population scenario, these forecasts rise very slightly to 850 sq m net by 2016, rising to 1,750 sq m net by 2021, and to 2,950 sq m net by 2026. 2.86
As was noted in the town centre, we do not anticipate that there would be a significant impact on non central comparison goods retailing in Whitstable should the scale of retailing envisaged in Herne Bay Town Centre be developed. A summary of the effects can be seen in Table 2.3.
Effects of Applying the Sequential Approach 2.87
We stress above that new convenience and comparison goods retail development for which we have forecast capacity under the heading of non-central shops and stores in Herne bay and Whitstable should in fact be located in accordance with the sequential approach wherever possible, and in retail formats appropriate to town centre or edge-of-centre locations. For convenience goods, sales densities between retailers and store formats vary widely, and as discussed above, the format of new stores affects forecast capacity. For this reason, our forecasts are all on the basis of a ‘generic’ sales density for new superstores of £12,000 per sq m net. For comparison goods, ‘Town Centre’ formats typically have higher sales densities than those applicable to retail warehouses, which we assumed for the non-central forecasts. Thus if the comparison goods capacity which we have forecast as non-central (at low sales densities) is developed in or on the edge of town centres (at higher sales densities), the amount of comparison goods floorspace which will be required for the same level of sales will be less.
2.88
In Table 2.4, we indicate how much new convenience and comparison goods floorspace would be supportable in or on the edge of Herne Bay and Whitstable, if all capacity for new convenience and comparison goods floorspace, forecast as town centre and non-central, is in fact located in or on the edge of the Herne Bay/Whitstable town centres, in ‘town centre’ format shops and stores.
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