When considering Impact Assessments, the council will have regard to whether development would have any likely adverse effects on the positive strategies for the centres in Strategic Policy 2. In addition, proposals that have a significant adverse impact on existing, committed and planned public and private investment in the town centre are unlikely to be supported.

These thresholds apply to new floorspace, changes of use that constitute development and variations of conditions to remove or amend restrictions on the operation of these uses.

Locating retail, service and other community and leisure facilities within the designated centres is considered to be the most sustainable way of meeting the needs of our borough's residents. It helps to maximise the accessibility of facilities for more people and promotes linked trips, which in turn reduces the need to travel and can increase footfall and hence improve trading conditions within centres. Scattering facilities across a wider area would be likely to adversely affect the vitality and viability of the centres, leading to their gradual decline and reducing their ability to attract new retail floorspace and serve the needs of residents.

It is therefore essential that as much of the new retail floorspace and other main town centre uses as possible are located within our centres, in accordance with the sequential approach set out in the NPPF. The policy sets out local floorspace thresholds in line with evidence in the Retail and Leisure Study 2019. In accordance with national policy, any proposal that fails to satisfy the sequential test or is likely to have significant adverse impacts evidenced by an impact assessment should be refused.

Retail together with commercial, business and service uses will be focused within the primary shopping areas of the centres so as to maximise their vibrancy. Any significant out-of-centre retail main town centre use floorspace in the borough beyond current commitments, other than where specifically referred to elsewhere in the Local Plan, is considered unnecessary and would be likely to reduce the success of some of our centres.

The Retail and Leisure Study Update 2022 reveals a declining trend in comparison goods expenditure for Stockport town centre and many of our district centres. This would appear to represent a threat to the centres in terms of loss of main town centre uses, and the effects of the pandemic with a clear shift towards online shopping is set to prolong this trend.

The distance thresholds used in the table are taken from the definitions for ‘edge of centre’ given in the NPPF. The 300 metre buffers are shown on the Policies Map but decisions on whether a site falls within ‘edge of centre’ or outside of a centre will also take account of local circumstances including barriers to movement such as topography and major transport routes.