Policy information sourced from The Woking Local Development Document - Core Strategy
CS2: Woking Town Centre
The Council will support the development of the town centre as the primary centre for economic development in the Borough and as a primary economic centre in the South East. The Town Centre is the preferred location for town centre uses3 and high density residential development. New development proposals should deliver high quality, well designed public spaces and buildings, which make efficient use of land, contribute to the functionality of the centre and add to its attractiveness and competitiveness.
The Council will facilitate the delivery of the following specific proposals in the town centre. The timetable set out to deliver the proposals is indicative and any proposal which brings forward the redevelopment of the town centre in a comprehensive manner will be considered on its merits.
| Development type and indicative amount | When |
|---|---|
| Housing: 2010-2027 = 2,180 | Over the life of the Core Strategy |
| Employment: Approximately 27,000 sq.m of additional office floorspace to be provided in the town centre as part of mix-used developments | Over the life of the Core Strategy |
| Retail: Potential for up to 75,300 sq.m of additional A class floorspace including 67,600 of A1 retail made up of 59,300 sq.m of comparison and 8,300 sq.m of convenience floorspace | 2012 – 2016 17,500 sq.m of A1 retail including 10,800 sq.m of comparison and 6,700 sq.m of convenience floorspace. / 2016 – 2021 26,200 sq.m of A1 retail including 25,400 sq.m of comparison and 800 sq.m of convenience floorspace. / 2021 – 2027 up to 23,900sq.m of A1 retail. Up to 23,100 sq.m of comparison and 800 sq.m of convenience floorspace. |
| Social, community and transport infrastructure | The proposed development will be supported by adequate infrastructure as set out in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan. The list will be reviewed regularly to see if intended objectives are being achieved. |
The proposals will be achieved through:
- mixed-use high density redevelopment of existing sites
- refurbishment of outmoded sites
- intensification of existing sites
- change of use of existing employment uses where this will not undermine the delivery of the proposed development set out in the policy and the other objectives of the Core Strategy
- safeguarding of existing office floorspace where there is evidence to justify that.
The primary shopping area comprises primary and secondary frontages and will be the main focus, particularly at ground floor level, for A1 retail uses. A1 retail uses will therefore be protected within the primary frontages. The Council will consider favourably change of use proposals to other A Class uses within secondary frontages if it can be determined they would not have significant harmful effects on the frontage, crime and disorder and the vitality and viability of the town centre.
The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment, the Employment Land Review and the Town, District and Local Centres Study provide sufficient justification of the need for the proposed development and the town centre’s capability to accommodate the proposed level of growth.
A Site Allocations DPD will identify specific sites to deliver the proposals. The policies of the Development Plan for the area and the available evidence base will inform decisions about any proposal that will come forward in advance of the Site Allocation DPD.
The town centre will also be the preferred location for other town centre uses as defined in the Glossary including hotels and cultural and entertainment facilities. Proposals for such uses will be permitted where it can be demonstrated there is a need for the development and the proposals deliver the objectives of the Core Strategy and do not undermine the delivery of the specific proposals set out above.
The loss of existing cultural and entertainment facilities within the town centre will be resisted, unless there is no demand for such facilities or demand can be met from alternative provision within the town centre either through new or co-located facilities. The Council recognises the importance to the well-being of the community of adequate community facilities and social and community infrastructure and will seek to safeguard existing facilities and promote new ones where appropriate, as set out in policy CS19.
The Council will support improvements to the market to help ensure that it remains attractive and competitive, providing the community with wider consumer choice.
The town centre, as a focus for economic growth, is significantly influenced by Woking’s role as a transport hub. The Council will work with partners to continue to improve public transport and cycle facilities in the centre.
Given Woking Town Centre’s importance to the future prosperity of the Borough, an Area Action Plan will be developed which will set out in detail how the proposed development will be managed to create the vision envisaged for the town centre.
For more information please see the Core Strategy