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4. Employment Land

Mendip Economic Development Strategy (EDS)

4.1 The supporting text to Core Policy 3 emphasises the Council’s ‘open for business’ approach which was introduced with the Council’s Economic Development Strategy (EDS) in 2013. This strategy has now been refreshed involving engagement of businesses, town councils, chambers of commerce and key site owners. The strategy includes a Baseline Conditions Survey (August 2016) which provides an up to date socio-economic picture for the district.

4.2 The strategy also links to addressing objectives in the Somerset Growth Plan and broader regional strategies in the LEP area.

4.3 The Mendip EDS identifies a number of high level issues which relate to future planning for employment land. These include:

• Identification of additional land in Frome, Wells, Shepton Mallet and Glastonbury;
• Promoting regeneration opportunities in the Mendip town centres;
• Making positive use of planning measures to support local economic growth;
• Increasing the supply of ‘starter’ and ‘grow-on’ space; and
• Increasing the availability of sites and premises for ‘foot–loose’ business enquiries.

4.4 The strategy reports on the significant revival in interest, development activity and investment on the main serviced employment sites at Morlands Enterprise Area (Glastonbury), Commerce Park (Frome), Cathedral Park (Wells) and the Street Business Park. In addition, land allocated at Dulcote Quarry is now being developed as a food production campus. A new brewery has recently been approved on the Royal Bath & West Showground which forms part of a 10ha enterprise area focused on agri-food businesses. This area benefits from streamlined planning via a Local Development Order.

4.5 The reduction in land availability on the main serviced employment sites supports the case for additional allocations in this Plan.

Issues Raised through Consultation

4.6 There was a limited response during the issues and options consultation in terms of promoting employment land or wider representations related to the local economy. The key issues which emerged are:

• The need to retain village employment sites, support established businesses and address local accessibility issues associated with some sites;
• The need to address availability of accommodation for start-ups, microbusinesses and small business in the towns;
• The loss of traditional manufacturing sites to housing redevelopment;
• That the adopted plan greatly underestimates the need for additional supply in Frome;
• The need for Broadband Infrastructure to support the rural economy;
• A need for more business park accommodation for design/high tech companies

4.7 A number of sites were promoted through the Local Plan Part II for employment or mixed use which have been considered through the Part II process.

National Planning Context

4.8 The stock of employment sites and premises remain under pressure for redevelopment to housing. National planning policies seek to accelerate this process with the introduction of the Brownfield Register and permitted rights to convert office and industrial space to housing.

4.9 A number of factory and other employment sites have been redeveloped over the plan period for housing. However, since 2006 there has been a net gain in employment land reflecting the permissions granted on the major serviced sites.

4.10 Going forward, there remains a need to retain employment stock across the district and identify opportunities for further growth.

4.11 A Supplementary Planning Document has been revised and adopted providing guidance on marketing which includes employment sites. This is intended to ensure that their employment potential has been fully explored. It is also of note that not all employment sites with permission for redevelopment have been implemented with a number being re-let or acquired for continuing business use.

A Strategy for Employment Land in Mendip

4.12 Drawing on the Economic Development Strategy, the following objectives have been identified in relation to planning for employment uses through allocations and policy approaches:

Employment Land Objectives

Land To support the continued development and take-up in the major serviced employment sites in the district (Cathedral Park, Street Business Park, Morlands Enterprise Area, the Bath and West Showground site and Commerce Park) and increase provision of high quality space in the plan period; To retain the integrity of productivity of Mendip’s established employment areas in the towns and rural areas. To encourage extensions where appropriate, new investment, increased intensity of use and accessibility and quality of stock; To recognise the role and need for affordable and lower quality premises and sites often associated with non B1, B2 and B8 uses; To use the Local Plan and other strategies to identify, and allocate where appropriate, a ‘portfolio’ of sites and locations suitable for local and inward investors in towns and rural locations; To support and encourage development proposals, masterplans and development briefs which include mixed use and replacement employment where sites are redeveloped; To identify and seek to retain employment uses in locations important to local vitality – particularly in town centres and villages; and To develop options for long term growth to be taken forward in the future Local Plan Review. This includes development work associated with future bids for major road projects. Sector Priorities and Specialisms To encourage proposals which support the visitor and tourist economy, including facilities for businesses, training and conference accommodation; To build on local sector specialisms such as food, agri-business and related sectors; To boost local entrepreneurship through particular support for initiatives and development proposals which include provision for start-up business, ‘moving on’ space; and To engage and respond to the land and accommodation requirements of local employers and businesses to retain and expand jobs in the district.

Employment Land Requirements and Balance of Supply

4.13 Outside the town centres, the main employment and commercial areas in the district total around 340 ha. The main established employment areas are listed in Section 13.

4.14 Core Policy 3 (CP3) in the Local Plan (Supporting Business Development and Growth) sets out a requirement for traditional business and employment space of 62ha (from 2006-29). The requirements are drawn from economic projections (at town level) and additional local market factors derived from business surveys. The adopted requirements are considered sufficiently robust for the purposes of this Plan and it is not proposed to update the town-based projections at this stage. Further evidence-base work on the local economy will be undertaken as part of a future Local Plan Review.

4.15 Policy CP3 provides a general indication of the quantum of business and employment land to be identified over the Plan period. The supply ‘balance’ also links to Policy DP20 which allows for redevelopment of land but seeks compensating employment provision where sites are lost to other uses.

4.16 Table 5 summarises the land allocated in this plan for employment sites of around 18 ha. Together with commercial space allocated at Saxonvale (Policy FR1), these will support the employment land requirements in Core Policy 3. The specific requirements and the form each development will take are described in the individual site allocation policies in the relevant settlement chapter.

Table 5 – Employment Allocation

4.17 Table 6 provides a summary of net changes in employment land taking into account the allocations made in this plan. It shows a limited level of surplus land in Frome, Shepton Mallet and Wells and deficits in Glastonbury and Street. However, other factors need to be taken into account in assessing these requirements.

• The requirements do not take account of the established employment stock;
• The loss of a single large site can quickly change the balance of surplus/deficit supply (as they are nearly all under 5ha);
• Gains in floorspace reflect a variety of uses coming forward on identified estates (such as hotels or retail) and therefore under-estimate provision specifically for traditional employment uses;
• There is no allowance for further reductions on employment land through housing redevelopment; and
• In practical terms, land is not available to satisfy business enquires coming to Mendip.

4.18 The Council have therefore sought to identify Future Employment Growth Areas to address its wider employment land objectives. This will be implemented though Policy DP25.

Table 6: Balance of Employment Land Supply v. Requirements in Policy CP3

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