Planning Policies for Retail and Town Centres

Planning Policy Statement 4 (PPS4): Planning for Sustainable Economic Growth was issued by central government and sets the guidlines and principles for development within town centres nationally.

Local Plan

Chapter 7 of the Wokingham District Local Plan contains the local planning policies which relate to 'Shopping and Town Centres'. Not all of these policies however are saved policies. Those that have been saved are listed in the 'Reasoning for Saved Policies' document attached below. Where policies haven't been saved, this document also provides information for what thay have been replaced by. 

Core Strategy

Some of the policies in the Core Strategy policies will replace those in the current Local Plan. A list of these are contained in Core Strategy Appendix 1 (attached below). We anticipate that the Core Strategy will be adopted and become formal planning policy in November 2009. In the mean time it would be useful to refer to Core Staregy policies in any application submitted to the council, in case the application is considered at a time when the Core Strategy has been adopted. The relevant policies for retail and town centre applications could include (but are not limited to):

• CP1 - Sustianable Development

• CP2 - Inclusive Communities

• CP3 - General Principles for Development

• CP6 - Managing Travel Demand

• CP14 - Town Centres and Shopping

• CP15 - Growth and Renaissance of Wokingham Town Centre