Retail Capacity Study - 2nd Replacement Local Development Plan

Tender description

With respect to its emerging 2nd Replacement Local Development Plan, the Council seeks to appoint a suitably qualified consultant to undertake a retail capacity study in order to inform the evidence base. It is envisaged that demonstrable understanding and experience will be required in the areas of: retail planning policy, particularly in a Welsh context; quantitative and qualitative need assessment; and the implications for town centres of current and forecast retail trends, as well as other, related town centre uses. The study should incorporate the following elements: - A ‘health check’ of the County Borough’s town and retail centres, based on robust evidence (including data relating to the hierarchy of centres in a UK/South East Wales context); - A quantitative retail need assessment covering the plan period (2020-2035); - An assessment or judgement of qualitative need for new retail floorspace; - Assessments of the potential for other town centre uses (e.g. commercial leisure, A3 uses, public services) within the context of Future Wales’ ‘town centre first’ policy; - Implications for the County Borough’s town centres in terms of floorspace projections, the hierarchy of centres and town centre boundaries.