Cornwall Monitoring Report Truro City Report

December 2017

Truro City Report 20171 Truro City Centre Survey1.1 The annual survey of town centre uses was undertaken for Truro in June 2017. A Map and tables detailing the town centre uses including the health check data by street are appended to this report.

1.2 Truro is the largest shopping centre in the county by a considerable margin with many more retail units than any other Cornish town centre. The quantity of units by use class has been surveyed over the last 6 years and is recorded in Table 1 below. The total number of units increased in 2014 with the inclusion of the individual units within Lemon Street Market and Princes House as opposed to each complex being previously counted as one unit.

Table 1 Truro City Centre Uses by Survey YearSurvey Year A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 B1

a D1 D2 Vacant

Other

Total

% Vacanc

y

% Vacant

Cornwall

2017 289 74 61 13 13 37 28 8 44 11 578 7.6 9.6

2016 279 70 62 13 14 35 30 8 55 13 579 9.5 9.4

2015 292 70 61 13 15 37 29 8 44 15 584 7.5 9.1

2014 294 72 53 13 15 41 26 9 50 9 582 8.5 8.4

2013 282 77 48 12 16 39 23 11 42 9 559 7.5 8.8

2012 270 53 51 9 13 19 8 6 34 8 471 7.2 8.7

1.3 The total number of units included in the city centre has reduced by a net loss of 1 unit over the past year due to several changes to the street scene. Four units previously counted as vacant were removed as Primark opened in their place and two units newly created within the former L2 nightclub were included for the first time this year, albeit were vacant at the time of the survey.

1.4 The table shows A1 uses within the city centre increased by 10 units this year showing signs of recovery after a particularily tough year in 2016 when it lost a total of 13 units. Consequently, the proportion of A1 units fell below the average with 48% last year. This years survey can demonstrate an improvement to 50% more in line with the average for Cornwall of 50.5%. This also applies to the number of A1 units within the Prime Shopping Area which increased from 56% to 59% improving its margin above this years average of 53.5%. The number of units within the prime shopping frontage have also increased (to its highest record), up 5% to 75% with Truro returning to having the highest proportion of all the retail centres.

1.5 Table 1 also shows that the number of units vacant reduced back down to 44 after recording its highest vacancy rate last year. The reasons for the

elevated rate were explained in part by a fire in Café Cleopatra on St Marys Street which was so extensive it damaged the jewellers in the unit next door and the 2 units on Duke Street which back on to the fire damaged properties. The 4 fired damaged units remained closed and were counted as vacant for the second year surveyed. The vacant units along Lemon Quay which were requisitioned for the Primark development have been removed from the total, and on the whole, a net gain of new businesses began trading in the city this year reducing the proportion vacant back in line with previous surveys.

1.6 Changes to the city centre include the opening of the new Primark store at the end of last year. Wilkinsons replaced BHS, The Works now occupies the vacant shop once occupied by Blue Inc, The Entertainer moved into the unit vacated by Viyella and Austin Reed and Cornwall Hospice Care moved into the former Furniture World showroom which also fell vacant last year. The Post Office closed its main high street branch and established a counter within W H Smith (one of 3 centres to do so along with St Austell and Penzance).

Convenience, Comparison and Service uses within the City 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 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 monitored.

1.8 The results from the surveys conducted over the last 6 years are shown in Table 2 below. The table shows the total number of units reduced by one unit to 504 units included within Truro this year.

Table 2 Truro City Centre Retail Sectors 2012-17

Sector2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Cornwall

Average 2017

National

Average 2017

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

Convenience 23 5.3 25 5.2 28 5.5 25 4.9 24 4.8 27 5.4 8.2 9.4Comparison 214 48.9 22

3 46.1 229 45.4 227 44.7 212 42 21

6 42.9 39.4 39.0

Service 158 36.1 184 38 189 37.4 20

4 40.2 207 41 210 41.7 40.8 38.3

Vacant 33 7.5 45 9.3 51 10.1 44 8.7 55 10.9 44 8.7 10.7 12.1Miscellaneous 10 2.3 7 1.4 8 1.6 8 1.6 7 1.4 7 1.4 0.9 1.2

Total 438 100 484 100 505 100 50

8 100 505 100 504 100 100 100

Source: GOAD data 2012 CC: 2013-2017 Experian GOAD National Average 2017

1.9 In response to the opening of a new bakery, sweet shop and ice cream parlour the convenience sector grew by 3 units to 27 representing 5.4% of the sector share. Truro’s convenience sector remains well below the Cornish and national averages and the city has historically recorded the lowest proportion of convenience units of all the Cornwall towns; until this year, that is. Helston recorded the lowest convenience goods sector this year with 4.9%, after the closure of its’ Co-op store.

1.10 Truro does have a Tesco superstore located on the eastern edge of the centre at Garras Wharf, which is the largest single convenience facility, extending to 3,600sq m net sales area. It also has a Co-op within the prime shopping area on Boscawen Street. There is also an edge of centre Iceland store on Fairmantle Street. There are no butchers or fishmongers within the centre although it is well represented by bakeries.

1.11 Table 2 indicates that Truro’s comparison sector remains strong with it consistently performing above both the Cornish and national average. However, proportionally this sector is slowly declining with a fall of 6% since 2012. It is acknowledged that this figure is partly exacerbated by the temporary closure of the units damaged by fire and this is expected to improve once the units have been restored to the street scene.

1.12 Conversely, the service sector seems to be growing with an increase of 5.6% since 2012. The sector matches the average for Cornwall and is slightly higher than the figure nationally. 41% of service uses are made up of food and drink establishments with 32% comprising of professional services such as banks, estate agents and other A2 offices and 21% is made up of hair and beauty salons.

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 20170

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Proportion of Vacant Units in Truro Compared to the Cornwall Average

TruroCornwall Average

Survey Year

% Vacant

Grimley 2011, CC data 2012-17 (Health Check Data)

1.13 Vacancy rates over the 7-year period are plotted in the graph above along with the Cornwall average. The chart shows the rate for Truro fluctuates mostly below the average with the exception of when it rises above 10% such as in

2014 and again in 2016 when it accrued its highest rate of 10.9%. This elevated rate seems to have been a temporary blip in response to the reasons previously discussed, as this year the rate has recovered to the levels previously enjoyed in 2012.

1.14 Of the 44 vacant units, 15 fell vacant this year, 11 of these were within the Prime Shopping Area. There seems to be a rapid turnover in vacant shops being reoccupied with only 6 shops recorded as falling vacant between 2011-2013, with 84% either falling vacant in 2016 or in this survey year. Vacant units vary in size ranging between 20 sqm to 1364 sqm, the latter being the former Somerfield store to the rear of Argos.

1.15 Comparing the city to other towns in Cornwall, Truro ranks in the mid-point in terms of its vacancy rate with the lowest vacancy score of 5.7% being in St Ives and highest of 18.8% attributed to Redruth.

Retailer Representation

1.16 Truro is currently represented by 22 stores on the GOAD list of major national retailers, coming top in Cornwall’s retail hierarchy by some margin. Despite the closure of BHS last summer, the number of national retailers within the city increased this year with the addition of Wilkinson, Primark and Waitrose. The total had previously reduced by 4 retailers with the closure of Phones for U, Dorothy Perkins and Burtons in 2015 and River Island in 2016.

Supermarket Representation

1.17 The city has Tesco and Co-op stores within its centre and an edge of centre Iceland store. Out of centre is a Sainsbury superstore at the entrance to Truro on Treyew Road. A second storey extension was completed in 2009 to increase the net sales area by 1,854sq m to 5,891sq m. There is also an Aldi on the western approach to the city providing 760sq m net floor space. Waitrose opened its second store in Cornwall in 2016 on an out of town centre location on Duchy owned land at Tregurra Park. Sharing the building is the Great Cornish Food Store an independent grocery which sells a range of Cornish produce with its own butcher, fishmonger, café, deli and take-away. 1850 sq m net of convenience floor space was delivered last year within this combined foodstore.

Out of Town Retail Parks

1.18 Truro has several out of town retail parks. Treliske Retail Park is situated to the west of the city adjacent to the industrial estate opposite to the hospital site. It comprises of 6 comparison units; Homebase, Brantano, Argos, Carpetright, Pets at Home and Currys PC World. The latter having recently extended its sales area by 448sq m to 1427sq m net in total with the construction of a mezzanine floor. Map 1 below shows the location of the existing retail provision for the city.

1.19 Threemilestone Retail Park situated opposite the Langarth Park and Ride consists of 4 units including Matalan, Bargain Furniture, Home Bargains and Wickes. On an adjacent site, formerly occupied by the Oak Tree Inn, a new retail area has recently been constructed. The extension to the park is known as the West Truro Retail Park and DFS, Oak Furniture Land and Chiquitos Restaurant opened in 2016. An additional unit opened this May and Subway and an Eco Wash have now begun trading. A total comparison floorspace of 2149 sqm and 512.4 sqm of A3 restaurant floorspace have been delivered in this extended area of the retail park.

1.20 To the north east of the city is the Newquay Road Retail Park adjacent to the Tregurra Road development. Harveys, Dunelm, Dreams and Hobbycraft occupy the units there with a Julian Foye on the adjacent site.

2 Significant Decisions made in the last year

2.1 No significant decisions have been made over the last year but there is permission pending to redevelop the Ward Vauxhall garage in Threemilestone. The Co-op has submitted plans (PA17/07905) to convert the existing showroom to a convenience store (425 sq m) in addition to six homes within the forecourt. In June of this year, the Council purchased a number of properties and land within the city centre at the top of Pydar Street. This presents an exciting re-development opportunity with early-suggested uses to include shops, restaurants, department stores and a cinema complex.

2.2 Over the previous few years, Truro has seen a significant increase in planning applications with some major schemes gaining approval and in some cases major sites having commenced. Each site is listed below to summarise the development schemes as a way of documenting the changes to the area. Many of the schemes wish to deliver further retail development within new retail parks including three supermarkets. Approximately 3480 homes have planning approval along with two primary schools, a nursing home, and an assortment of community facilities. Most notably the relocation of the football club and the stadium for Cornwall are also included due to both being financed by retail investment.

2.3 The location of the development sites are shown on Map 2 with the number of homes shown in brackets. Each site on the map is numbered to correspond with following numbered list.

List of Development Sites

1) To the north east of the city the application known as the Truro Eastern District Centre was approved in 2012. This includes the 600 space Tregurra Park & Ride which opened in December 2015 and the construction of Cornwall’s second Waitrose supermarket (after Saltash) and the Cornish Food Store. The combined stores provide for 1850sq m/ 150sq m net of convenience /comparison floor space. The site also includes provision for an energy centre, hub building, recycling centre and 96 homes that are currently under construction (PA11/04599).

Truro Eastern Park and Ride

2) Higher Newham Farm PA14/07792. Outline permission was granted at appeal in February 2016 for a community farm/village with 155 homes, educational facilities, allotments, orchards, workshop space with a small retail element of 260sqm A3 and 110sqm A1use.

3) Tolgarrick Farm, Green Lane, gained permission for 302 homes under permission PA14/02023.

4) In June of last year 275 homes were approved on land at Dudman Farm under PA14/04970.

5) To the north west of Treliske Retail Park outline permission was granted on land at Maiden Green under application PA14/00703 in August 2016. The mixed-use development comprises up to 515 homes, a supermarket, petrol filling station, major non-food retail, major new office space, private leisure, health & veterinary related and community facilities, a nursery, a new 1 form entry primary school, public open space and associated infrastructure. The (as yet un-named) supermarket would extend to 3,958sqm net sales with a 2,980/978sqm net convenience /comparison mix. In addition to the supermarket and as part of a proposed new district centre a total of 2,380sq m gross of additional non-food retail (A1); a 1,010sqm cafe/bar/restaurant (A3, A4, A5) in addition to a mix of D1 and B1 uses has been approved.6) Willow Green Farm PA14/10755 has an outline permission granted in July 2016. The mixed use scheme includes 435 homes, a 60 bed nursing home, a 4,700sqm net food store, a petrol station, 1 form entry primary school, a 700sqm community hall, an

800sqm public house / restaurant, and public open space (including playing pitches, children’s equipped play space, allotments; orchards and informal open space). Phase 1a has since been approved detailing landscaping, access and scale of the community hall at reserved matters stage under PA16/07610.

7) Permission was allowed at appeal on the remaining portion of the site north of the A390 at Threemilestone also known as the ‘Hendra scheme’ in October 2016. The outline application PA14/09345 proposes 5,322 sq m net floor space of A1 retail and a community hub to include A1, A3 & A4 uses, office space and leisure and community space. Some of the likely occupants of the units are thought to be to be Aldi, Wilkinsons and DW Sports. Aldi was planning to relocate to the larger premises leaving its existing store unoccupied. However, an alternative scheme for the site has been approved at reserved matters under PA16/02385 in January of this year following an outline permission PA12/11527 proposing an alternative scheme for a 80-bed hotel, 7 commercial units (1654sqm gross) along with 93 residential units. Technically, either scheme could be implemented, but the most recent permitted scheme with the smaller retail element is most likely to come forward.

8) An urban extension at Langarth Farm was approved in 2013 under PA11/06124. The outline permission was for around 1500 homes, with A1 retail, A4, care home, primary school, community space and an extension to the park and ride. Part of the residential element of the site has reached reserved matters stage as the design of site progresses.

9) Pollards Field has outline permission for 78 homes under PA14/03065.

10) An outline permission on land west of Langarth gained permission this August under PA14/08092 for further retail development, 130 homes, sports facilities, 3 pitches, petrol station and a nursery. The planning application seeks outline planning permission for 10,219sq m gross of A1 retail floor space comprising of a supermarket 5574sq m gross and five non-food retail units with 4,645sq m gross, 929sqm floor space for other (A3, A4, and A5) uses. The application has been submitted as enabling development for a ‘Stadium for Cornwall’ that would link to the stadium and the adjacent local centre forming part of the main Langarth permission. The retail element of West Langarth is to be called the West Cornwall Shopping Park and is critical to funding the £10 million stadium construction.

11) The Stadium for Cornwall is a multi-use sports and education facility that will be a permanent home for the Cornish Pirates and a venue for other sports. It will house the Truro & Penwith College business centre, plus its elite sport and hospitality and catering teaching facilities, including a kitchen and restaurant open to the public. There will be a 200 capacity conference centre, meeting and function rooms, offering a platform for business and cultural events, including trade shows and fairs, as well as a venue for private parties, functions, weddings and concerts.

Architects Impression of the West Langarth Retail Park

12) In addition to the stadium, a new football club facility on land known as ‘Silver Bow’ gained approval in January 2016 under PA15/03405. It is understood that this is now unlikely to proceed.

13) PA14/12031 outline permission was granted in April 2016 to redevelop the existing football club site at Treyew Road. To be known as Truro City Shopping Park, 2 non-food A1 blocks would be sub divided to create between 5-9 units with a net sales area of 10,000sq m and 2 kiosk units of A3, A4, A5 use amounting to 464sq m along with D2 gym space, 1003sqm in size. There is an application pending under PA17/08182 indicating a Lidl discount food store along with 4 non-food retail units with A1 retail floorspace 10,008sqm and 2 A3/A5 kiosks (283sqm).

3 Local Plan Retail Capacity Targets

3.1 Capacity targets for Truro over the Plan period are shown in Table 4 below. These were prepared by GVA consultants and extracted from the Cornwall Retail Study Update 2015. The consultants were aware of some of the retail schemes to come forward and these are listed in Table 5. It was these proposals that were taken into account when calculating future capacity targets for the city.

Table 4 Local Plan Capacity Target (sq metres net)

2014 2019 2024 2030Convenience -1363 -252 540 1415Comparison 95 -4957 3536 14121

3.2 The consultants expected the surplus capacity for convenience goods floor space would be absorbed by Waitrose and from within the mixed use development commitment within the Langarth Farm site and the Hendra site (earmarked for the Aldi relocation proposal). They concluded that should all the commitments come forward that there would be no capacity for additional convenience floor space in the Truro/Threemilestone area until 2024 where a requirement of 500sq m rising to 1400sq m by 2030 was predicted to occur. In terms of quantitative need GVA advised

that there is no need to plan for another supermarket in the Threemilestone area. They warned that any additional new convenience provision outside of the centre might have a significant adverse impact upon Truro city centre.

Table 5 Retail Floor space Commitments

CONVENIENCE COMPARISON

COMMITMENTFLOORSPACE

(sq m net)COMMITMENT

FLOORSPACE (sq m net)

TRURO TRUROLemon Quay refurbishment n/a Lemon Quay refurbishment 2606Oak Tree Inn n/a Oak Tree Inn 1710The Range (mezzanine floor) n/a The Range (mezzanine floor) 1466Hendra site 400 Hendra site 400Waitrose / Taste of Cornwall 1850 Waitrose / Taste of Cornwall 150Langarth Farm 400 Langarth Farm 400PC World (mezzanine floor) n/a PC World (mezzanine floor) 648Total 2650 Total 7380

(Cornwall Retail Study Update 2015 GVA)

3.3 In terms of the comparison target figures, GVA predicted that the surplus capacity will rise between 2019 and 2024 and in the longer term there is likely to be capacity for net floor space amounting to 14,000sq m net by 2030.

3.4 Regarding the comparison commitments listed in Table 5, a total of 6580sq m net of comparison floor space has already been delivered leaving just the Hendra and Langarth Farm sites to come forward. Out of this total 2606sq m net was delivered within the city centre in the form of the new Primark store. Table 6 below identifies existing commitments and completions including additional sites approved since GVA published the Retail Study Update 2015 and it would therefore appear that the development of these sites would use up any spare capacity identified in Table 4 above.

3.5 The figures quoted for each site throughout this report are given as net sales area floorspace with the exception of West Langarth which have only supplied gross figures at this stage. The figures will therefore need to be adjusted as the application proceeds.

Table 6 Revised Retail Commitments Table showing Completions

COMMITMENT FLOORSPACE (sq m net) COMMITMENT FLOORSPACE

(sq m net)

TRURO TRUROHendra site 400 Hendra site 400Langarth Farm 400 Langarth Farm 400Maiden Green 2980 Maiden Green 3358Willow Green Farm 4700 Willow Green Farm n/aHendra site (2nd option) 975 Hendra site (2nd option) 4317West Langarth (gross) 5574 West Langarth (gross) 4645Treyew Road (pending) 2115 Treyew Road (pending) 9797Total 17144 Total 22917

COMPLETED FLOORSPACE (sq m net) COMPLETED FLOORSPACE

(sq m net)

Lemon Quay refurbishment n/a Lemon Quay refurbishment 2606Oak Tree Inn   n/a Oak Tree Inn 1710The Range (mezzanine floor) n/a The Range (mezzanine floor) 1466Waitrose / Taste of Cornwall 1850 Waitrose / Taste of Cornwall 150PC World (mezzanine floor) n/a PC World (mezzanine floor) 648Total 1850 Total 6580

3.6 To summarise the findings of this year’s report for Truro city centre; it seems to have recovered from a tough year experienced in 2016. The vacancy rate has reduced back to ‘normal’ recorded for the centre with a proportionate increase in A1 retail stores. Both its convenience and comparison sectors experienced gains with its comparison share remaining healthily above the average for Cornwall and nationally.The city continues to have a particularly low convenience sector when compared to other centres in Cornwall and indeed nationally, perhaps explained by the presence of its city centre superstores. Notably, Truro no longer has the lowest convenience sector share of all the towns since being usurped by Helston, for the first time this year.

Appendix

The map below shows the city centre uses as of June of this year and the following tables detail the town centre uses including the health check data by street.

Table 1 City Centre Uses by Street

Street A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 B1a D1 D2 Vacant SG TotalSt Georges Road 1 2 2 5Ferris Town 2 2 4Francis Street 10 3 1 1 1 1 4 21Edward Street 5 2 1 1 9Castle Street 2 2 2 1 1 8River Street 32 2 1 1 2 38Tippet’s Backlet 1 1St Nicholas Street 9 2 11Kings Street 15 1 1 17Pydar Street 24 5 2 1 3 2 2 39Nalder Court 7 7Coombes Lane 1 1Pydar Mews 7 1 1 9People’s Palace 2 1 1 1 5Union Place 1 1Cathedral Close 1 1Cathedral Lane 7 2 1 1 11Church Walk 3 1 4High Cross 3 1 4The Leats 2 2 2 2 1 1 10Oak Way 1 1Wilkes Walk 1 1 1 2 5Old Bridge Street 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 11St Marys Street 5 2 1 1 1 2 12St Marys St Mews 6 1 1 8River Walk 1 1New Bridge Street 18 1 5 2 1 2 1 30St Austell Street 2 1 3St Clements Street 5 1 1 1 8Quay mews 1 2 2 1 6Quay Street 5 1 1 3 2 2 2 16Town Quay 1 1 2Garras Wharf 3 3Green Street Mews 3 1 4Green Street 1 2 1 4Back Quay 6 4 1 1 2 14Tinners Court 4 1 5Lemon Quay 5 1 1 1 8Fairmantle Street 1 1Lemon Street 13 24 3 1 8 2 2 4 57Lemon Street Market 8 3 11Roberts Ope 1 1Tabernacle Street 2 1 1 3 7City Road 1 1 2 4Charles Street 2 2Boscawen Street 17 4 2 1 24Princes Street 8 3 3 6 1 21Duke Street 4 1 2 7

Table 2 City Centre Retail Sectors by Street

Street Convenience Comparison Service Vacant Miscellaneous TotalSt Georges Road 2 2Ferris Town 2 2Frances Street 5 11 4 20Edward Street 7 1 8Castle Street 2 4 6River Street 1 29 7 37Tippet’s Backlet 1 1St Nicholas Street 9 2 11Kings Street 15 1 1 17Pydar Street 2 22 8 2 34Nalder Court 1 6 7Coombes Lane 1 1Pydar Mews 5 3 1 9People's Palace 2 1 1 4Union Place 0Cathedral Close 1 1Cathedral Lane 7 3 1 11Church Walk 2 2 4High Cross 2 1 1 4The Leats 2 3 1 6Wilkes Walk 1 1 2Oak WayOld Bridge Street 1 8 1 1 11St Mary’s Street 4 3 2 9St Mary’s Street Mews 1 1 5 1 8River Walk 0New Bridge Street 1 8 19 2 30St Austell Street 2 1 3St Clements Street 1 4 1 6Quay Mews 4 4Quay Street 2 3 5 2 12Town Quay 1 1Garras Wharf 1 2 3Green Street Mews 2 1 1 4Green Street 1 3 4Back Quay 3 3 5 2 13Tinners Court 4 1 5Lemon Quay 5 2 1 8Lemon Street Market 2 5 4 11Fairmantle Street 1 1Lemon Street 1 7 31 4 2 45Roberts Ope 0Tabernacle Street 1 1 2 4City Road 2 2

Charles Street 0Boscawen Street 1 15 8 24Princes Street 4 10 1 15Duke Street 3 2 2 7Walsingham Place 1 2 6 1 10Victoria Square 3 11 6 1 21Mallets Ope 1 1Calenick Street 1 4 6 4 15Kenwyn Street 2 11 14 2 29Little Castle Street 3 6 1 1 11Total 27 216 210 44 7 504Percentage 5.4 42.9 41.7 8.7 1.4 100