SPPS Strategic Planning Policy Statement Edition 2 (December 2025)·Page 100·6.288
Order of preference for main town centre uses
Planning authorities must consider applications for main town centre uses in a specific order: primary retail core, town centres, edge of centre, then out of centre locations with good public transport access.
Planning authorities will require applications for main town centre uses to be considered in the following order of preference (and consider all of the proposal's catchment): primary retail core; town centres; edge of centre; and out of centre locations, only where sites are accessible by a choice of good public transport modes.
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