Aim of the study:
The purpose of the study was to assess the appropriateness of the spatial and legal planning of shopping centre service areas in Radom, a county seat and former provincial capital. Two hypotheses were formulated: namely, that the analyzed areas are developed in accordance with regulations and documents governing spatial planning, and that the large-scale retail services in question operate in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, primarily in terms of the presence of accompanying green “fabric” or green-blue infrastructure.

Material and methods:
Six large-scale retail facilities in the city of Radom were selected for analysis. The methodology included map-based digitalization of current land use and an analysis of planning documents, enabling a comparison between actual development and legally defined urban and architectural parameters shaping these spaces.

Results and conclusions:
The analysis revealed significant unfavorable spatial conditions. It exposed systemic shortcomings in spatial planning law updates, such as copying urban indicators from local plans or classifying retail areas as multifunctional zones, which may negatively affect development parameters (e.g., under administrative decisions). Green spaces were marginally treated, typically limited to the minimum required biologically active area. None of the cases met sustainable development principles in ecosystem terms (biodiversity, stormwater management, recreational ecology). The findings confirm that large-scale retail development is driven mainly by economic factors rather than spatial or landscape considerations.