8.1 The plan area was, until the expansion of housing in the 1960s, a mainly agricultural community. The number of people employed in agriculture has dropped with changes in farming practices and, at the start of this plan period, the majority of the working population of Yetminster and Ryme Intrinseca were employed outside the area, in the main commuting towns of Yeovil, Sherborne and Dorchester. The biggest employer is the ABP abattoir (between Yetminster and Hamlet) with about 300 staff, many of whom live outside the plan area. This provides support for local farmers and offers apprentice training in both management and abattoir fields. Other local employment includes:
8.2 Whilst businesses come and go, the above list shows the importance of having premises available for opportunities to flourish. In order to retain a vibrant community it is desirable to support and encourage local businesses. Evidence for this has been derived from surveys during the preparation of the Parish Plan and this Neighbourhood Plan as well as from discussion groups and one-to-one discussions. Encouraging local food production is seen as highly desirable as evidenced by the success of a recently established delicatessen selling some local produce.
8.3 While there is little unemployment in Yetminster and Ryme Intrinseca, encouraging businesses and self-employment is important to ensure the local economy remains buoyant and to give opportunities for people to work locally rather than commute to the nearby towns. This will help the area move towards a low carbon economy with fewer car journeys, reducing associated road safety issues.
8.4 The biggest obstacle to business growth is the lack of suitable premises. Currently there are few areas available for new or expanding businesses whether it is office space or small industrial or storage units. Based on discussions with local business owners, possible areas to consider might include land to the north of Frylake Meadow (which has good road access and parking and is reasonably close to the village centre), unused (or underused) land and buildings at Station Yard and the former pig farm buildings running north along the railway line, and redundant farm buildings in the wider area (though none were submitted for consideration during the call for sites). There may also be opportunities within the smaller settlement of Ryme Intrinseca, but this would be at a much smaller scale given the size of that community. Any such development will need to have regard to the historic environment, biodiversity, flood risk, highways etc.
8.5 In view of current uncertainty about the needs of business enterprises during the plan period, no land allocations are made in this plan, but support will be given to appropriate proposals in order to maintain a vibrant and sustainable community.
Business Services & Economy Objective To support existing businesses, expand local employment opportunities and maintain the area as a working community. |
Policy BS1: Sustainable Growth of Businesses Development of land or premises for small-scale economic enterprises (of a size appropriate to the rural nature of the area and settlement size) will be supported. Employment development will generally be supported within or adjoining Yetminster or Ryme Intrinseca, through the intensification or extension of existing premises, as part of a farm diversification scheme, through the re-use or replacement of an existing building, or in a rural location where this is essential for that type of business. Where practical, developments should seek to provide flexible and accessible space that would allow future subdivision or expansion without the need for re-building. All new employment development should respect the characterof its surroundings by way of its scale, massing, design and landscaping. It should avoid harming the intrinsic qualities of the surrounding area by including appropriate mitigation against excessive noise, light pollution and similar problems, and safeguard residential amenity and road safety. Sites that are particularly sensitive due to their heritage, biodiversity of landscape contribution should be avoided. |
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