The Director of Regeneration, Housing and Planning provided an update report on Wirral’s retail shopping centres, which focused particularly upon the challenges they were facing and the initiatives that were being pursued to support them. He commented that there were a number of external constraints that needed to be considered in respect of supporting the development of sustainable shopping centres and national reports had shown that across the country there was an over-capacity issue in the market, resulting from matters such as the growth in the use of the internet for shopping, banking, travel and betting.

The impact of the global economic recession and difficult trading conditions that were prevalent across the Country were also being faced by traders in Wirral and the increased number of vacant shops could not be solved quickly due to the complexity of issues which affected the shopping patterns of people and the ability of businesses to continue trading.

The Director outlined the guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework issued in March 2012 and highlighted the importance of local shopping centres. However, whilst the Council had, and continued to support as many shopping areas as it could, it was not an issue that the Council could solve in isolation and required the support and involvement of local traders to drive and deliver many elements, as well as the local community to rally and support their local businesses. Wirral was a member of the Association of Town Centre Managers and the Director highlighted a number of initiatives developed by the Association, in conjunction with recommendations from the review undertaken by Mary Portas (the Government’s advisor on the high street) upon issues affecting shopping areas.

The Director referred to the hierarchy of shopping centres in Wirral that had been updated as a result of consultation as part of the Local Development Framework Core Strategy process and he commented upon the range of issues that were to be addressed by shopping centre action plans.

He provided an update with regard to the work of the Local Town Teams and commented that there were a number of areas with very high percentages of empty shops that were significantly higher than the national average. There had been a number of projects for empty shops funding that had been used primarily to support the costs of refurbishment, to bring them back into use and to contribute towards the first year rental costs. However, an increasing number of shops had been converted to residential use and work was being undertaken in relation to use classes to ensure that such conversions were appropriate.

In response to concerns expressed by Members with regard to the increasing numbers of vacant shops opening as bookmakers or payday loan shops, the Director confirmed that planners were asked to look at the impact of such proposals on local communities. Members also expressed their disappointment that none of the Wirral bids for town team funding had been successful, whilst noting that the funding that might have been made available would not have been sufficient to secure real and lasting improvement to Wirral’s shopping centres.

Resolved –

(1)  That the partnership work being undertaken to address the complex issues in Wirral’s Town Centres, be noted.

(2)  That the Strategy for Retail, Town Centres and Commercial Leisure, produced by Roger Tym & Partners in 2009 be circulated to Members.

(3)  That progress reports be presented to future meetings of the Committee upon the Deep Clean Scheme and the operation of the Free after Three parking scheme.

(4)  That an evaluation of projects for Empty Shops funding, be presented to the Committee after twelve months of operation.

(5)  That further reports be presented to a future meeting of the Committee upon the progress of the Shopping Centre Action Plans.