Bingley Neighbourhood Development Plan

8. Improving Bingley Town Centre Comment

8.1 Introduction

8.1.1 Bingley town centre provides an economic, cultural and civic focus for the community and improving it is a central part of the Vision and Objective 2 for this Neighbourhood Plan. Creating an improvement in a town centre is a complex task involving controlling and supporting development in the right way, such as to improve the mix of premises, encourage vitality, protect viability, extend activities around the clock, promote flats above shops. However, it also requires that providers of highways, pavements, street furniture, landscaping, lighting, cultural activities such as markets, festivals, public art, business promotion, parking facilities etc make a contribution to improve the built environment and create a cultural and economic focus. Alongside this, private and public investment, and financial mechanisms and incentives must be employed. Improving the town centre is a long-term objective.

8.1.2 The Neighbourhood Plan can make an important contribution and provide a focus for this effort from a development and planning perspective. It can signal wider strategic considerations that will need to be taken forward alongside the Neighbourhood Plan.

8.1.3 This section of the Neighbourhood Plan is presented in two parts, with the first setting out the planning policies and considerations that will be used to promote, guide and control development in the town centre. The second part discusses wider strategic town centre improvement considerations, highlighting strategic development needs, financial investment and support and initiatives to promote the use of the town centre.

8.1.4 Together, these provide a framework for action by Bingley Town Council and other public and private sector partners to implement the vision of Bingley as a vibrant town centre meeting the full range of needs of the local area, consistent with the Adopted Core Strategy.

8.2 Promoting, Guiding and Controlling New Development in Bingley Town Centre

8.2.1 A significant amount of technical work has been undertaken to provide clear guidance on how new development, and new public infrastructure provision, can be provided in such a way as to improve the built environment of Bingley town centre. Bingley Town Council has gained external grants to generate a Design Code for the town centre and a Masterplan for the whole Parish. These documents have been formally adopted by the Council and form part of the Neighbourhood Plan. They build on our vision to create an award winning town centre that meets our needs of creating a vibrant and interesting town centre that provides income and interest for all types of businesses and is attractive to residents and visitors alike.

8.2.2 First, the Overarching Design Codes provide clear guidance on how changes to existing buildings and new development can complement the existing historic environment in the town centre and how, if implemented across developments can increase the design coherence of the town centre and other centres within the area.

8.2.3 Second, the Shopfront Design Codes have been prepared to apply to all such premises across Bingley and the central areas of villages and local centres. This applies in the town centre also and provides clear guidance on how shopfronts should be designed to improve the look and feel of high streets and contribute to a good quality town centre environment.

8.2.4 Third, the Town Centre Design Codes address the specific context of the town centre environment and highlight clear objectives to improving key areas of the town centre and, importantly, addressing the relationship between car and pedestrian and the use of street space to create a more welcoming and user-friendly public realm and that can accommodate a wider range of cultural and economic activities.

8.2.5 The design codes for the town centre are focused on taking opportunities through investment and new development proposals to restore elements of character which are positive to the quality of the town centre. The design codes identify traditional building styles and materials, and show where past development has created a poorer quality town centre environment. Specific objectives are identified to improve Main Street and its surroundings.

8.2.6 Separately, the design codes highlight the statement buildings that exist within Bingley and demonstrate how some of these have not been well-maintained such that they now detrimentally affect the town centre environment.

8.2.7 Efforts to improve the town centre need all involved to play their part in securing and maintaining an attractive town centre. In the past there have been a number of buildings that have been vacated and left to deteriorate and become eyesores. The Neighbourhood Plan signals the need to reduce incidents of this and encourage owners/landlords to undertake adequate maintenance.

8.2.8 Fourth, a Masterplan for Bingley town centre has been prepared which important design principles, proposals and interventions in specific areas of the town centre. This is shown in Figure 5 and is set out in full in the Masterplan Supporting Document. The Masterplan demonstrates the links and integration between good design in new developments, organisations and presentation of public spaces, investment in high quality public realm infrastructure and improving traffic management and pedestrian use of the town centre. Table 3 (pages 44-45) describes the key constraints, opportunities, proposals and interventions set out in the Masterplan.

Figure 5: Town Centre Masterplan

8.2.9 The Design Code Report has recommended a redefined town centre boundary. This is shown in Figure 6. The town centre boundary revisions reflect the reality that town centre retail developments have occurred across the current boundary. Through the Neighbourhood Plan, there is an opportunity to recognise the extension of the town centre and to identify gateway points at the new boundary as a basis for the concept masterplan and design code approaches.

Figure 6: Town Centre Boundary

8.3 Survey of Town Centre Ground Floor Uses

8.3.1 Two ground floor user surveys were carried out with the first on 30th November 2018 and the second on 16th April 2022. The surveys covered the following roads: Main Street (between the traffic light junctions with Harden Road and Ferncliffe Road), Park Road (from traffic light junction with Main Street to Johnson Street), Five Rise Centre, Chapel Street, Wellington Street, Market Street, Queens Court and Queen Street.

8.3.2 The number of ground floor units counted is set out in Table 4 below; 136 (including Aldi and Lidl). In 2018, almost half (62 units) out of the total were of a non-goods retailing type, uses that have little competition from the internet. At that time, the proportion of vacant units was low (6.6%)

Table 4: Survey of town centre ground floor uses

8.3.3 Since then, the COVID-19 Pandemic has occurred and the April 2022 survey shows that more than half (77 units) out of the total are of a non-goods retailing type, uses that have little competition from the internet. The proportion of vacant units is felt to be gratifyingly low at 8% despite the effects of the COVID Pandemic. The average vacancy rate across the country is 14%, according to the British Retail Consortium.

8.3.4 There is a need to update and maintain a regular view of current activity in the town centre. The Council and the Chamber of Commerce need to support local businesses and traders so that they are encouraged to remain, or to come into town.

8.4 Town Centre Policy

8.4.1 There is potential duplication between town centre and design policies owing to the way in which design codes and masterplans have been formulated, but for the present it is proposed to maintain these to ensure requirements are clearly stated for each area and in relation to each Design Code and Masterplan.

8.4.2 The Neighbourhood Plan Working Group assessed the current extent of town centre activities and suggested a revised boundary Policy BING3 presents the redefined town centre boundary.

8.4.3 Policy BING3 also applies the Design Codes to development in the town centre. The Design Codes are structured thematically in order to identify key principles across Bingley and the town centre in relation to the public realm and shopfronts. The key guidance from the design codes is set out in Table 3 (pages 44-45).

8.4.4 Policy BING3 also provides support to new development that would contribute to the achievement of the Bingley Town Centre Masterplan, design principles and proposals and interventions. The Masterplan is principally about making new connections across the Parish; connecting the villages and communities that together make up Bingley. The Masterplan provides a development and placemaking framework for a cohesive vision of the villages and seeks to bring people together to strengthen the already firm ties that exist in the Parish.

8.4.5 The Policy also reflects the importance of supporting the development of new commercial uses within the town centre responding to new use classes and providing a framework for residential development within the town centre. The policy supports new commercial uses and flats above them but does not support ground floor residential development on key shopping frontages.

8.4.6 The Policy sets out a key proactive role for Bingley Town Council to promote a better quality of place within the town centre, working with infrastructure providers, landowners, landlords and occupiers to ensure the town centre remains attractive by maintaining and improving individual buildings, vacant plots and key street-scene infrastructure

8.5 Policy References

NPPF Paras 29, 91b, 128, 135, 141, Bradford Adopted Core Strategy Policies AD1, EC5, DS1, DS3, DS4 and DS5, Emerging Local Plan SP16, EC4 and Infrastructure Plan Update.

8.6 Formulating a Wider Strategy for Town Centre Improvement

8.6.1 It must be recognised at the outset that re-imagining a future improved Bingley town centre is not a new enterprise. Section 4.2 (Airedale) of the Adopted Core Strategy (July 2017) describes a vision of how Airedale might look by 2030.

8.6.2 'In respect of the town centre of Bingley it states, in short, that it has been reborn as a distinctive market town with high quality new housing, town centre residential units and office space. It is a destination for speciality retailing due to the outdoor market in the new square (formerly Jubilee Gardens), and is the place to visit for food, drink and leisure due to the redevelopment of Myrtle Walk, new anchor food and general stores, provision of improved visitor attractions (riverside walk, park and visitor centre at Five Rise Locks), parking and bus/rail interchange.'

8.6.3 This vision is one that was first promoted in the Bingley Town Centre Masterplan published in 2005 by the Airedale Partnership.

8.6.4 Domination by traffic remains a problem. Whilst the Bingley Relief Road takes a lot of traffic particularly at rush hour times, the volume of traffic going through the town remains heavy and, despite controlled pedestrian crossings at each end and in the middle of Main Street, the principal shopping street, the town remains split in two along the length of Main Street, from its junction with Harden Road/ Ireland Bridge to its junction with Ferncliffe Road. The main shopping and parking areas are kept separated from the main leisure and activity areas comprising the market square, the Arts Centre, the swimming pool and facilities, Myrtle Park and river walk.

8.6.5 Whilst Bingley Town Council encourages markets to be held in the market square, for the most of any month the market square remains under-utilised and does not seem to be fulfilling its potential.

8.6.6 Current buildings within the town centre need to be improved to make the spaces and setting more attractive. Bingley Little Theatre/Arts Centre forms part of the setting to the market square when viewed from the main retailing side of Main Street and this building is regarded as incongruous and poorly related to the built environment of the town centre. Also, the old Market Cross / Butter Cross building is partially hidden due to it being at a lower ground level than the square and so loses any attraction it might otherwise have.

8.6.7 The Masterplan of 2005 proposed short stay parking with residential and commercial development around the Arts Centre and behind Queens Court, the area in front of the railway station as public open space with a bus interchange, and a multi-storey car park where Aldi is now situated. In 2005, the headquarters of the Bradford and Bingley Building Society was a major presence and contributor to the town centre activity. Most of the workers there would use the town centre's facilities during the day making a significant economic contribution.

8.6.8 Bingley town centre must adapt in line with all other town centres to retail trends, particularly in internet-based retail. The Government has changed use classes to create a wider commercial use class that allows changes between shops, financial services, and other high street office-based services (solicitors, estate agents etc) and other 'commercial' services which could include gyms and a wider range of activities. Worryingly in the context of town centre objectives, it also permits development to housing.

8.6.9 There is a need for the high street to become a venue, a place to visit for its own sake and not just for retail purposes. This means creating an interesting and attractive area where people will feel comfortable, relaxed and have an enjoyable experience. The future of many town centres is now not just about shops, it should now be about living, learning, leisure and local services, the importance of community activity and holding lively events.

8.6.10 Bingley Town Council has recently modernised and re-opened the public toilets in Jubilee Gardens to help the town centre to be more about living, learning, leisure and local services as mentioned above and has built a new "Changing Places" facility in order to make the town more socially inclusive.

8.6.11 Bingley town centre needs to evolve a long-term strategy to combat distraction from its core purpose. It has one major positive factor compared with the usual town centre shopping streets: most of the ground floor occupiers are local businesses and a good many provide a service that cannot be obtained on the internet. Independent businesses offer greater scope to provide venue-based shopping, providing a variety of goods and services not found in high street chains. Providing a physical and business environment in which independent shops and services can flourish is an important objective.

8.6.12 Current ideas to explore within Bingley Town Council and with other partners include:

8.6.13

1. Offer a rates incentive (e.g., 10% discount for first year of occupation with a reduced percentage every fifth year of occupation) and innovative parking incentives. For example, Harrogate Council is considering offering a free parking period for every 10 hours of public parking purchased over a specified time.
2. Maintain a dialogue with property owners and encourage them to give incentives, for example, first four months of occupation rent free, rent discount say 5% for four months after three years of tenancy, financial support for capital improvements, perhaps timing such support at a time when the business concerned has the least level of income – quite often, January or February of the year.
3. Identify and target "missing uses" e.g. greengrocers, bookshops, menswear etc. and try to encourage them to move into the town centre.
4. Give detailed guidance on design of shopfronts and maintain regular checks and reports on their state and condition to both occupier and landlord. It is understood that this practice is carried out by Pateley Bridge Town Council.
5. Review the use of upper floors along our main streets and encourage more flats above shops to create more town centre living and more activity. Can the Council and property owners consider residential or office uses? The introduction of more residential use into central areas encourages a better environment due to the presence of a permanent population.
6. Encourage people to visit the town centre for a wider range of reasons than shopping. This means providing cultural activities and a wider range of venues that people want to visit and stay longer.
7. Explore with partners how a better traffic environment can be created (e.g. traffic reduction scheme along Main Street, pedestrian priority streets/areas in an appropriately paved way such as Wellington Street and the station forecourt, Chapel Street, Myrtle Place) that encourage visitors to explore around in safety, and particularly across into Market Square, Myrtle Park, River Walk and to the Five Rise Locks.
8. Encourage the use of quality materials, sympathetic and appropriate colours and vernacular features, avoiding and reducing clutter through over-use of items such as street furniture and signage.
9. It is important to create publicly accessible areas and routes should provide a positive contribution to the interest and enjoyment of the local environment in and around the town centre and enhance the experience of being there. They should provide the essential linkage between the town's special features and areas and promote easy and safe accessibility to them.
10. Investigate how to improve accessibility and parking provision for people with disabilities.
11. Introduce interactive and sensory focal points in our Market Square and surrounding area – e.g. interactive sculptures/fountains, sensory gardens/planting, permanent play zones for kiddies. Making more use of the Market Cross building, improving the Art Centre facades and elevations for example the addition of a large side conservatory for use as a restaurant or bistro serving light meals (see Theatre By The Lake, Keswick).
12. Improve the access to Myrtle Park between the swimming pool and the new Lidl store. It needs to be more attractive and intriguing, perhaps a scheme that naturally draws people along into the park – a sort of "secret garden" type entrance.
13. Improve the pedestrian route to Five Rise Locks as it is neither clear nor particularly well signposted. Creating parking spaces near the locks. Ensuring access routes are well marked and clearly defined. This is a national treasure and Bingley should be maximising access to his tourist attraction for all it can.

8.6.14 A regular and active open-air market is an attraction in its own right and provides focus and interest in what is happening in the town centre. Bingley Town Council would like to see greater use and enhancement of Market Square and immediately surrounding areas for temporary events and activities, such as outdoor community occasions, and support the installation of permanent and interactive features such as sculptures, fountains, play areas.

1. Events in Market Square such as human statues, street performers, mini funfairs etc.;
2. Interesting, perhaps quirky, Heath-Robinson type sculptures and street furniture;
3. Modern electronic advertising billboards (e.g. cylindrical style) incorporating lighting, shelter and seating, not only for commercial advertising but also for advertising local events;
4. Introduce sculpted street-lighting schemes;
5. Open discussions with St Ives Estate to explore the possibility of establishing mountain bike circuits zig-zagging down to the river. This could possibly be the only mountain bike circuit in the north of England very close to an urban area and readily accessible by rail direct from a large catchment area – Leeds.

8.6.15 Bingley Town Council would support a review of car parking provision so that provision supports delivery of the town centre masterplan and design codes, and encourages visitors to the town centre.

1. Improve signage to and for car parks, so visitors can find appropriate long and short stay parking.
2. Support improvements to infrastructure to allow for increasing use of electric vehicles and their necessary charging points.
3. In all cases consider the possibility of sponsorship from local firms.