Support

Representation ID: 22847

Received: 16/03/2020

Respondent: Crown Point Estate

Agent: Miss Kate Wood

The Delivery Statement for Economic Development includes that “Smaller scale and rural employment sites are less likely to be constrained by infrastructure requirements and will be supported in accessible and sustainable locations. Together, these varied sites provide for growth of both a broad based and a high value knowledge economy.”

We support this approach. However, “smaller scale” is not defined. We anticipate that the development management policies of each Council will control details of such provision, but it is important in the GNLP that appropriate sites are formally allocated. Without allocation, sites will be classed as countryside, where general development management policies would rule against their use for employment. For example, we are promoting Park Farm as an employment allocation, which will ensure that potential occupiers will be confident in the planning process to secure their use.

The Delivery Statement also refers to a high value knowledge economy, but it must be borne in mind that low value, low-tech uses also play a vital role in the wider economy in terms of jobs that are not knowledge-based. Such employment relies on lower-cost rural sites, as they are priced out of new-build business parks in more central locations.