Policy information sourced from the Welwyn Hatfield Local Plan

SADM 4 Development in Designated Centres

Development in Designated Centres

Within the defined boundaries of designated centres the Council will support proposals for new development or changes of use, subject to them not having a detrimental impact on the vitality and viability of that centre. Proposals will be resisted where they result in the loss of a use or a facility which attracts people to the centre or which directly serves the centre, unless it can be demonstrated that there is no longer any need for that use or facility.

The Policies Map indicates the boundaries of Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield Town Centres; which which are defined Core Retail Zones, Anchor Stores, Primary Frontages and Secondary Frontages. The Policies Map also indicates the boundaries of each of the borough’s Neighbourhood and Village Centres and whether they are a large or small centre, and defines Retail Frontages within the Large Neighbourhood and Village Centres.

Town Centre Core Retail Zones

To maintain the function of Core Retail Zones, planning permission for retail development in the town centre, but outside the Core Retail Zone will not be permitted, unless indicated by the sequential approach.

Town Centre Anchor Stores

To maintain the function of the Core Retail Zones in Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield town centres, development will not be permitted which would lead to the loss of all or a significant part of an Anchor Store from a Class E retail use, unless it can be clearly demonstrated that the loss would not have a detrimental impact on the vitality and viability of the town centre.

Town Centre Frontages

Planning permission will be granted for Class E uses within the Primary Frontage. To maintain the vitality and viability of Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield town centres, within the defined Primary Frontage, the Council will support proposals for changes of use, provided that:

  1. At least 70% of the defined Primary Frontage (by length) within which the unit is located will remain in those catefories of class E retail uses considered appropriate in town centres (24);
  2. There will be no more than two adjoining units in uses other than Class E retail; and
  3. There will be no loss of an existing active frontage to a non active frontage.

Planning permission will be granted for Class E uses within the Secondary Frontage. To maintain the vitality and viability of Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield town centres, within the defined Secondary Frontage, the Council will support proposals for changes of use, provided that:

  1. At least 30% of the Secondary Frontage (by length) within which the unit is located will remain in Class E retail use;
  2. There will be no more than five adjoining units in uses other than Class E retail; and
  3. There will be no loss of an existing active frontage to a non active frontage.

Neighbourhood and Village Centres

Within the defined Retail Frontage(s) of Large Neighbourhood or Large Village centres the Council will support proposals for changes of use where:

  1. At least 50% of the Retail Frontage(s) (by number of units) remain in Class E retail use;
  2. There will be no more than two adjoining non-Class E retail units within any part of the frontage;
  3. There would be no harm to the vitality and viability of the centre.

The Council support proposals for changes of use within Small Neighbourhood or Small Village centres where:

  1. The loss would not have a detrimental impact on the provision of Class E retail within the wider neighbourhood or village whose centre the premise is within;
  2. The centre would remain in a predominantly Class E retail use;
  3. The proposal would add to the vitality and viability of the centre.

Any new additional retail development at existing neighbourhood and village centres should not generally exceed 500 sq.m gross floorspace.

Requirement for marketing

Planning permission will only be granted as an exception to the criteria in this policy where there are overriding benefits to the overall vitality and viability of the relevant Town, Neighbourhood or Village Centre. It will also need to be demonstrated through active and extensive marketing over a period of at least 12 months that there is a lack of demand for a Class E retail use in that location.

Guidance on measuring retail frontages, as well as lists of the addresses included within each frontage, can be found in Appendix D.

For more information please see the Welwyn Hatfield Local Plan