SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)·Page 98·6.278
Regional Strategic Objectives for Town Centres and Retailing
The SPPS establishes four key regional objectives: adopting a town centres first approach for retail and main town centre uses; using a sequential approach in local development plans and decision-taking; ensuring decisions are based on robust evidence of need and capacity; and protecting diversity in town centre uses including leisure, cultural, community facilities, housing and business.
The regional strategic objectives for town centres and retailing are to:
• secure a town centres first approach for the location of future retailing and other main town centre uses;
• adopt a sequential approach to the identification of retail and main town centre uses in local development plans (LDPs) and when decision-taking;
• ensure LDPs and decisions are informed by robust and up to date evidence in relation to need and capacity;
• protect and enhance diversity in the range of town centre uses appropriate to their role and function, such as leisure, cultural and community facilities, housing and business.
Source — /Users/richardhill/Documents/planning-arch-project/data/documents/regional/SPPS - Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025).pdf