Policy E3 2017

Policy E3: Retail Development

Development proposals within Durham City centre, as defined in the proposals map, will be supported where it is demonstrated that they:

1. contribute to the creation of a lively and vibrant City centre with:
   1. the primary frontage mainly in retail use; and
   2. other appropriate town centre uses (defined as retail, leisure, entertainment, sport and recreation, offices, and arts, culture and tourism) located in the City centre but outside the primary frontages; and
2. enhance the character and attractiveness of the City centre by:
   1. conserving and enhancing the historic character of the Conservation Area and World Heritage Site, its setting and historic assets, both designated and undesignated; and
   2. sympathetically converting existing buildings outside the primary frontages and re-using redundant upper floors in the secondary frontages for office and other appropriate town centre uses (defined as retail, leisure, entertainment, sport and recreation, offices, and arts, culture and tourism); and
   3. safeguarding and enhancing the green setting along the River Wear; and
   4. ensuring that new development is of a scale appropriate to the City centre, is well-designed and is of a mass and materials appropriate to the character of the City centre; and
   5. improving the public realm; and
   6. improving the City centre environment for pedestrians and cyclists.

Note: For justification see Policy E4

Next section: Policy E4: Primary and Secondary Frontages