Comment

Representation ID: 22339

Received: 16/03/2020

Respondent: Pigeon Investment Management Ltd

Agent: Pegasus Group

6. POLICY 6 – ECONOMY
6.1 Policy 6 proposes a number of employment allocations. However, these allocations do not necessarily reflect the balance of the workforce with the existing jobs, and therefore rely upon an increase in commuting flows between settlements.
6.2 By way of example, according to the 2011 Census, 2,268 residents of Hethersett were in work, but there were only 1,127 jobs in the settlement such that the remaining 1,141 or roughly half of residents were required to commute elsewhere for their work. The Joint Core Strategy then allocated an additional 1,000 homes at Hethersett and this is now proposed to increase to 1,369 homes in Policy HET1. The consequence of this is that the imbalance between the workforce and jobs within the settlement is likely to increase significantly which will mean that an even greater number of residents are required to commute to other settlements. This would appear to be directly contrary to paragraph 103 of the NPPF as it will increase the need to travel from Hethersett on a daily basis.
6.3 It is therefore considered that in settlements which experience such imbalances, appropriately sized employment allocations should be identified to accord with the NPPF and limit the need to travel. The Land off Melton Road, Hethersett provides an appropriate site to deliver additional jobs to address this imbalance and reduce the need to travel to work.