Cornwall Monitoring Report

Liskeard Town Report

December 2016

Liskeard Town Report 2016

1 Liskeard Town Centre Survey 1.1 The annual survey of town centre uses was undertaken for Liskeard in June 2016. A Map and tables detailing the town centre uses along with the health check data by street are appended to this report.

1.2 The quantity of units by use class has been surveyed over the last 5 years and is recorded in Table 1 below. 195 units were counted in Liskeard this year, a reduction of 4 units since last year’s survey. Two former office units were removed from the VOA website within the Cattle Market, a unit was discounted due to a change of use to (B8) storage and further unit was lost to residential. A total of 6 units have converted to residential use since 2013; 3 within the Prime Shopping Area.

Table 1 Liskeard Town Centre Uses Survey Year

A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 B1a D1 D2 Vacant Other Total %

Vacancy

% Cornwall Vacant

2016 92 35 9 4 5 5 15 4 19 7 195 9.7 9.4 2015 88 39 10 5 4 5 16 5 19 8 199 9.5 9.1 2014 91 41 10 5 4 5 15 5 18 7 201 9.0 8.6 2013 90 39 12 5 3 6 14 5 21 7 202 10.4 8.4 2012 80 22 10 5 1 4 6 3 16 6 153 10.5 8.7

1.3 There has been little change in the share of uses within the town centre with A1 uses continuing to be the dominant use representing 47% of the units within the town centre, up 3% compared to last year. Despite this improvement, Liskeard remains below the Cornwall average of 50.6%. The number of units within the Prime Shopping Area that are A1 uses rose from 49% to 51% which again is one of the lowest proportions in Cornwall. 1.4 The vacancy rate for Liskeard has remained above the Cornish average over the last four years with it maintaining the 0.4% margin (above) for the 3rd consecutative year. 1.5 The long term vacant former Somerfield store on Pondbridge Hill which became the 99p Store in 2015, was taken over by Poundland this year. Liskeard lost a pub with the closure of The Railway Inn on Barn Street. Its Nationwide branch also closed and now forms part of Jeffreys Estate Agents. The Coronation Community Hall was boarded up and now is counted as vacant. Newells travel replaced a bridal shop and a dry cleaners relocated to Liskeard’s only tattoo studio. 1.6 New shops to the town were mainly independent retailers such as a Polish food shop, a beautician, a fireplace showroom and a toy shop. There was the

usual relocation of businesses to alternative premises within the town which often results in the upgrading and renovation of existing units. Convenience, Comparison and Service uses within the Town Centre 1.7 To measure the diversity of a town centre the A class retail element is split into three main categories; convenience, comparison and service uses. The ‘health’ of a town can be monitored by tracking the proportion of these sectors over time and comparisons with other towns can then be made. This method therefore excludes the non-retail premises such as community and leisure facilities (D2), clinics and surgeries (D1) and B1a offices, hence reducing the number of units included. 1.8 The results from the surveys conducted over the last 6 years can be seen in Table 2 below. The number of relevant units totalled 170 units this year due to the loss of one unit to residential conversion and another to storage use. Table 2 Liskeard Town Centre Uses by GOAD Classification

Sector 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Cornwall Average

2016

National Average

2016

No % No % No % No % No % % %

Convenience 13 8.9 12 7.2 12 6.9 11 6.4 13 7.6 8.4 9.3

Comparison 55 37 63 38 68 39 65 38 64 38 38.9 39.5

Service 61 42 69 41 72 41 74 43 71 42 41.3 37.8

Vacant 16 11 19 11 18 10 19 11 19 11 10.4 12.1

Miscellaneous 2 1.4 4 2.4 4 2.3 3 1.7 3 1.8 1 1.2

Total 147 100 167 100 174 100 172 100 170 100 100 100

Source: GOAD data 2012 CC Town Centre Surveys: 2013 - 2016 GOAD National Average 2016 1.9 Convenience uses within Liskeard have historically declined until this year when it rose by 2 units with the opening of a health food shop and the reclassification of a sandwich bar. The sector remains below both the Cornwall and national average. The comparison sector retains 38% of the capacity share, as last year, although again this remains slightly below both the Cornwall and national averages. Its service sector represents 42% of the centre share, slightly higher than the Cornwall average but 4.2% above the average nationally. The number of units vacant was the same as last year; 19 representing 11% of the centre share. Although higher than the Cornwall average, Liskeard has a lower vacancy rate than the national average. 1.10 Using the vacancy rates in Table 2 a graph can be plotted to track the changes to the vacancy rate over the last 6 years and compare it with the Cornwall average. The graph below shows how the % vacant has remained

above the average for Cornwall but the margin between the two rates has narrowed over the last 3 years. It also shows how Liskeard suffered prior to 2011 with a vacancy rate of more than 18% and how both Liskeard and the Cornish average improved post-recession.

CC data 2011-15 (Health Check Data)

1.11 Of the 19 vacant units 8 have become vacant in the last year and 6 units have been vacant for two years or more. The size of the vacant units varies from 30-498sq m. 3 adjoining units on 23-25 Baytree Hill amount to 793sq m presenting a potential opportunity to create 1 larger store. Retailer Representation 1.12 The number of major multiple retailers within Liskeard remains low with only two represented and this is unchanged on last year. The town has Boots and Superdrug stores and ranks 12th alongside Hayle and Saltash in Cornwall’s retail hierarchy in terms of the major multiple retailers as identified by Experian GOAD. Out of Town Centres 1.13 Liskeard has an out of town Morrison’s superstore (2461sq m net, which extended by 399sq m to 2,860 sq m net last summer) on Plymouth Road and an Aldi on Charter Way which opened in 2013 with a gross retail provision of 1,392sqm. South of Morrison is the Bubble Retail Park, home to Argos, Pets at Home and a B&M store which replaced Homebase in February 2015. The map below shows their position relative to the town along with significant retail and housing schemes discussed in the next section.

0

5

10

15

20

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

% vacant

Survey Year

Proportion of Vacant Units in Liskeard Compared to the Cornwall Average

Liskeard

Cornwall Average

2 Significant Decisions made in the last year 2.1 Wetherspoons gained permission this April to construct a public house on the site of the former Taylors Garage, Barras Street, PA15/03887, see Figure 1. The former petrol garage site has remained vacant and boarded up for a very long time. The derelict site is in a prominent, central location within the Conservation Area and Prime Shopping Area. The redevelopment of this site by the national chain can only support the town’s social vitality and economic viability: a long awaited boost for the town.

Figure 1– Former Taylors Garage site, Barras Street (©Google 2016)

2.2 Although no formal application has been submitted, public consultation events were completed this July, on the three potential schemes to redevelop the cattle market area within the town. Visit the consultation website by clicking here

2.3 The current leaseholders Kivells Auctioneers are considering moving the cattle market business to Bodmin to take advantage of the improved transport links. LHC architects have been commissioned to carry out a development study into potential future uses for the Liskeard Cattle Market site, after discussions have been held by Cornwall Council, Liskeard Town Council and Kivells.

2.4 The study is exploring options for the use of the cattle market, the adjoining car park, and other nearby buildings. This may include things like shops, workspaces, homes, local community uses and parking. Development options will be considered in the context of the town centre as a whole and against the market demand for the facilities being proposed.

2.5 Outline planning permission was granted in September this year for an urban extension site at Tencreek Farm. The site has approval for 275 dwellings, 6.2ha of employment space including A3 and A4 retail. Other major housing schemes relevant to Liskeard amount to a further 700 homes. The first phases at Addington are already under construction with over 70 homes already

completed and the development at Lake Lane is nearing completion. The remaining sites have yet to commence.

3 Local Plan Retail Capacity Targets

3.1 The Local Plan retail capacity targets for Liskeard are shown in Table 3 below for the Local Plan period. These were prepared by GVA as part of the Cornwall Retail Study Update 2015. The projections take into account the extension to the existing Morrisons store and the new ALDI store which will have further increased the supply of floors pace within Liskeard. They also include the Barras Place site (Topfoto Ltd) as a possible location for a convenience goods store towards the capacity targets. Although the permission (PA12/00308) for the redevelopment of this site to A1 retail expired last April it remains a potential future opportunity for a convenience store on the northern fringe of the town.

Table 3 Local Plan Capacity Targets (sq m net)

Year 2014 2019 2024 2030 Convenience 1015 855 1157 1485 Comparison -740 -333 919 2536

3.2 The projected figures show a need for around 1500 sq m net of convenience floor space by 2030 and the GVA study recommends that additional provision for convenience capacity should be provided within the town centre in order to better compete with the highly successful out of centre Morrisons store.

3.3 The table also shows that there may be surplus capacity for comparison goods by 2030 and the retail capacity study recommends that the Council encourages new comparison goods floor space within the town centre as opposed to allocating an out of town location.

Appendix Table 1 Use Class by Street

Street A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 B1a D1 D2 Vacant Other Total

Barn Street 3 1 1 2 7 Windsor Place 6 2 1 9

Dean Street 1 5 1 1 3 1 12 The Cattle Market 2 1 1 4

Fairpark Road 2 1 1 4

Barras Street 7 7 1 1 1 17 Pig Meadow Lane 2 1 3

The Parade 6 9 1 1 1 2 2 3 25

West Street 2 1 1 1 1 6

Barras Place 1 1 2

Greenbank 1 1 2

Pound Street 1 1

Pike Street 12 2 2 1 1 18

Market Street 6 1 1 1 9 Lower Lux Street 2 1 2 5

Castle Hill 1 1 Church Street 1 3 1 1 1 1 8

Well Lane 2 2 Pond Bridge Hill 3 1 4

Malthus Court 1 1 1 3

Fore Street 21 3 1 4 1 30

Bay Tree Hill 13 4 1 4 1 23

Total 92 35 9 4 5 5 15 4 19 7 195

Percentage 47.2 17.9 4.6 2.1 2.6 2.6 7.7 2.1 9.7 3.6 100

Table 2 Retail Sector by Street

Street Convenience Comparison Service Vacant Miscellaneous Total

Barn Street 3 1 2 6

Windsor Place 1 4 3 8

Dean Street 1 7 1 9 The Cattle Market 2 1 3

Fairpark Road 2 1 3

Barras Street 2 4 9 15 Pig Meadow Lane 2 2

The Parade 1 3 13 3 1 21

West Street 3 1 4

Barras Place 1 1

Greenbank 1 1

Pound Street 1 1

Pike Street 10 6 1 17

Market Street 1 3 4 8 Lower Lux Street 2 1 2 5

Castle Hill 0

Church Street 1 4 2 7

Well Lane 2 2

Pipewell Lane 0 Pond Bridge Hill 1 3 4

Malthus Court 1 1

Fore Street 5 12 9 4 30

Bay Tree Hill 2 10 6 4 22

Total 13 64 71 19 3 170

Percentage 7.6 37.6 41.8 11.2 1.8 100