16 Economic growth, employment and enterprise

EG 1

Economic growth, employment and enterprise

The Council will promote sustainable economic growth in the borough and wider sub-region, supporting existing businesses, encouraging indigenous business growth and attracting new inward investment. The creation of new job opportunities across a range of sectors will be supported.

The Local Plan will promote competitive town centre environments and bring forward sites to meet a range of town centre uses including commercial, retail, leisure, culture and office uses.

Employment land supply

To meet future employment land needs across the borough identified in the spatial strategy, a flexible supply of employment land allocations will be identified to cater for a range of types and size of business. These will cover use class B including B2 (General Industrial), B8 (storage or distribution) and Class E (Commercial Business and Service), primarily E(g) (Offices, Research and Development and industrial processes). This supply will be met through extant planning commitments, vacant/previously developed land in established employment areas, expansion land for specific employers or new allocations identified to meet strategic development needs.  

A minimum of 40% of the employment land provision established in the plan strategy will contribute towards large scale industrial, warehousing or distribution use. Additional locations for economic use may be identified on the edge of settlements, dependent on the chosen plan strategy.. 

Established strategic employment locations are identified and safeguarded as essential to meeting the future economic strategy of the plan.

Proposals for new or expanded distribution centres should make provision for sufficient lorry parking to cater for their anticipated use. 

In line with current Local Plan (Part One) policy ECON 2, commercial, business and service uses falling within Class E will primarily be directed to town centre locations. The following key employment locations are also safeguarded as being suitable for use class E(g):

• Chester Business Park – see suggested policy approach 6 ‘Chester’ 
• Gadbrook Business Park – see suggested policy approach 8 ‘Northwich’
• Cheshire Oaks Business Park

There are other established employment areas and land allocations that will be identified and protected to meet a range of sizes and types of small-medium business needs. 

Protection of employment land and premises

Proposals for alternative uses on allocated employment land must not limit the range, type, choice and quality of employment land available to meet future employment needs.

The refurbishment and enhancement of existing sites and premises for continued employment use will be supported. Redevelopment to non-employment uses will be permitted where;

• the proposal would not limit the range, choice and quality of land or floorspace available in the locality;
• it can be demonstrated that the continued use of the premises for employment use is no longer commercially viable or environmentally acceptable;
• reasonable attempts must have been made (and evidenced) to continuously let or sell the premises for employment use for at least 12 months at a reasonable rate and there is no reasonable prospect of the site being re-used for employment uses; and
• the development is necessary to secure additional employment development that would not otherwise be viable.

Local labour and skills

The Council will support initiatives and accessibility to further/higher education facilities in the borough including the University of Chester, West Cheshire College and Mid-Cheshire College, improving skills and links to main employers.