Policy information sourced from Thurrock Core Strategy and Policies for Management of Development

CSTP8 - VITALITY AND VIABILITY OF EXISTING CENTRES

The Council will maintain and promote the retail function of existing centres. Measures to improve the vitality and viability of the network of centres will be encouraged in order to meet the needs of the Borough’s residents and act as a focus for retail, leisure, cultural, business and residential uses. The Council will do this in the following ways:

  • Permitting applications for main town centre uses on suitable sites of an appropriate scale to the role and function of the centres, with Town Centres being the preferred locations, followed by edge of Town Centre locations;
  • Resist proposals for main town centre uses in out of centre locations if town centre or edge of town centre locations are available, and also at edge of town centre locations if Town Centre locations are available;
  • Encouraging diversification and improvement of the range and quality of facilities including retail, employment, leisure and entertainment, community, culture and education;
  • Retaining and, subject to other Core Strategy policies, permitting additional residential development in appropriate locations and in particular on sites identified for mixed development;
  • Improving access for public transport, pedestrians, cyclists and those with special needs, whilst managing road traffic and improving road safety;
  • Improving the wider environment by ensuring new development protects and/or enhances the designated centres including historic character, townscape and biodiversity
  • Where appropriate seeking to improve personal safety and contribute to crime reduction by design and other measures

‘Town Centres’ for the purposes of this policy means:- Grays; Aveley, Socketts Heath, South Ockendon; Corringham; Stanford le Hope; and Tilbury on the Proposals Map.

‘Main town centre uses’ for the purposes of this policy means:- retail development, including warehouse clubs and factory outlet centres; leisure, entertainment facilities and the more intensive sport and recreational uses, including cinemas, restaurants, drive-through restaurants, bars and pubs, night-clubs, casinos, health and fitness centres, indoor bowling centres, and bingo halls; offices except where ancillary to other permitted or permissible uses; and arts, culture and tourism development, including theatres, museums, galleries and concert halls, hotels and conference facilities.

‘Edge of town centre’ for the purposes of this policy means:- for retail purposes, a location that is well connected to and up to 300 metres of the primary shopping area. For all other main town centre uses, a location within 300 metres of a Town Centre boundary. For office development this includes locations outside Town Centres but within 500 metres of a public transport interchange.

‘Out of centre’ for the purposes of this policy means:- a location which is not in or on the edge of a Town Centre but not necessarily outside the urban area.

Key Diagram and Maps

Key Diagram.

The Regional Centre Boundary will be identified in the forthcoming Thurrock Local Plan and on the Proposals Map. Existing Town Centres and other centres are shown on the Key Diagram and Proposals Map. Primary shopping areas and any additional Town Centres will be identified in the forthcoming Thurrock Local Plan and on the Proposals Map.

For more information please see the Core Strategy and Policies for Management of Development