CS3 West Byfleet District Centre
West Byfleet is the second largest centre in the Borough. Due to its size, range of uses and accessibility it has been designated as the only District Centre in the Borough. It has good accessibility, benefiting from a mainline railway station on the London to Portsmouth line and frequent bus services into Woking Town Centre. There are a good range of services within the centre including a library, a modern health centre, four hairdressers, an optician, four banks, a travel agent, four estate agents and two chemists. West Byfleet has a reasonable retail offer including a medium-sized supermarket, two convenience stores, a butcher, and florist. West Byfleet benefits from a number of restaurants which are particularly popular in the evenings.
The retail ranking of the centre declined between 1998 and 2008 and it is has been suffering a relatively high vacancy level although this is starting to improve. The physical environment of part of the centre is outdated.
West Byfleet District Centre contains the second highest concentration of office floorspace in the Borough. However, in 2009 the vacancy rate for commercial office space was 25%, and over the last decade a number of planning permissions have been granted for the redevelopment of outmoded office units to residential, particularly along Pyrford Road.
Two areas of West Byfleet are defined as Conservation Areas, as indicated on the Proposals Map. West Byfleet has a community feel which is enhanced by the centre having two primary schools and two churches. It also benefits from a large recreation ground, which includes children's playground, and multi-use games area.
CS3: West Byfleet District Centre
High density mixed-use development will be encouraged within West Byfleet District Centre as indicated on the Proposals Map. All new development should be well designed and integrated, and enhance local character.
The Council will facilitate the delivery of the following specific proposals at the district centre. The timetable set out to deliver the proposals is indicative and any proposal which brings forward the redevelopment of the district centre in a comprehensive manner will be considered on its merits.
|
Development type and indicative amount |
When |
|---|---|
|
Housing 2010-2027 = 170 units |
Over the life of the Core Strategy |
| Employment
1,000 to 1,500m² of additional office floorspace to be provided as part of mixed-use developments |
Over the life of the Core Strategy |
| Retail
Potential for up to 13,000m² of additional A class floorspace including 12,500m² of A1 retail made up of 10,500m² of comparison and 2,000 m² of convenience floorspace |
Over the life of the Core Strategy |
Town centre and residential uses will be acceptable in principle subject to the following requirements.
- A1 retail uses will be focused in the Primary Shopping area.The change of use of A1 retail uses will be permitted where this would not have significant harmful effects on the Primary Shopping area, crime and disorder or the vitality and viability of the centre.
- In the Primary Shopping area residential and office development should be provided above ground floor level in order to retain active frontages.
- The Council will safeguard office floorspace within West Byfleet District Centre and support office redevelopment where it does not result in an overall loss of office floorspace.
- 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 work in partnership with service providers, to ensure that access to and within the area is improved for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users.
Reasoned justification
The Town, District and Local Centres study did not consider that West Byfleet had the physical capacity or catchment to achieve anywhere near as much retail development as Woking Town Centre. Development of this scale would not be appropriate in a district centre. However, it is considered that there is the potential to considerably expand the current floorspace, as set out in the policy. Development of this scale would help the vitality and viability of the centre which is suffering from the effects of the economic downturn.
The level of additional office development identified is modest as the market appraisal of employment floorspace in the Borough found limited demand for office development within West Byfleet and recommended that the volume of office stock should not increase significantly. In this regard, it is considered that only a small increase in floorspace may be achieved, mainly as part of any redevelopment of Sheer House and its immediate surroundings. This would improve the quality of office provision in the centre, and together with completion of the Broadoaks scheme, assist in improving the profile of the centre as a business location.
Delivery strategy
This policy will be implemented through the development management process.
The Council will also work with business membership organisations such as Woking Chamber of Commerce and the West Byfleet Business Association to assist and encourage business.
Monitoring and review
- Number of net additional dwellings completed.
- Net change in A1 retail floorspace permitted and completed in West Byfleet District Centre.
- Net change in other A class floorspace permitted and completed in West Byfleet District Centre.
- Net change in office floorspace permitted and completed in West Byfleet District Centre.
- Change in vacancy rates in the centre.
Key evidence base
Town, District and Local Centres Study, 2009 produced by Roger Tym and Partners.
Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA), 2009 and 2010 update.
Employment Land Review (incorporates Employment Position Paper (January 2010), and Market Appraisal (April 2010) produced by Lambert Smith Hampton.