CS2 Woking Town Centre

Woking Town Centre² is an important centre of economic activity and key interchange on the rail network. It is the largest centre in the Borough and a primary centre in the context of the South East. The Core Strategy evidence base identifies potential for significant additional commercial and residential development in Woking Town Centre over the plan period, as set out in the policy. Investment of an appropriate level and scale will be promoted to enable the town centre to grow and evolve significantly, enhancing its retail offer and role as a thriving employment centre. Development of a dynamic and successful town centre is central to the achievement of sustainable development in the Borough.

Policy CS2 applies to all development in the town centre, including retail, business, residential, leisure, arts, culture, tourism and community facilities. In accommodating new growth, the Council will require best practice in urban design to ensure developments of the highest standard along with quality in the public realm and better access to public transport.

CS2: Woking Town Centre

The Council will support the development of the town centre as the primary centre for economic development in the Borough and as a primary economic centre in the South East. The Town Centre is the preferred location for town centre uses3 and high density residential development. New development proposals should deliver high quality, well designed public spaces and buildings, which make efficient use of land, contribute to the functionality of the centre and add to its attractiveness and competitiveness.

The Council will facilitate the delivery of the following specific proposals at the town centre. The timetable set out to deliver the proposals is indicative and any proposal which brings forward the redevelopment of the town centre in a comprehensive manner will be considered on its merits.

Development type and indicative amount	When
Housing 2010 2027 = 2,500	Over the life of the Core Strategy
Employment Approximately 27,000 sqm of additional office floorspace to be provided in the town centre as part of mixed-use developments	Over the life of the Core Strategy
Retail Potential for up to 75,300sqm of additional A class floorspace including 67,600sqm of A1 retail made up of 59,300sqm of comparison and 8,300sqm of convenience floorspace.	2012 – 2016 17,500m² of A1 retail including 10,800m² of comparison and 6,700m² of convenience floorspace. 2016 – 2021 26,200m² of A1 retail including 25,400m² of comparison and 800m² of convenience floorspace2021 – 2027 up to 23,900m² of A1 retail. Up to 23,100m² of comparison and 800m² of convenience floorspace
Social, community and transport infrastructure	The proposed development will be supported by adequate infrastructure as set out in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan. The list will be reviewed regularly to see if intended objectives are being achieved.

The proposals will be achieved through:

mixed-use high density redevelopment of existing sites
refurbishment of outmoded sites
intensification of existing sites
change of use of existing employment uses where this will not undermine the delivery of the proposed development set out in the policy and the other objectives of the Core Strategy
safeguarding of existing office floorspace where there is evidence to justify that.

The primary shopping area comprises primary and secondary frontages and will be the main focus, particularly at ground floor level, for A1 retail uses. A1 retail uses will therefore be protected within the primary frontages. The Council will consider favourably change of use proposals to other A Class uses within secondary frontages if it can be determined they would not have significant harmful effects on the frontage, crime and disorder and the vitality and viability of the town centre.

The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment, the Employment Land Review and the Town, District and Local Centres Study provide sufficient justification of the need for the proposed development and the town centre's capability to accommodate the proposed level of growth.

A Site Allocations DPD will identify specific sites to deliver the proposals. The policies of the Development Plan for the area and the available evidence base will inform decisions about any proposal that will come forward in advance of the Site Allocation DPD.

The town centre will also be the preferred location for other town centre uses as defined in PPS4 including hotels, other overnight accommodation, and cultural and entertainment facilities. Proposals for such uses will be permitted where it can be demonstrated there is a need for the development and the proposals deliver the objectives of the Core Strategy and do not undermine the delivery of the specific proposals set out above.

The loss of existing cultural and entertainment facilities within the town centre will be resisted, unless there is no demand for such facilities or demand can be met from alternative provision within the town centre either through new or co-located facilities. The Council recognise the importance to the well-being of the community of adequate community facilities and social and community infrastructure and will seek to safeguard existing facilities and promote new ones where appropriate, as set out in policy CS19.

The Council will support improvements to the market to help ensure that it remains attractive and competitive, providing the community with wider consumer choice.

The town centre, as a focus for economic growth, is significantly influenced by Woking's role as a transport hub. The Council will work with partners to continue to improve public transport and cycle facilities in the centre.

Given Woking Town Centre's importance to the future prosperity of the Borough, an Area Action Plan will be developed which will set out in detail how the proposed development will be managed to create the vision envisaged for the town centre.

Reasoned justification

Mixed-use, high density development within town centres makes the best use of urban land in the most sustainable locations, and helps to reduce the use of private cars and create sustainable communities. The boundary of the town centre (as shown on the Proposals Map) has been revised inwards so that development and investment is focused in the heart of the town, maintaining its compact nature and making the best use of land closest to the station.

The Peacocks Shopping Centre opened in 1992 and contains over 70 stores including anchor stores Debenhams, Next, TK Maxx and H&M. Work to modernise and extend the front of the centre was completed in 2010. The improvements form the first phase of a proposal to improve the connectivity between the Peacocks Centre and Wolsey Place as well as the retail environment around Town Square. Wolsey Place, Woking's original shopping centre, offers over 60 stores including Sainsbury and Boots. Work on revitalising the entrance and providing just under 1,000m² of new floorspace is about to start.

Plans are also underway to redevelop part of the secondary shopping area in Woking Town Centre in a project known as Woking Gateway. An agreement between property company Carisbrooke and the Counci was signed in June 2009, enabling Carisbrooke to establish proposals to transform the area. The proposed site runs from Albion House in the east to Cawsey Way in the west, encompassing High Street to the south and Commercial Way to the north. A planning application has yet to be submitted but is likely to comprise a mix of residential, leisure, office and retail space along with public transport facilities and public spaces.

Woking Town Centre is the economic hub of the Borough providing 70% of its office floorspace. However, in 2009 22% of this floorspace was vacant, mainly due to the significant number of outmoded offices within the centre which do not adequately cater for modern business needs. In order to retain and attract businesses to Woking Town Centre and enhance its role as a business location, the majority of further office development required in the Borough over the plan period will be accommodated in the town centre and the Council will support the redevelopment of outmoded stock.

Woking Town Centre provides a strong cultural and entertainment offer and is an ideal location for the development of further facilities to strengthen this offer. There is also potential to broaden the appeal of the evening economy, for example with more high quality restaurants. The Town, District and Local Centres Study identified that residents are likely to increase their expenditure on leisure by 26%, more than twice the national average, between 2009 and 2026. Increasing the cultural and entertainment offer is in line with the Council's Cultural Strategy and will benefit the quality of lives of residents as well as boosting the economy.

Woking Town Centre is the preferred location for hotels and other overnight accommodation to cater for business and other visitors to the Borough, because of its strong public transport links, concentration of businesses, and entertainment and cultural facilities. Applications for lower density overnight accommodation in locations elsewhere in the Borough with good access to sustainable forms of transport will be considered on their merits.

To capitalise on Woking's excellent transport links and motivated by the Government's wish to promote an integrated transport network, Woking Borough Council is working in partnership with key stakeholders from the transport industry and local organisations, to promote Woking rail station as a transport hub of regional significance. An improved and upgraded public transport system for the area and improved traffic flows to other parts of the region will further add to Woking Town Centre's reputation as a well-connected business centre.

Delivery strategy

As the town centre is expected to undergo significant change, the Council will prepare an Area Action Plan. The Council will work with Surrey County Council, Network Rail, South West Trains and other key stakeholders through Transport for Woking and Cycle Woking to deliver transport improvements.

The Council will also work with retail and business membership organisations such as the Woking Town Centre Partnership and Woking Chamber of Commerce and Surrey Chambers of Commerce, to assist and encourage retailers and businesses.

Monitoring and review

Number of net additional dwellings completed within the town centre boundary.
Net change in office floorspace permitted and completed in the town centre and the Poole Road/Butts Road area.
Net change in A1 retail floorspace permitted and completed in the town centre.
Percentage of new A1 retail floorspace located in the primary and secondary shopping frontages.
Net change in hotel bed spaces within Woking Town Centre and the rest of the Borough.
Change in vacancy rates in the primary shopping frontage, secondary shopping frontage and rest of town centre.

Key evidence base

Town, District and Local Centres Study, September 2009, produced by Roger Tym and Partners.

Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), 2009 and 2010 update.

Economic Viability Assessment 2010 produced by Adams Integra.

Employment Land Review (incorporates Employment Position Paper (January 2010), and Market Appraisal (April 2010) produced by Lambert Smith Hampton.

Surrey Hotel Futures, September 2004, produced by Tourism Solutions and ACK Tourism.

Transport Assessment, 2010, produced by Surrey County Council.