We'll make it easier for businesses to open in Poole High Street, vows council

We'll make it easier for businesses to open in Poole High Street, vows council We'll make it easier for businesses to open in Poole High Street, vows council

IN a bid to rejuvenate a flagging town centre, consultation has begun on plans to revitalise Poole High Street by making it easier for new businesses to open up.

As part of a major new initiative to revitalise the area, Borough of Poole is planning to introduce a Local Development Order to cover the area of the High Street between North Street and New Orchard.

A LDO grants permission for specific types of development in a particular area, removing the need for a planning application, which has been welcomed by Jonathan Sibbett, chairman of Poole Town Centre Partnership.

“We are working with the council to encourage more flexibility of uses to encourage a wider range of businesses,” he said.

At present there are a number of uses in the main retail street, shops, financial and professional services, restaurants and cafés.

However, the ability to change between these and other uses suitable for a High Street without planning permission, is limited.

Most changes of use would be subject to an eight-week application process while planning permission was determined. During this time a prime retail unit would have stood vacant on the high street for two months stifling economic growth and job creativity.

Proposals laid out in the draft order would allow the appropriate uses to change hands on a much freer basis without the need to submit a planning application.

“This is an exciting opportunity that allows us to free up bureaucracy, support new businesses and underlines our commitment that Poole is ‘open for business’,” said Cllr Mike White, cabinet portfolio holder for planning and regeneration.

For more information or to respond to the consultation visit boroughofpoole.com, email planning@poole.gov.uk or write to Planning and Regeneration, Civic Centre, Poole BH15 2RU.

Comments(31)

chrisii1991 says...
1:37pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Its a dump!

bmthlad69 says...
1:43pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Too late council. Most people just go to castlepoint as it offers free parking.

I certainly won't be going back there as I agree with chrisii1991 its a dump!!

Baywolf says...
1:58pm Tue 19 Mar 13

No one is going to shop at Poole unless the council renovate not only the Dolphin centre but the shoddy bus station and the appalling National Express coach stop..welcome to tatty Poole I agree it's a dump.

johnny j says...
2:14pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Great ideas, but yet again, far too late I fear.
The planning application changes will not really encourage anyone to invest in an area that is devoid of any type of establishment that makes you actually want to walk down the high street anyway!
It needs "high end" specialist boutique styles and I dont just mean fashion.
This will compliment the "common" ones in the Arndale centre.
Oh sorry I meant the Dolphin Centre !

muscliffman says...
2:18pm Tue 19 Mar 13

There is only one way to help all our Town Centres and High Streets - FREE PARKING in all Council run car parks. It's not just an easily avoidable cost, it's an avoidable hassle as well.

Otherwise they are just bashing their daft heads against the brick walls of another vacant shop!

AmsterdamMan says...
2:30pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Too late council, despite hundreds of posts over the years on this and other forums, you still will not listen to the public!!! You continue to use the general public as cash cows in your car parks and that is why Poole High Street resembles a ghost town littered with charity shops and boarded up shopfronts. Take a trip to Castlepoint and you will see a vibrant shopping centre with thriving business seven days a week...and FREE PARKING...!

upyourpipe says...
2:57pm Tue 19 Mar 13

AmsterdamMan wrote:
Too late council, despite hundreds of posts over the years on this and other forums, you still will not listen to the public!!! You continue to use the general public as cash cows in your car parks and that is why Poole High Street resembles a ghost town littered with charity shops and boarded up shopfronts. Take a trip to Castlepoint and you will see a vibrant shopping centre with thriving business seven days a week...and FREE PARKING...!
Couldn't agree more, making it easier to open a business is great but not so great if the council has alienated everybody by using them as cash cows for their car parks and on street parking, Castlepoint for me, has all the shops I need and no extortionate parking charges.

static kill says...
3:01pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Scrap the Town Centre Management with all their stupid money wasting schemes which do nothing but make them look stupid. Then reduce non-domestic rates with the money saved.
Then reduce the price of parking to zero.

live-and-let-live says...
3:30pm Tue 19 Mar 13

it might be a good idea if existing business's were helped to stay afloat. when the fruit and veg stall holder needed to spend a few days a week selling at farmers markets, he was told he still had to pay a full weeks rent for his pitch even though he wasnt there. this is just a spot of land. its not a building that needs to be maintained. it does nothing to encourage anyone to trade in Poole.

Cosmic Crusader says...
4:05pm Tue 19 Mar 13

A report on the TV last night highlighted the commercial success of Christchurch town centre. It was attributed to the very high incidence of financially aware and solvent pensioners in that area. Now what does the state of Poole town centre say about the residents of that fair town.

no vested interest says...
4:48pm Tue 19 Mar 13

On a recent visit back to my hometown it definitely looked like it was down at heel and in need of some money spent on it,or practical enterprise.
Lets be honest though,Poole Council have never been known as a clever or an enterprising organisation.
Call me old fashioned but you have one of the best locations on the south coast to do something with but it usually ends up looking trashy and poorly maintained,what is the problem.
I never expect much when I return to visit my parents in Poole but for a change I would love to be surprised.
Whenever price gouging occurs,
whoever does it,does it with the contempt of its customers or citizens.
So don't do it,if you run a council like a cut throat business,you won't get that business coming back,they will go elsewhere,I would of thought that was obvious even for the numbskulls that run Poole,best of luck but I ain't holding my breath.

EGHH says...
4:49pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Scrap parking charges for Poole residents. Easy enough to do. A permit is sent out with the Council Tax bill every year. Non-residents pay as normal. Simple idea to encourage Poole residents to shop locally.

manyogie says...
5:14pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Well done Mr Sibbett, it takes forethought such as this to increase the turnover in commercial property in the High Street.
I,m sure the local commercial letting agents will be most impressed, agents such as SibbettGregory,s perhaps?
This has the same morals as the Cypriot bank robbery.

rayc says...
5:15pm Tue 19 Mar 13

EGHH wrote:
Scrap parking charges for Poole residents. Easy enough to do. A permit is sent out with the Council Tax bill every year. Non-residents pay as normal. Simple idea to encourage Poole residents to shop locally.
That's the Poole I know. Shaft the visitors, we're all right jack, except the visitors are staying away.

dvdr says...
5:49pm Tue 19 Mar 13

In general, I think that Poole Council is doing a good job for the residents.

But they have certainly lost the plot on parking charges. Why do they seek to drive people away from the town? There are obvious alternatives to Poole, and people find them easily enough, to Poole's detriment.

I remember a town not far from here that allowed free parking for two hours. One had to get a timed ticket from the car park machine, and display it as if it were a paid-for ticket. This stopped all day parkers, but allowed limited time free parking for shoppers. The local businesses (who in any case paid business rates) got the benefit of shoppers spending their money in the shops if not the car park ticket machines.

Is there anyone with imagination on the Poole Council? Can the councillors not see what damage they are doing to Poole (except to raise money enough to fund their expenses)?

Adrian XX says...
5:50pm Tue 19 Mar 13

bmthlad69 wrote:
Too late council. Most people just go to castlepoint as it offers free parking.

I certainly won't be going back there as I agree with chrisii1991 its a dump!!
That's not really true. Poole is five minutes away from where I live. Castlepoint is 20 minutes and may be longer at busy times. It isn't worth going to Castlepoint for two or three items. Having said that, I go less often into Poole than before since I refuse to pay the extortionate parking charges.

Adrian XX says...
6:01pm Tue 19 Mar 13

chrisii1991 wrote:
Its a dump!
You are right. Poole is a dump set in a beautiful area. Some parts of the old town and quay are quite pleasing to the eye, but the Dolphin Centre, the Bus station, Towngate Bridge and Falkland square all need knocking down.

Tjones:) says...
6:34pm Tue 19 Mar 13

i paid £1.80 for 20mins in the dolphin carpark last week so can see why people dont go to poole (the good thing is the brewhouse pub on the high st very good beer :) )

Phixer says...
7:15pm Tue 19 Mar 13

EGHH wrote:
Scrap parking charges for Poole residents. Easy enough to do. A permit is sent out with the Council Tax bill every year. Non-residents pay as normal. Simple idea to encourage Poole residents to shop locally.
What a selfish attitude from a town that needs tourists/visitors.

Just imagine if that idea was adopted in other towns; England wouldn't be a nice place to live.

Phixer says...
7:20pm Tue 19 Mar 13

dvdr wrote:
In general, I think that Poole Council is doing a good job for the residents.

But they have certainly lost the plot on parking charges. Why do they seek to drive people away from the town? There are obvious alternatives to Poole, and people find them easily enough, to Poole's detriment.

I remember a town not far from here that allowed free parking for two hours. One had to get a timed ticket from the car park machine, and display it as if it were a paid-for ticket. This stopped all day parkers, but allowed limited time free parking for shoppers. The local businesses (who in any case paid business rates) got the benefit of shoppers spending their money in the shops if not the car park ticket machines.

Is there anyone with imagination on the Poole Council? Can the councillors not see what damage they are doing to Poole (except to raise money enough to fund their expenses)?
I am currently staying in an Oslo suburb which has the same idea to encourage local shoppers but avoid the commuters filling up parking spaces.

Imagination and common sense are not usually found in our illustrious public servants who have forgotten who they are there to serve.

master plan says...
7:28pm Tue 19 Mar 13

I live I the old town and love it and go in the high street every day and sadly it's dying. It seems every weak a shop closes they say businesses should get savy against Internet businesses but I think councils should to. Rents are to high parking charges are to high. The bus station is the most hideous thing I have ever seen and the dolphin shopping centre still looks the same as the day it was first built.

1st I'll drop the car park fee 10p an hour you couldn't drop it completely as there are running cost.

2nd redesign the dolphin shopping centre something contemperey and modern like the bull ring in Birmingham

3rd lower rents in the dolphin and the high street get the shops back even high end shops (seeing as your building a marina so cruise ships can dock we need them)

4th destroy the bus station move it round to the train station as all travel is together.

In the end everyone will see a change in the high street 1 there be more shops. 2 the council will have more money and so on I'm for one not wanting the high street to die

Hobad1 says...
8:18pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Too late Poole Council Tories. You had long enough to realise that the town centre was going downhill and action needed to be taken, but instead you just kept on upping and upping parking charges/rates etc etc and now no-one with a choice goes there to shop. You tories killed the town. Do the honourable thing and let someone else take over the running of the council, someone who cares about the local people and businesses and doesn't just care about Number 1.

Hobad1 says...
8:22pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Phixer wrote:
EGHH wrote:
Scrap parking charges for Poole residents. Easy enough to do. A permit is sent out with the Council Tax bill every year. Non-residents pay as normal. Simple idea to encourage Poole residents to shop locally.
What a selfish attitude from a town that needs tourists/visitors.

Just imagine if that idea was adopted in other towns; England wouldn't be a nice place to live.
But, tourists and visitors pay at the moment, so there would be no change to them. The only change would be to the residents, who would benefit. Good idea I say. Won't happen though as that would mean less money for Poole Council and hey only care about money.

Tjones:) says...
9:42pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Phixer wrote:
EGHH wrote:
Scrap parking charges for Poole residents. Easy enough to do. A permit is sent out with the Council Tax bill every year. Non-residents pay as normal. Simple idea to encourage Poole residents to shop locally.
What a selfish attitude from a town that needs tourists/visitors.

Just imagine if that idea was adopted in other towns; England wouldn't be a nice place to live.
i dont think so tourists/visitors are only here a day/week poole residents live here so would shop here more & are you saying poole is not a nice place to live?? :)

N Smith says...
10:17pm Tue 19 Mar 13

bmthlad69 wrote:
Too late council. Most people just go to castlepoint as it offers free parking.

I certainly won't be going back there as I agree with chrisii1991 its a dump!!
How the hell do you call Poole high st a dump and big up Castlepoint one of the worst delopments of its kind in the country.

rayc says...
9:27am Wed 20 Mar 13

Tjones:) wrote:
Phixer wrote:
EGHH wrote:
Scrap parking charges for Poole residents. Easy enough to do. A permit is sent out with the Council Tax bill every year. Non-residents pay as normal. Simple idea to encourage Poole residents to shop locally.
What a selfish attitude from a town that needs tourists/visitors.

Just imagine if that idea was adopted in other towns; England wouldn't be a nice place to live.
i dont think so tourists/visitors are only here a day/week poole residents live here so would shop here more & are you saying poole is not a nice place to live?? :)
In the recent row concerning removing the parking on North Road the Poole Councillor responsible was at great pains to explain that it was all part of a master plan to encourage local people to use alternative transport. The provision and cost of parking is a political tool and the council will never do as suggested.

Cosmic Crusader says...
10:08am Wed 20 Mar 13

master plan wrote:
I live I the old town and love it and go in the high street every day and sadly it's dying. It seems every weak a shop closes they say businesses should get savy against Internet businesses but I think councils should to. Rents are to high parking charges are to high. The bus station is the most hideous thing I have ever seen and the dolphin shopping centre still looks the same as the day it was first built.

1st I'll drop the car park fee 10p an hour you couldn't drop it completely as there are running cost.

2nd redesign the dolphin shopping centre something contemperey and modern like the bull ring in Birmingham

3rd lower rents in the dolphin and the high street get the shops back even high end shops (seeing as your building a marina so cruise ships can dock we need them)

4th destroy the bus station move it round to the train station as all travel is together.

In the end everyone will see a change in the high street 1 there be more shops. 2 the council will have more money and so on I'm for one not wanting the high street to die
Parking in the Bull Ring is £5.50 for 2 - 3 hours!

benjamin says...
10:50am Wed 20 Mar 13

No one has mentioned that car park charges are going up on the 1st April. There is one tiny notice about it as you enter Pitwines car park.

chrisii1991 says...
1:53pm Wed 20 Mar 13

Not to mention the annoying railway crossing which goes down every five minutes,how about building a sensible bridge and a better subway

portia6 says...
3:30pm Wed 20 Mar 13

I agree chrisii1991 the railway crossing
gates are constantly causing grid-lock!

Barry Attrics says...
6:35pm Wed 20 Mar 13

portia6 wrote:
I agree chrisii1991 the railway crossing
gates are constantly causing grid-lock!
That's because of all the fatties who would rather stand there for ten minutes than spend 30 seconds crossing the bridge.

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