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Shopping and town centre objectives

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 Highstreet with a lot of people and cars.


What you’ve told us...

  • Dalston has a unique and diverse retail offer for shoppers and visitors with Ridley Road market, Kingsland Shopping Centre, cafes, bars and restaurant culture.
  • There is an opportunity for new creative uses to be introduced into Gillett Square and Dalston Square, beyond just cafes and restaurants. 
  • Concerns about the pricing out of local shops and fears of Ridley Road and Kingsland High Street declining, whilst new cafes, restaurants and shops are not necessarily catering to all local people, and are changing the nature of Dalston.
  • Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) businesses are worried about the lack of affordability with growing rents and rates in the area.
  • Higher support is given to start-ups and larger companies that move into the area, to the detriment of existing small and medium sized businesses. 
  • It is felt that the Council has a lack of understanding of BAME business needs, in turn leading to a lack of support. 
  • Unlike other major town centres, Dalston is primarily visited for its varied food offer and could do better at attracting visitors for other types of retail. 
  • Dalston Square and other newly developed ground floor units are empty, setting a negative precedent for introducing further retail into the town centre.

We also know that...

  • Around two-thirds of space in Dalston’s town centre is retail. 
  • Dalston has a high retail vacancy rate compared to other town centres in London, with 13% of units currently vacant versus 8% on average across London. 
  • The retail stock has been diminishing over the last five years, partly due to vacant retail stock being redeveloped.
  • High streets across the UK are having to adapt to changing consumer spending behaviour including online retail. This underlines the the need to diversify uses and encourage a mix to create more attractive town centres
  • Rising rates and rent levels across London are creating price pressures for both large and small businesses on high streets, reducing the low-end retail offer and deterring a range of users.

What the Local Plan (2033) says...

  • 34,000sqm new retail and leisure floorspace will be delivered by 2033, mainly in the major centres of Dalston and Hackney Central. 
  • Kingsland Shopping Centre and Ridley Road Market are designated primary shopping centres where change of use will be resisted with at least 85% retail units (A1 use class) retained.
  • The Council will protect and promote Ridley Road market.
  • Redevelopment of Kingsland Shopping Centre must reprovide the equivalent or greater of retail floor space.
  • Primary shopping frontage on Kingsland High Street should retain at least 60% retail use (A1 use class), with active shop fronts contributing to the vitality of the town centre.
  • The rest of the town centre, which is considered a secondary shopping area, should have a diversity of retail, commercial, leisure and cultural facilities.
  • Small units for small shops and independent retailers will be supported. 



 


Shopping and town centre objectives

Supporting the diverse retail offer in Dalston

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