Part One: Spatial Strategy and Policies (Regulation 19)

Ended on the 29 November 2024

Shop Front Security

10.43. Shop fronts can enhance street scenes and play an important role in making centres active, vibrant, and safe places to shop. The design of shop fronts (including new shop fronts and alterations of existing ones) should be an integral part of the design of the wider building and its use.

Policy DLP30 Shop Front Security

  1. The Council will support a hierarchical approach to shopfront security with the preference for other security measures being fully exhausted before resorting to physical barriers such as an external grille or shutter. Early discussions with the local planning authority are actively encouraged. 
  1. When considering security for a shopfront the following principles should be applied:  
    1. Within conservation areas, on listed and locally listed building, or where proposals affect the appearance or setting of a Heritage Asset, external roller grilles or shutters will not be permitted. 
    2. Security requirements should be carefully considered and integrated in the design of all new or replacement shopfronts, using the established Secured by Design approach.  
    3. Security fixtures should not be located on architectural features of the shopfront or building. Alarm boxes and security cameras, where deemed appropriate, should be positioned unobtrusively, having regard to the symmetry of the building.  
    4. Priority should be given to integrating physical measures (such as stallriser, smaller paned glass with mullions and transoms, the use of toughened or laminated glass etc.) into the design of existing and new shopfronts.  
    5. If additional security is deemed necessary priority should be given to the use of discreetly designed and retractable internal security shutters/grilles. 
    6. In circumstances where external security measures are agreed to be necessary, demountable external grilles of a visually appropriate design and colour should be considered.  
    7. To secure recessed doorways, retractable or folding gates can be used, however the use of roller shutters in recessed doorways would be not supported.   
  2. External roller grilles or shutters will only be accepted if it has been clearly demonstrated that all other security options have been fully exhausted and where a departure from this stance can be justified. The Local Planning Authority will work with applicants to consider these options. In these circumstances, external roller grilles or shutters would only be acceptable if designed in accordance with the following guidelines:  
    1. It must be of a design that allows for the shop window display to remain clearly visible behind. 
    2. The use of solid or perforated roller shutters for shopfronts would not be supported. 
    3. Shutters must not extend beyond the span of the shop window and must be contained within an area defined by the fascia and pilasters of the shop front.  
    4. Shutter box housings and guide channels should form an integral part of the shopfront design and be concealed behind the fascia or should be set back flush with the shopfront. Where visible they should be finished in a colour to match that of the shopfront.
    5. The installation of shutters should not result in the loss, removal or inappropriate alterations of an historic shopfront.
Justification

10.44. Shopfronts make an essential contribution to the quality of both the urban area and the businesses that occupy them. An increase in the number of standardised style shop fronts, projecting signs, bulky illuminated advertisement and poorly designed security measures can harm the appearance of the street scene.

10.45. Shop fronts, particularly those which are original and/or are a period character, contribute to local character and distinctiveness and form an important part of the overall street scene. The design and material of all shopfronts should respect the character of the area and buildings of which they form a part of.

10.46. Where security shutters are necessary, a hierarchal approach (as shown in Fig. 10.2) is supported with preference for other security measures being fully exhausted before resorting to physical barriers, such as external roller shutters are used, and this should be evidenced as part of any application. More details about this approach can be found in the Shopfront and Advertisement SPD.

10.47. This policy should be read in conjunction with the Shopfront and Advertisement SPD which sets out details guidance on the way Dudley Council expects proposals for new or replacements shop fronts and advertisements (or the alterations of existing ones) to be designed.

Evidence
  • Secured by Design Principles
  • Shopfront & Advertisement SPD (2017)
Delivery
  • Development Management through the determination of planning applications.

Figure 10.2 Hierarchal Approach Monitoring

This figure shows the hierarchical approach to security measures for shop fronts. This starts with Secured by Design principles and filters down to internal lattice grille, internal roller shutter, external demountable grilles, security for recessed doorways and external roller shutters.

Monitoring

Policy

Indicator

Target

DLP24

Number of applications approved with a Town Centre Core Area for uses outside of the acceptable use list

0%

DLP25

Number of valued local services lost without appropriate alternative provision.

Number of Vacant units within the District and Local Centres

0%

0%

DLP26

Number of developments of up to 280sqm gross floorspace for town centre uses permitted outside of centres that meet the requirements of Policy DLP24 as a proportion of all such permissions

100%

DLP27

Number of developments over 200sqm gross floorspace for town centre uses permitted outside of centres that meet the requirements of Policy DLP24, as a proportion of all such permissions

100%

DLP28

Number of new residential units within Centre Locations

Success of this policy will be monitored by the number of applications received and approved

DLP29

Number of Hot Food Takeaways approved with 400m of a school

Number of Hot Food Takeaways approved in centre locations which would result in more than 2 no. Hot Food Takeaway uses adjacent to each other

0

0

DLP30

Number of external roller shutters/grilles approved within conservation areas, on Listed or Locally Listed Buildings or affecting the appearance of setting of a Heritage Asset

0

For instructions on how to use the system and make comments, please see our help guide.
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