Yes

ID sylw: 101461

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Mr Bart Slob

I agree with Draft Policy Direction 20 but feel more emphasis should be placed on enhancing town centres for a diverse range of uses. Supporting town centre vitality through flexible policies that encourage a mix of retail, cultural, leisure, and residential uses is important for adapting to changing consumer habits. The policy should also focus on improving sustainable transport links and reducing car dependence to make town centres more accessible. However, local businesses and small retailers must be supported through affordable spaces, and efforts should be made to ensure long-term viability through regular reviews of town centre health.

Yes

ID sylw: 101484

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Ms Zoe Leventhal

Important to protect and support the communities in these town centres. Agree with broad proposals re Kenilworth which requires investment in order to be sustainable, and improvement to active travel infrastructure to avoid pollution and congestion and enhance the public realm.

No

ID sylw: 101629

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Mr Vincent Rollason

This development is not good for the area

Yes

ID sylw: 101944

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Bishop's Tachbrook Parish Council

Bishop’s Tachbrook Parish Council supports Draft Policy Direction 20 and agrees that town centres need urgent revitalisation. Using Leamington Spa as an example, the Council highlights the impact of out-of-town retail and online shopping. It believes increasing residential development and hotel provision will boost demand for local retail, hospitality and specialist outlets. Converting some retail units into small office spaces could also enhance employment opportunities. The Council questions the town centre hierarchy, suggesting Warwick be demoted due to spatial constraints and congestion, while Stratford-upon-Avon and Kenilworth should be prioritised above Warwick for investment and development.

Yes

ID sylw: 102297

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Mr Doug Wallace

N/A

Yes

ID sylw: 102638

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Mrs Penelope Beswick

Our town centres need to attract more business to the actual centre of the towns. Developments such as Leamington Shires/Shopping Park have had an adverse impact on Leamington town centre - encouraging retail chains such as Marks and Spencer to stay in the town centre where ther would be accessible for all would have been much better for the town centre as a whole.

Yes

ID sylw: 102895

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Mr David Bailey

Kenilworth town centre, Warwick Road should be pedestrianised, or be used for public transport and cycling only.

Yes

ID sylw: 103281

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Mr Stephen Currie

I agree with the policy and suggest that local public transport access, continuity and connectivity are crucial to town center survival and are required to withdraw from the traffic induced retail parks.

Other

ID sylw: 103980

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Mr Stephen Norrie

There is nothing to object to here, but is there really nothing more that could be done to support our town centres, particularly when so many small town centre businesses are struggling?

No

ID sylw: 104357

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Mr Neal Appleton

The face of retail is changing. For our town centres to be defined in terms of "Primary Shopping Areas" denies the reality that this type of town centre is not thriving any more.
Town centres need to be community and living spaces serving more than just functional shopping needs. Some of this is happening already, but it needs to be better recognised and encouraged in policy.

Yes

ID sylw: 104553

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Miss Ann Colley

With the building of out of town retail parks ie The Shires, town centres are now becoming less attractive places to shop as major retailers have moved to these new centres. Entacing retailers back to the town centres will improve the 'life' in towns.

No

ID sylw: 104734

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Mr Ian Dunning

Nothing here is of any value. You've drawn some boxes on a map and labelled it a shopping area. So what?
This isn't value add.

Pedestrianise the Parade, stop cars accessing it. The rest of this is a waste of resources.
Also why on earth is there a diesel generator powering the container shops outside Nationwide bank? Hook them up to the grid.

Yes

ID sylw: 104949

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Stratford-on-Avon Town Council

Stratford has been wanting for at least 20 years to close High Street and Bridge Street to vehicles during shopping hours, enabling a 'cafe culture' to develop and encouraging pedestrians to appreciate the historic buildings. Several experiments have been very successful, and it was clearly defined as a project in the 2018 Neighbourhood Plan, yet the County Council has never implemented the scheme.

Consider including the whole of Henley Street in the Primary Shopping Area, particularly as the new Gateway Project emerges.

Yes

ID sylw: 106949

Derbyniwyd: 03/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Coventry and Warwickshire ICB

The ICB is supportive of Draft Policy Direction-20- Supporting our changing town centres, recognising the opportunity that integrated health, wellbeing and communities have to deliver integrated services in community and town centre settings, alongside new town centre housing approaches.

Other

ID sylw: 107298

Derbyniwyd: 21/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Stratford Rail Transport Group

Reinstatement of the Stratford-Honeybourne railway would act as a regeneration tool and benefit Stratford Town Centres economy in a post pandemic era. Previous rail studies have demonstrated that Stratford only attracts 6% of tourists by rail compared to 13% for similar centres. On the basis of the 3.5m visitors pa, this equates to 210,000 visitors a year to Stratford, that are lost to rail. The hotel developers of the former Debenhams store, Stratford High Street, have indicated that the lack of attractive rail services to Stratford, particularly London, has had a negative impact on attracting inward investment.

Other

ID sylw: 107328

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Stratford-on-Avon District Social Inclusion Partnership

We agree that significant efforts should be made to protect town centres and ensure that they continue to provide essential services and a broad range of other services and facilities. This is particularly important for residents that may struggle to access services further afield where age, lack of transport, disability or other constraints may be a challenge.

Importantly, we feel that any new larger supermarket provision should be located, designed and constructed in a manner that aids the sustainability of existing Local Centres and that as and when appropriate new settlements including Meon Vale and Upper Lighthorne should be classified as Local Centres and thereby have the facilities in the centre of these settlements preserved in the same manner.

Other

ID sylw: 107684

Derbyniwyd: 26/02/2025

Ymatebydd: Shakespeare Line Rail User Group

Reinstating the Stratford-Honeybourne railway would help regenerate Stratford-upon-Avon following post-pandemic challenges. Stratford currently attracts only 6% of visitors via rail, compared to the 13% typical for similar town centres. A direct rail link with London could lead to nearly 245,000 extra visitors if these figures are applied to the current 3.5 million Stratford annual numbers. There would be further opportunities provided as Oxford would be on the route, another tourist centre. Town centre businesses have noted that the lack of appealing rail services, particularly to London, has hindered ability to thrive and draw investment.

A strong rail connection would enhance the appeal of Stratford as a destination and foster greater economic activity across various sectors, from hospitality to retail. A 2018 survey indicated 58% of residents were interested in an Oxford service. The 2021 Strategic Outline Business Case concluded the project would generate a useable Benefit/Cost Ratio above 1 and considerable user benefits from connecting to networks south of Banbury.

An extended service from Stratford to London could improve connectivity by providing a continuous journey to key destinations including Oxford, Reading and Paddington. This would also enable direct connectivity with Evesham, Worcester, the South West and South Wales. 62% of respondents said they would consider utilising a direct rail service to London. Local businesses overwhelmingly support rail reopening. 94% of over 70 surveyed businesses expressed support. The potential increase in footfall from both tourists and commuters could inject vital revenue into the local economy.

Other

ID sylw: 107932

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Barwood Land

Asiant : Pegasus Group

Protecting and enhancing town centres accords with the NPPF policy guidance. However, this shouldn't constraint investment and opportunity in the area. The Kenilworth Town Centre and primary shopping boundary is a contained area with development adjacent in all directions. To ensure choice and competition and encourage additional investment in Kenilworth it may be appropriate to identify other locations that could accommodate retail development. The Site at Thickthorn could be such a location, within the defined settlement boundary and accessible by a choice of modes of transport. There has been interest from retail providers who see the site as suitable for a supermarket offering. It is available, deliverable and suitable for such a use and within a Priority 1 Area in the emerging Spatial Strategy, at the top of the hierarchy for locations for future growth and development.