Shop Fronts

6.47 Shop fronts have a role to play in defining the character of town centres, and can be attractive in their own right. In older properties many shop fronts have been replaced by modern designs that do not necessarily reflect the style of the building, nor are sympathetic to the character of the area within which they are situated. The Council supports the replacement of inappropriate shop fronts with designs more in keeping with the building particularly within town centre Conservation Areas and on Listed Buildings, and expects that new retail developments should also include shop fronts, which respect the character of the building or streets within which they are situated. Where original shop fronts still exist, efforts should be made to retain these and repair them where appropriate. New and replacement shop fronts will also need to comply with legislation requiring access for disabled people. As a result the following Policies will apply:-

Policy S 16

Shop Fronts in New Retail Developments

Wholly new retail developments should include shop fronts which are an integral part of the design of the building as a whole, consistent with it and with its setting in quality and use of materials, and proportioned to fit in with the façade and street scene of which it forms a part and provide access for the disabled and mobility impaired.

Policy S 17

New and Replacement Shop Fronts 

New or replacement shop fronts will be permitted where they:
  1. relate well to the building in which they are to be built;
  2. create no unacceptable environmental, amenity, traffic, safety, or other problems;
  3. preserve or enhance Conservation Areas and do not adversely affect Listed Buildings or their settings, where these are material considerations;
  4. preserve any existing separate access to upper floors or create separate access to upper floors, where these are clearly not required, or unlikely to be needed for ancillary use in association with the ground floor use;
  5. provide access for the disabled and mobility impaired; and
  6. use materials which are appropriate to the location.

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