12. Urban Environments Volume One policies promote a convenient and compact central focus for the Business 1 Zone. This enable these areas to retain and continue their function as the retail, commercial, cultural and social focusses for Picton, Blenheim and the wider District. [D] Policy 12.4.3 – The suburban business areas in Picton and Blenheim and those business areas in the smaller towns are vibrant and viable, providing hubs for social and economic activities to rural and s uburban communities. Suburban business areas (Business 2 Zone) have evolved to provide a decentralised commercial resource away from the centralised Business 1 Zone. Their effective management requires a different approach from the Business 1 Zone. They generally sit within residential areas and provide a concentrated satellite resource in a small, identifiable environment, with different effects being generated to those of the surrounding area. For example, suburban business areas generate more vehicle movements than those created by the surrounding residential activity. These smaller business areas are valued by the community as they provide for the general day- to-day needs of local residents. In particular, the Business 2 Zones in the smaller towns make an important contribution to social and economic wellbeing of the local population. The mixed use activities that occur within these towns are located on major arterial routes, providing services and facilities not only to locals but also the wider rural population and visitors. The areas that feature the Business 2 zoning have and will continue to develop in a unique manner. [D] Policy 12.4.4 – Ensure a sequential approach is taken to manage the location of commercial activity within Blenheim and Picton using the following retail hierarchy: Tier Zone Preference 1 Business 1 Zone 2 Business 2 Zone 3 Business 3 Zone In recognition of the evolving needs and patterns of business activities within Marlborough and the fundamental tenet of ensuring that the centres of Marlborough’s larger towns remain the District’s retail centres, a hierarchy of location preferences has been created for business and retail activities. The first tier, the Business 1 Zone, is already well-established in terms of retail and business activity, where infill and redevelopment should allow suitable sites to be aggregated to meet the needs of operators. It is important for the identity of Blenheim, Renwick, Picton and Havelock that the Business 1 Zone remains the focal point for the District’s retail, commercial, cultural and social activity and that town centres continue to thrive as central shopping locations. It is acknowledged that the increasing demand for and choice of goods will result in pressure for retail developments to occur in other locations, but these should always remain in a secondary position to the primary function of the four town centres. The second tier, the Business 2 Zone, provides a localised shopping and service function, typically meeting the day to day needs of the surrounding residential areas. The third tier, Business 1 Zone, also provides the community with a localised shopping and service function, but at a much larger scale for the large format retail operations. These large- scale retailing activities are limited to single purpose stores to prevent the potential for dispersal of retail activities and therefore any detraction from the role and function of the finer-grained, more pedestrian-oriented business areas of the Business 1 Zone. 12 – 14