • Commercial, Business or Service uses (Class E) in the primary shopping frontages in Dorking or Leatherhead town centres will only be supported where it can be demonstrated that:
    1. There is no reasonable prospect of the site remaining in a Class E use;
    2. Opportunities to reconfigure or reuse the site to retain its current use or another Class E use have been exhausted;
    3. The site has been actively but unsuccessfully marketed for 12-month period at a reasonable market value with a recognised agent; and,
    4. The proposed alternative use would not adversely affect the vitality and viability of the town centre or local shopping centre.
  • Class E, Class F1 and Class F2(b) or sui generis uses suited to a centre in the secondary shopping frontages of Dorking or Leatherhead town centres or in one of the Local Shopping Centres will only be supported where it can be demonstrated that:
    1. There is no reasonable prospect of the site remaining in a Class E use, Class F1 and Class F2(b) or sui generis uses suited to the centre;
    2. Opportunities to reconfigure or reuse the site to retain its current use or another Class E use, Class F1 and Class F2(b) or sui generis uses suited to a centre have been exhausted;
    3. The site has been actively marketed for a 12-month period at a reasonable market value with a recognised agent; and,
    4. The proposed alternative use would not adversely affect the vitality and viability of the town centre or local shopping centre.

Out of Centre Town Centre Use Proposals
5. Proposals for town centre uses outside of an existing town or local centre, as defined on the Policies Map, will be supported, provided:

  • It can be demonstrated that there are no suitable sites in the town centre if the proposal is edge-of-centre and there are no suitable sites in the town centre or at the edge of the centre if the proposal is distant from the town;
  • The site is well connected to the town centre; and,
  • For retail and leisure development, the proposal is accompanied by an impact assessment, if the proposal is above the locally set threshold of 800sqm gross floorspace, which includes how the proposal will affect existing, committed and planned investment in the retail catchment area of the proposal and how the proposal will affect the vitality, viability, local consumer choice and trade in the town centre and wider catchment.

For more information please see the Mole Valley Local Plan