Eastleigh Town Centre Issues and Options

The public consultation has now finished and we are looking at the comments we received.  These comments will help us in the next stage of the AAP process 'The Preferred Options'.  We told people about:

The Existing Planning Framework

The Issues and Options Documents are influenced in particular by

• The Eastleigh Borough Community Plan
• Emerging South East Plan
• Eastleigh Borough Local Plan
• Town Centre Strategy

The Town Centre Strategy

The Town Centre Strategy aims to:

• Attract more of the local population to and encourage more activities in the town centre
• Enhance the distinctiveness of the town centre’s urban environment
• Enhance the vibrancy and identity of Eastleigh town centre

What’s New?

Although the planning framework is set there is flexibility to:

• Increase the emphasis on town centre housing opportunities
• Encourage higher buildings (on more floors) with residential and other uses above shops
• Capitalise on the opportunities created by new leisure developments and renewed investment interest
• Make the most of opportunities presented by the development of SHSEZ which will complement the town centre

Strategic Concerns

The town centre is not doing as well as other shopping centres of a similar size.  The Council’s key objectives are to:

• Enhance the town’s prosperity, vitality and viability
• Improve the quality of life for local residents and the quality of choice and experience for visitors

We discussed:

Shops, Cafes and Restaurants

Finding the best way to attract a modern mix of shops and supporting uses

Culture, Arts, Leisure and the Evening Economy

Encouraging facilities that appeal to a wider audience and age range

Housing

Encourage the right mix and style of accommodation

Economy and Employment

Encouraging new investment

Good Design

Achieving distinctive design with modern requirements

Transport and Access

Meeting the needs of pedestrians, cars and public transport

Spatial Options

Achieving the right development in the right place

Sustainable Development

Drainage and other Infrastructure

Including drainage and water supply

Feeling welcome, being safe

Implementation

Making sure the proposals are realistic

Possible Areas for Change

A Priority for retail led redevelopment providing large modern units (with residential above?)

B Retail led mixed use (with residential above?)

C Redevelopment of Sainsbury’s to retain supermarket (with residential above?)

D Office/leisure led redevelopment (with residential above?)

E Redevelopment/re-use of some buildings for leisure/cultural uses

F Extensions to include the Archers Road footbridge link and potential redevelopment sites on Twyford Road

We asked you if the suggested changes were the best ones.

Sustainability Appraisal (SA) /

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)

The AAP issues and options paper has been put through an initial SA/SEA this can be found here. The Integrated Environmental Report will be available with the preferred options document. 

• Scoping Report for the Local Development Framework which sets out the Sustainability Framework