A SHORTAGE of commercial development sites in the centre of Petersfield has been highlighted in a new retail and leisure study for East Hampshire District Council. And planning expert Peter Wilks told members of the development policy panel that edge of town centre sites would need to be carefully examined in future. The survey, carried out by council consultants Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners, looked at Petersfield and Alton town centres and was commissioned to assess the needs for future retail, commercial leisure and entertainment facilities in the town centres. Experts were also asked to assess the capacity in the town centres to accommodate more development. The information gathered will be used in the preparation of the council's emerging local development framework, which will govern development in the district for the next decade. Mr Wilks said there was potential for development opportunities by "rationalising" town centre car parks at The Festival Hall and in Swan Street. He said he had also looked at the potential to develop several sites around the town centre, including the former Dairy Crest site in Station Road, the Corries site and the former Estee Lauder site, both in Frenchman's Road. But he warned: "With the town centre boundaries the opportunities are limited and conservation issues add to the problems. "There is more potential through edge-of-centre sites, but you have to balance employment and residential uses." He told councillors his survey showed a reasonable amount fo food and grocery shopping across the district but shoppers were travelling to larger centres for clothing, electrical goods and furniture – with only 40 to 50 per cent of this type of shopping taking place inside East Hampshire. Statistics showed that there was scope to improve shopping facilities inside East Hampshire and to provide a 600-seat cinema, as well as bingo and health and fitness facilities. Visitor surveys showed that satisfaction with Petersfield was high in many areas, with the lowest scores being for traffic congestion and car parking charges. Businesses in the town who were surveyed were happy with general shopping, train services, personal safety and places to eat and drink, but scoring for parking charges, rates and rents in the town scored lowest.
