Our policies, plans and strategies - RTL1-3 Retail Reports

In December 2013 Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners completed a Retail Study Update on behalf of Harborough District Council. The Study provides an assessment of the changes since the original 2007 Harborough Retail Study.

The Study projects population, expenditure, shopping patterns and the impact of new forms of trading in the District at five year intervals over the plan period up to 2031. The Study assesses future retail floorspace and the potential capacity of Market Harborough, Lutterworth and Broughton Astley to accommodate projected needs. It also provides an assessment of the appropriateness of the existing town centre boundaries and provides recommendations on how each town centre can develop its role.

A partial update of the 2013 report was completed by Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners in September 2016. This report set out updated retail floorspace requirement figures to 2021, 2026 and 2031, taking into account updated population projections based on the emerging Local Plan housing requirement at the time of 550 dwellings per annum and up to date expenditure projections.

A further partial update of the 2013 report was prepared by Lichfields in 2017 to reflect changes in future population projections derived from the emerging Local Plan. This update reflects the latest population projections (based the housing trajectory and 12,800 new dwellings over the plan period or 640 dwellings per annum as set out in the emerging Local Plan) and expenditure projections. Alongside need figures for comparison and convenience goods floorspace to 2021, 2026 and 2031, the report also includes an analysis of the need for food and beverage (Class A3 and A5 uses) and commercial leisure facilities.