Your County - Putting Kent First

Kent 4 star Council

Retail and town centres

All major retail applications within the Kent County Council area are monitored and a report is produced every quarter, summarising the amount of floorspace, the location and the status of proposal applications under consideration - or of permitted schemes yet to be built. We provide this list of retail applications and permissions so that you can see what is 'in the pipeline' for new retail development.

We also help you find out about the health and vitality of Kent's town centres. The Analysis and Information Team conducts audits of the amount and type of floorspace in our town centres. We also gather information on footfall, rents, yields and modes of transport. From this information we produce a range of 'health indicators' and report the findings in Town Centre Health Indicator Reports.

The Annual Retail Stock Summary bulletin provides an overview of the existing, recently completed and proposed retail floorspace in Kent town centres and retail parks.

From time to time we also survey local people's shopping habits. In 2000 we carried out a major survey which showed where people preferred to shop for different types of goods. The findings are summarised in the Internet Access and Shopping bulletin. A more detailed publication - Kent Household Survey 2000 - is available in Kent libraries or can be purchased from us.

Because we had conducted a similar household survey in 1998 we were able to assess the impact of the Bluewater Regional Shopping Centre on town centres in Kent. We provide a summary bulletin but the full results are also available in the Kent Household Survey 2000 referred to above.

Copyright Kent County Council 2008