Cornwall Monitoring Report

Redruth Town Report

December 2016

Redruth Town Report 2016

1 Redruth Town Centre Survey

1.1 The annual survey of Redruth town centre was undertaken in May 2016. A Map and tables detailing the town centre uses including the health check data by street is appended to this report.

1.2 The number of units within the town centre was counted as 230 this year, a reduction of 9 units compared to the previous year. The can be explained by 4 instances of units merging into an adjacent unit to create a larger premises and the 6 previously vacant buildings converting to residential use. The addition of an office created within the Meadery building means that overall there was a net loss of 9 units. A total of 11 premises in the centre have been converted to residential over the last 5 years. 1.3 In Table 1 below the quantity of units by use class is shown recorded from the surveys conducted over the plan period. Table 1 Redruth Town Centre Uses by Survey Year

Survey Year

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

Vacancy

% Cornwall Vacant

2016 95 26 13 4 9 10 19 10 39 5 230 17 9.4 2015 91 29 13 4 10 10 19 10 47 6 239 19.7 9.1 2014 94 34 16 4 9 10 20 10 37 2 236 15.7 8.6 2013 97 34 13 5 9 12 17 11 37 2 237 15.6 8.4 2012 83 27 12 3 9 5 8 6 32 3 188 17 8.7

1.4 The proportion of A1 retail uses within Redruth town centre has been between38-41% of the total units over the last 6 years, much lower than the Cornish average of 50.5%. The vacancy rates have also been consistently below the Cornwall average with Redruth having the highest vacancy rates of all the towns. The number of units counted as vacant reduced by 8 units since last year and now represents 17% of all the units counted. Some long term vacant units are derelict and have permission to convert to residential which once developed will continue to help reduce the vacancy rate. The largest vacant area is the former Brewery site which fell redundant in 2004 and is now being redeveloped as the new archive centre for Cornwall to be known as Kresen Kernow. On the opposite side of the road the former Plumbase sales area which closed in the late 90’s, is now occupied. Part of the site was regenerated with new units opening in 2013 with the remaining vacant building being converted to LC Fitness gym this year.

1.5 Hollies Hotel, New Cut Salon, Warmstar Heating, John Boyle Solicitors, 3 Higher Fore Street and CAB offices all converted to residential use. Clinton Social Club is currently being converted to residential use and the vacant plot at the bottom of Station Hill has permission for 14 flats. This was the site of 3 listed buildings that were destroyed by a fire back in 2005. 8 units fell vacant this year and about the same number of previously vacant units became occupied this year. 1.6 The vacant units vary in size with a floor space ranging from between 13 and 262sq m, discounting the former brewery site. The majority of vacant units (31) are within the Primary Shopping Area, with 12 of these being in the main shopping street of Fore Street. 1.7 A notable loss to the street scene is the closure of Nat West bank, one of 600 banks closed in Britain since April 2015. This is reported as being due to a reduced footfall as more people are switching to banking online and over the telephone. A trend expected to continue over the next few years. 1.8 Stratton & Crebber relocated to the corner unit further down Fore Street once the former Boots store which had remained vacant since 2009. 1.9 Contrary to the trend elsewhere in Cornwall, Redruth along with four other towns, saw an increase of A1 units within the Prime Shopping Area. However, in spite of Redruth experiencing a 3% rise in occupancy this year to 46% (its highest recorded level) it is still well below the average of 53.5% and is in joint bottom position along with St Austell, followed by Bodmin and then Helston, compared to the other Cornish towns. Convenience, Comparison and Service uses within the Town Centre

1.10 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. 1.11 The results from the surveys conducted over the last 6 years can be seen in Table 2 below. The table shows a net loss of 9 units with a total of 191 units included in Redruth this year. As previously discussed, 6 units converted to residential with a combined loss of 1204sq m floor space; units 1-4 at 10-12 Chapel Street merged to become one entity used for sales and storage by the expansion of Cornwall Hospice Care, 2 units within Market Way merged and

Bond Street Dental Surgery expanded into the previously vacant neighbouring unit. Table 2 Redruth Town Centre Uses by GOAD Classification

Sector 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Cornwall

Average 2016

National Average

2016 No % No % No % No % No % No %

Convenience 15 8.3 10 5.53 13 6.6 14 7.2 13 6.5 14 7.3 8.5 9.3 Comparison 49 27.1 54 29.8 63 31.8 61 31.1 59 29.5 59 30.9 38.8 39.5 Service 77 42.5 84 46.4 82 41.4 79 40.3 78 39 76 39.8 41.3 37.8 Vacant 39 21.6 32 17.7 37 18.7 39 19.9 47 23.5 39 20.4 10.4 12.1 Miscellaneous 1 0.6 1 0.55 3 1.5 3 1.5 3 1.5 3 1.6 1 1.2 Total 181 100 181 100 198 100 196 100 200 100 191 100 100 100

Source: GOAD 2011, CC Surveys: 2012- 2016 Experian GOAD National Average 2016 1.12 The number of convenience units increased back up to 14 units as in 2014 with the opening of a vape shop. However, the town has one of the lowest convenience rates proportionally after Truro, Helston and Liskeard. Redruth also has the lowest share of comparison uses of all the towns and has remained in this position for at least the last 6 years. This sector is over 8% below the Cornish average and 9.5% below the national average. The proportion of service units has remained relatively static despite a peak in 2012, and is in line with the Cornish average. 1.13 Using the vacancy rate in Table 2 a graph can be plotted to track the changes to the vacancy rate over the last 6 years and compare it to the Cornwall average. The vacancy rate has been creeping up year on year, since 2012 peaking in 2015 with 23.5% before dropping 3% this year to resume a 10% level higher than the Cornish average. This is the highest rate of all Cornwall’s towns.

Source: GOAD 2011, CC Surveys: 2012- 2016

0

5

10

15

20

25

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

% Vacant

Survey Year

Proportion of vacant units in Redruth compared to the Cornwall Average

RedruthCornwall Average

Retailer Representation 1.14 Redruth is represented by four multiple retailers as identified by Experian GOAD with Boots, Wilkinson, Tesco and Superdrug. It ranks 8th in Cornwall’s retail hierarchy based on major national retail representation. It lost its Clinton store when the retailer closed 4 out of its 6 stores in Cornwall after part of the chain went into administration in 2012. Supermarket Representation 1.15 Since the Council revised the town centre boundary the Tesco store on Tolgus Hill is now included within the town boundary. It sits north of the Brewery site, a short walk from the main part of the town. The store extends to 2,200sq m net and provides the main bulk food shopping destination in Redruth, selling a wide range of convenience goods supplemented by a smaller comparison goods offer. There is also an Iceland in the town and a small out of town Co-op on Falmouth Road. Out of Town Centre 1.16 There is significant out of town retail provision within the nearby centre of Pool. The stores present provide a choice of the main supermarkets, details of which can be read in conjunction with the Camborne survey.

2 Significant decisions made over the past year 2.1 Outline permission PA13/07918 was granted in March 2015 to regenerate the former Brewery site. The permission includes 160 dwellings, 680 sq m retail, 1168sq m office space, a multi-storey carpark and the archive centre. Multi-million pound funding has been secured from the European Regional Development Fund, the Government’s Regional Growth Fund in addition to private developer investment. The creation of the new archive centre for Cornwall to be known as ‘Kresen Kernow’ will help to reinforce Redruth’s ambition to become a cultural destination. Work has commenced and updates can be found here http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/kresenkernow A planning application has been received (PA16/07444) to amend the scheme to include a micro-brewery, a pod hotel and to slightly increase the residential units to 165.

The heritage, mid-19thcentury brewery building to become the new Records Centre

2.2 Work has begun on site with the initial phase completed on the Redruth Brewery Quarter Public Realm and Flood Alleviation Scheme. During this phase of work the contractors have cleared the site and provided vital flood attenuation, re-creating an open landscaped leat as a major feature. A central landscaped square with green spaces and seating areas has been created as well as a public footpath and cycle way which will link Kresen Kernow, and the new housing development, to the Redruth town centre and the local school.

2.3 Permission PA15/02228 was granted in March 2015 for an out of town centre Aldi supermarket (1,804sq m gross). This will be its sixth store in Cornwall with one already in Camborne. The site is north of the town on the former Avers Garage site, at the Avers roundabout just off the A30. The impact of the new store on the town centre will be assessed in future surveys, but is not expected to impact the comparison sector of the town.

3 Local Plan Retail Capacity Targets 3.1 The Local Plan retail capacity targets for Redruth are shown in Table 3 below. The projected retail capacity for convenience and comparison goods indicates that there currently is sufficiently more retail floor space than required until sometime after 2024 when there will be a predicted shortfall in both of the sectors as shown in Table 3 below.

Table 3 Local Plan Retail Floor space Capacity Targets (sq m net)

CPR 2014 2019 2024 2030 Convenience -880 -948 -188 642 Comparison -7352 -5906 -3889 3348

3.2 The projections take into account the commitments in Pool and should they not come forward then the convenience capacity would rise to circa 900sq m net at 2024 and 1,800sq m net at 2030. The CPR corridor has been assessed as a whole so there are no specific targets relating to Redruth town centre itself.

3.3 Redruth has been struggling for quite some time with high vacancy rates and significant under provision of comparison units to attract footfall. It has the smallest comparison sector and falls within the bottom quartile for its convenience sector out of all the Cornish towns. On a positive note, the town has finally been granted some major financial investment in the Brewery site which, once developed, should give a much needed boost to the town. It is hoped that the records centre will make Redruth a destination town and subsequently increase footfall into the town.

Map 1 below shows the location of the out of town retail provision including the super stores in Pool.

Map 2 below shows the current significant housing schemes permitted relevant to Redruth. The map shows the location of housing schemes amounting to around 870 homes which are at various stages of development.

Appendix Use Class by Street Street A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 B1a D1 D2 Vacant Other Total

West End 5 5 1 2 1 3 17

Chapel Street 6 5 1 3 2 1 2 20

Nettles Hill 1 1 1 3

Foundry Row 1 2 3

Tolgus Hill 1 1

Penryn Street 3 1 2 2 2 4 1 15

Cross Street 1 1 2

Fore Street 51 10 4 2 2 1 12 3 85

Symonds Terrace 1 1 2

New Cut 0

Green Lane 3 2 1 1 1 1 9 Higher Fore Street 3 2 1 1 7

Wesley Street 1 1 2

Station Road 2 1 1 1 4 1 10

Alma Place 4 1 1 3 2 11

Market Strand 1 1 1 3

Market Way 5 1 2 4 12

Market Yard 1 1 3 5

Station Hill 1 1 2 Back Lane West 1 1

Clinton Passage 1 1

Bond Street 8 1 2 2 13

Clinton Road 1 2 2 1 6

Total 95 26 13 4 9 10 19 10 39 5 230

Percentage 41.3 11.3 5.7 1.7 3.9 4.3 8.3 4.3 17.0 2.2 100

Retail Sector by Street

Street Convenience Comparison Service Vacant Miscellaneous Total

West End 1 2 10 3 16

Chapel Street 6 8 2 1 17

Nettles Hill 1 1 2

Tolgus Hill 1 1

Foundry Row 2 2

Penryn Street 2 3 4 9

Cross Street 1 1 2

Fore Street 10 33 28 12 1 84

Symonds Terrace 1 1

New Cut 0

Green Lane 2 5 1 8

Higher Fore Street 1 5 1 7

Wesley Street 0

Station Road 1 3 4

Alma Place 2 4 2 8

Market Strand 1 1 2

Market Way 4 2 4 10

Market Yard 1 3 4

Station Hill 1 1

Back Lane West 0

Clinton Passage 1 1

Bond Street 2 4 3 2 11

Clinton Road 1 1

Total 14 59 76 39 3 191

Percentage 7.3 30.9 39.8 20.4 1.6 100