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CHAPTER 5: EMPLOYMENT AND BUSINESS (cont'd)
Extension to Woodbrook Industrial Park, Belton Road, Loughborough
Planning permission for employment development on land adjacent to the Woodbrook Industrial Park will be granted provided the following criteria are met:
i) access to the site and associated highway improvements are provided which:
- include improvements to the highway network to ensure that traffic movements on Bishop Meadow Road and Belton Road and their respective junctions are not adversely affected by the traffic generated by the development; and
- prevent vehicular access to the Industrial Estate Road network via Bottleacre Lane.
ii) an overall layout is provided which:
allows for the relocation of any recreational uses displaced;
safeguards the potential to access adjacent land located between the Woodbrook and mainline rail corridor;
retains existing trees and major hedgerows with supplementary landscape planting around the site margins abutting the Woodbrook and the Main Line Railway to screen and contain development;
provides safe access for pedestrians and cyclists into, and throughout the proposed development area linking with existing and planned routes in the vicinity of the site;
iii) it can be demonstrated that measures will be taken to maximise the potential for access to the site by walking, cycling and public transport.
A package of measures will be required as part of the implementation of the development which significantly reduces the use of private cars to and from the development. This will provide measures and facilities to encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport for occupiers jointly or separately.
In addition the Borough Council will seek to negotiate reasonably related contributions to address the following matters generated by the development:
a) implementation of bus priority measures and improved bus facilities along the A6 and penetrating the industrial area from Belton Road via Jubilee Drive;
b) construction of cycleways along Belton Road/Alan Moss Road and the Grand Union Canal.
(See also in particular Policy E/5)
5.53 The extension of the Woodbrook Industrial Park was recognised in the Loughborough Local Plan as the only opportunity then available for employment land expansion in the town. That Plan recognised the severe constraints (access, ownership, floodland) which would have to be overcome. In recognition of these continuing problems, the size of the allocation is reduced from 14ha to 6ha, representing a realistic judgement as to what might be developed in the Plan period. Any development permitted will safeguard the potential for access into the rest of the land in future.
5.54 The Borough of Charnwood will expect Commuter Plans to be submitted showing how traffic generation is to be reduced, especially for private cars. Measures such as reduced levels of car parking should be considered as part of such plans, and will be subject to a condition or planning obligation as appropriate.
Land at Dishley Grange, Hathern
Planning permission for employment development of land at Dishley Grange, Derby Road, Loughborough, will be granted provided the following criteria are met:
i) all highway improvements necessitated by the development are provided. As a minimum these will include:
- the construction of a new distributor standard road link between Bishop Meadow Road and the A6 north of Dishley Grange;
- the diversion and re-alignment of the A6 to provide a dual carriageway section of trunk road to the north-west of Dishley Grange to include a roundabout link to the new distributor road;
- improvements to the A6/Shepshed Road junction in Hathern;
- the improvement of the A6/Bishop Meadow Road roundabout junction;
ii) primary access to the site is taken from a roundabout on the new distributor road;
iii) a cycleway is constructed alongside the Blackbrook between the A6 and the Grand Union Canal and linking into employment areas;
iv) approximately 32 hectares of land are laid out for replacement and improved playing field provision including changing rooms and associated parking facilities. Provision shall include as a minimum:
- 3 cricket squares
- 4 football pitches
- 4 hockey pitches
v) the Loughborough New Football Club Project is retained or relocated on a site appropriate for the Club’s long term development requirements which involve the provision of a club house, floodlighting, enclosure of the pitch and training areas;
vi) substantial block planting and landscaping to a minimum depth of 20 metres is provided where necessary to separate conflicting land-uses, screen the development from important views and safeguard the setting of Dishley Grange;
vii) blocks of planting are provided within the recreation area to add visual interest to the site;
viii) buildings on the site are designed to a high standard in terms of their use of materials, colours, heights, massing and layout taking into account the edge of town location adjacent to the Loughborough/Hathern Green Wedge and the Soar Valley Area of Local Landscape Value;
ix) buildings in key positions, particularly along the primary site frontages to the new distributor road, Dishley Grange and the adjacent recreation land, will make minimal use of plastic coated steel in their facades in preference for more traditional materials. Large span steel clad buildings will be situated towards the centre of the allocation or suitably screened to avoid any unnecessary intrusion to the detriment of the surrounding area;
x) a positive and complementary relationship is achieved between the development and the adjoining recreation land and the Dishley Grange complex. Open storage, parking and service areas will not be appropriate in these locations;
xi) substantial landscaping is provided within the employment site to fragment the overall mass of the development;
xii) necessary measures are taken to provide appropriate compensatory washland or flood accommodation in any detailed scheme to be agreed with the local planning authority in consultation with the Environment Agency;
xiii) it can be demonstrated that measures will be taken to maximise the potential for access to the site by walking, cycling and public transport.
A package of measures will be required as part of the implementation of the development which significantly reduces the use of private cars to and from the development. This will provide measures and facilities to encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport for occupiers jointly or separately.
In addition the Borough Council will seek to negotiate reasonably related contributions to address the following matters generated by the development:
a) the creation of a landscaped public open space and wildlife park on 18ha of land north of the distributor road alongside the River Soar, with arrangements for proper maintenance to be agreed with the Borough Council on completion;
b) the establishment of a recreation/leisure/tourism/educational facility centred on Dishley Grange involving the conversion and re-use of the historic buildings on the site;
c) implementation of measures to improve bus access along the A6 and penetrating the industrial area from Belton Road via Belton Road West in the form of bus stops and information, bus priority measures and contributions to services as appropriate;
d) continuation of a cycle route from the site along the Blackbrook/Grand Union Canal corridors to link to housing areas in Loughborough for journeys to work.
(See also in particular Policies E/5, TR/4)
5.56 Responses generated by the Consultation Draft Local Plan reaffirmed the need for further employment land provision at Loughborough in order to enable the town to continue to prosper and attract new investment. In particular there is a need to foster new employment opportunities to replace those being lost in the heavy engineering sector and to provide opportunities for established businesses to expand or relocate within the town to remain competitive. This need has been heightened with the acknowledgement that significant physical constraints may well frustrate the development in full of Loughborough’s only remaining reserve of land for traditional employment development at Woodbrook Industrial Park (Policy E/5(b) applies).
5.57 Various physical and policy constraints bearing upon land around Loughborough limit severely the opportunities for appropriate employment land development. However evidence submitted to the Borough Council suggests that the extent of essential washland bordering the existing Bishop Meadow employment area may not be as extensive as that indicated on the Proposals Map. Consultations with the Environment Agency have to date proved inconclusive but the scope for some adjustment to the washland boundary is admitted subject to supporting evidence.
5.58 The Borough Council wishes to see the new distributor road re-routed to link with the existing industrial estate along a route south of Dishley Pool and via Messenger Close. Implementation of such a road will allow for the provision of an independent access road to solely serve the AstraZeneca site along the route previously safeguarded for the distributor road to the north of Dishley Pool. Consultations will continue with landowners and occupiers affected by these proposals. The design of highway improvements to serve the development will need to assess the potential impact of the development on the A6 further into Loughborough in consultation with the Highway Authorities.
5.59 To address traffic congestion on a more sustainable level measures are proposed in association with the development to make more attractive to commuters alternative transport options in the form of improved bus services, cycleways and footpaths both within and beyond the development area itself. The Borough Council will expect Commuter Plans to be submitted showing how traffic generation is to be reduced especially for private cars. Measures such as reduced levels of car parking should be considered as part of such plans, and will be subject to a condition or planning obligation as appropriate.
5.60 The allocation currently comprises areas of formal playing fields and agricultural land, the latter accommodating the annual Leicestershire Show over recent years. The landform is generally flat interspersed by field hedgerows containing relatively few trees of any stature. As a consequence the landscape is somewhat sensitive being open to view with minimal natural screening. Provided the development is limited to the area shown on the Proposals Map and extensively landscaped about its margins it is considered that any intrusion into the Soar Valley Area of Local Landscape Value can be effectively contained while the incursion of built development into the Green Wedge between Hathern and Loughborough is minimised preserving the separate identity of the village.
5.61 Replacement playing fields will be necessitated but their relocation within the Green Wedge, provided any related club houses, changing facilities and maintenance buildings are modest in scale and design, would not be inconsistent with Green Wedge policy. The existing golf driving range, rugby pitches and grounds occupied by the Loughborough New Football Club Project are excluded from the allocation but these areas might also be made available for development subject to the provision of suitable replacement facilities.
5.62 The displacement of the existing playing fields will inevitably result in the loss of an important amenity readily accessible to residents of the Dishley and Gorse Covert housing estates. By way of securing some compensation for this loss the Borough Council considers it reasonable to negotiate with developers and landowners the provision of some 18ha for improved public access and wildlife habitat creation.
5.63 In any development particular measures will be required to conserve and enhance the Dishley Grange Farm complex. In addition to the presence of an Ancient Monument and a collection of listed buildings the farm has important links with the 18th Century agricultural revolution having been the location for early experimentation by Robert Bakewell in the selective breeding of livestock. These associations warrant particular care both to preserve the historic context and to protect the potential for tourism and education. In respect of this last point the Borough Council will negotiate with the developer/landowner to exploit in association with the overall development the full potential of the Dishley Grange complex consistent with its historic and architectural value.
Granite Way, Mountsorrel
Planning permission for employment development of land off Granite Way, Mountsorrel will be granted provided the following criteria are met;
i) primary access to the employment area is taken from Granite Way. There shall be no access from Loughborough Road or Hawcliffe Road;
ii) safe access by foot and cycle is provided to the employment area from Leicester Road;
iii) access to the Showmans winter storage site to the rear of 251 Loughborough Road is taken some 60 metres from the roundabout junction of Granite Way and Loughborough Road;
iv) a new access to the Hawcliffe Road depot is provided from Granite Way;
v) a strongly landscaped buffer to a minimum depth of 15 metres and mounding some 3 metres in height with tree and shrub planting is provided between the main employment area and the gardens of Nos. 20A to 86 Hawcliffe Road;
vi) a strongly landscaped buffer of mounding varying between 3 metres and 5 metres in height combined with tree and shrub planting, to be designed as the edge between this part of Mountsorrel and the surrounding countryside, is provided between Granite Way and adjacent countryside;
vii) a high standard of materials, design and layout of buildings is provided on the western more elevated parts of the site;
viii) buildings on the south-eastern edge of the site adjacent to existing housing are domestic in scale, no more than 6 metres high at eaves level, and designed to strengthen the landscaped buffer between the employment area and adjoining gardens;
ix) development of land north of Granite Way demonstrates strong design, careful siting of buildings and use of materials, colours, walling and fencing appropriate to this key site on the entry to Mountsorrel, and provides a strong edge between the Soar Valley Nurseries and the development;
x) the layout of built development and design of mounding in the 50 metre corridor of the overhead transmission lines avoids interference with that equipment;
xi) strong landscaping is provided within the development to add interest and screen any open storage areas;
xii) the development of the site includes a range of plot sizes to include units for small and starter businesses;
xiii) development of the site north of Granite Way and adjoining Nos. 20A to 86 Hawcliffe Road is restricted to Class B1 uses. The reminder of the site is restricted to Class B1, B2 and B8 uses.
The Borough Council will seek to negotiate reasonably related contributions towards the implementation of measures to improve transport choice along the A6 corridor including cycleways, improved bus stops and information, bus priority measures and contributions to services as appropriate.
(See also in particular Policy E/5)
5.65 This site was originally allocated in the Soar Valley Local Plan. The detailed requirements of the policy safeguard residential amenity and seek to ensure this edge-of-village site is carefully integrated with the existing built form and the surrounding countryside.
Land at Rothley Lodge, East of the A6 Bypass, Rothley
Planning permission for employment development on land at Rothley Lodge east of the A6 Bypass, Rothley will be granted provided the following criteria are met:
i) necessary highway improvements are provided, to be assessed in detail with the local planning authority and the highway authority. Development will be phased to ensure completion of necessary improvements at an early stage;
ii) primary vehicular access is taken from the A6 Bypass junction adjacent to the site;
iii) a secondary vehicular access to the site is provided;
iv) substantial structural planting and landscaping to a minimum depth of 20 metres is provided to consolidate existing planting around the site. This will create a strong wooded edge to development incorporating features sympathetic to the landscape character of the Soar Valley Area of Local Landscape Value adjacent to the site;
v) the use of materials, colours, restrictions on the height of buildings, and a design and layout of development to minimise the adverse impact on the landscape character of the proposed Soar Valley Area of Local Landscape Value adjacent to the site. Given the prominence of the existing landform substantial remodelling of and associated landscape planting will be required within the site to screen and fragment the overall mass of development which would otherwise appear as intrusive in views obtained from the wider landscape;
vi) improved access for pedestrians and cyclists into and within the site is provided from the old A6 and adjoining housing areas across the hilltop junction;
vii) it can be demonstrated that measures will be taken to maximise the potential for access to the site by walking, cycling and public transport.
A package of measures will be required as part of the implementation of the development which significantly reduces the use of private cars to and from the development. This will provide measures and facilities to encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport for occupiers jointly or separately.
In addition the Borough Council will seek to negotiate reasonably related contributions to address the following matters generated by the development:
a) implementation of measures to improve access for buses, cyclists and pedestrians along the A6 corridor, to and from surrounding villages, in the form of bus stops and information, bus priority measures, contributions to services as appropriate, and safe cycle and pedestrian routes;
b) creation of landscaped public open space and a wildlife park in the area between the site and Sileby Mill alongside the River Soar. Arrangements will need to be agreed with the Borough Council on completion to secure public access and proper maintenance.
(See also in particular Policies EV/3, E/5)
5.67 The site satisfies the requirements for transport choice, can be satisfactorily accessed and offers the scope to contribute to significant local infrastructure improvements the precise nature of which will be the subject of further negotiations.
5.68 The gross site area extends to some 18ha (45 acres) occupying a prominent shoulder of land which projects eastwards into the Soar Valley. Substantial planting and associated landscaping measures will be required to screen development and help assimilate it into the wider landscape. A sensitive solution is called for and, notwithstanding the availability of some 5ha (13 acres) for structural planting, the achievement of an acceptable solution may impinge, to some degree, upon the net development area. Careful attention to the design and layout of buildings will assist in the achievement of an appropriate balance between development and the environment which respects the sensitivity of the site. The site may also have some archaeological significance and consequently development at Rothley Lodge will require an archaeological assessment and/or evaluation to be undertaken. In line with Policy EV/3 the intrinsic value of any remains likely to be affected by the development will determine whether they should be preserved in situ or arrangements made for their excavation and recording.
5.69 The development will be expected to provide necessary highway improvements at an early stage of development. These could include improvements to the Hill Top roundabout/A6 bypass junction at Rothley. In addition the potential impact of the development on the trunk road network and the need for improvements will be assessed in consultation with the Highway Authorities. Achievement of a flood-free link across the river valley particularly between villages east of the river valley and the A6 bypass remains a desirable objective but is not considered to be reasonably and directly related to this development.
5.70 Development of this site will be expected to help fund measures to significantly improve non-car access to the site along the A6 corridor and to and from the surrounding villages. Layout of the development will need to facilitate good access for buses, cyclists and pedestrians. In addition contributions will be sought towards the implementation of traffic calming measures along the former A6 through local villages and to the creation of amenity/wildlife areas in the river valley adjacent to the site. Arrangements will need to be agreed with the Borough Council for access and maintenance of these areas. The development should also help fund provision for improved public access and a wildlife park in the river valley next to the allocated site.
5.71 Given the site’s location adjacent to the grade separated A6 Bypass junction at Hilltop, Rothley there may be scope to accommodate roadside facilities to serve trunk road traffic movements as part of site development.
5.72 The Borough Council will expect Commuter Plans to be submitted showing how traffic generation is to be reduced, especially private cars from this site located next to the A6 bypass. Measures such as reduced levels of car parking should be considered as part of such plans, and will be subject to a condition or planning obligation as appropriate.
Land North of Harrowgate Drive, and West of A6, Wanlip
Planning permission for the development of a high quality business park will be granted on land north of Harrowgate Drive, Wanlip and west of the A6, provided the following criteria are met;
i) access to the site is taken from the new local distributor road proposed as part of the adjacent residential development. There shall be no direct access to the A6, nor any vehicular access through the proposed housing development to the business park;
ii) pedestrian and cycle links are created between the proposed housing areas and the business park linking into existing and proposed footpaths and cycleways nearby;
iii) the development is restricted to business (Class B1) and general industrial (Class B2) uses and which would not detract from the special visual character of the development or be damaging to the amenity of adjoining uses;
iv) a comprehensively landscaped development is achieved with buildings designed to a high standard in terms of their use of materials, colours, heights, massing and layout, taking into account the proximity of proposed residential development, the visual impact on the skyline and the immediate and longer distance views of the site;
v) buildings in key positions, particularly along the primary site frontages to the new distributor road are restricted to B1 uses. Buildings in these locations will be expected to make minimal use of plastic coated steel in their facades in preference for more traditional materials. There should be a positive and complementary relationship between the Business Park and adjoining residential areas proposed to the south. Open storage, parking and service areas will not be appropriate in these locations;
vi) substantial within site landscaping is provided to consolidate existing planting and to fragment the overall mass of development;
vii) block planting and landscaping to a minimum depth of 20 metres is provided where necessary to separate conflicting land-uses and screen the development from important views. Additional planting to consolidate existing planting around Ryclose Spinney and north of Longslade Community College should also be provided to help screen the development from long range views from the Soar Valley;
viii) in association with the adjacent housing development:
a) the provision of a new local distributor road penetrating the site from the A6 to provide the main means of access to the development;
b) the provision of off-site highway improvements necessitated by the development and carriageway and junction improvements to deliver genuine transport choice opportunities for movement between the development and Leicester. As a minimum these will include:
- improvements to the Leicester Western Bypass, Greengate Lane and Redhill Circle junctions;
- carriageway improvements along the A6 to secure dedicated bus lanes southbound and northbound from the site to Redhill Circle;
- contributions to improved bus facilities along the A6 to include bus shelters, signage, and service information;
- traffic management measures on side roads linking to the A6;
c) the provision of a Park and Ride facility on land to the east of the A6 corridor involving the laying out, surfacing, landscaping and lighting of this facility along with the provision of waiting shelters;
d) the provision of sports fields and other recreational facilities to include at least two football pitches and a cricket square and a community sports hall to incorporate a sports hall, squash courts, general activity rooms along with catering or alternative provision to meet the emerging needs of the new community;
ix) it can be demonstrated that measures will be taken to maximise the potential for access to the site by walking, cycling and public transport.
A package of measures will be required as part of the implementation of the development which significantly reduces the use of private cars to and from the development. This will provide measures and facilities to encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport for occupiers jointly or separately.
In addition the Borough Council will seek to negotiate reasonably related contributions to address the following matters generated by the development:
a) the construction of a cycleway along the Great Central Railway from the Leicester Western Bypass to Hensons Close;
b) the provision of a rail halt on the Great Central Railway to serve the development;
c) the establishment of commercially viable public transport services penetrating the site to a level and frequency that ensures the delivery of genuine transport choice.
(See also in particular Policies E/5, TR/13, TR/22, TR/29, CA/10, CF/8)
5.74 This 4ha allocation comprises one component of a comprehensive package of development incorporating elements of housing, community facilities, recreation provision, roadside services and transport infrastructure on land north of Harrowgate Drive, Birstall, within the parish of Wanlip. The various elements of the scheme are addressed under the relevant sections of this Local Plan, but all come together to fund and deliver the overall package based broadly upon a proposition put forward in response to the Consultation Draft Local Plan by the developer/landowner partnership concerned. Accordingly the quantum of requirements and obligations attached to the allocation must be read in association with the related proposals set out in this Plan. In negotiating the details of the contributions required from the various components of the overall development the Borough Council will have regard to the scale, nature and consequent impact of each element to ensure that they remain reasonable and related.
5.75 The landowner has signalled an intention to sponsor a high quality development in which the residential component is founded upon the principles embodied in the garden suburb movement. Such a commitment is to be encouraged and the Borough Council is anxious to ensure that the employment area complements the overall design approach.
5.76 The allocation occupies a shoulder of land close to the skyline which appears prominent in views particularly from the A6, and in distant views from various vantage points to the east and west. In view of these considerations a sensitive design solution is called for which will be best delivered through the promotion of a prestigious business park development with high quality buildings set within an extensively landscaped area. For this reason Class B8 warehousing uses which normally require large utilitarian structures for storage and distribution purposes will not be appropriate.
5.77 Specific measures will be pursued to encourage bus penetration of the site and to facilitate easy access on foot or by cycle in an attempt to stem the growth in private car traffic. The allocation is furthermore ideally located strategically being adjacent to the A6 bus corridor and therefore easily accessible by that mode to the large volume of people residing along that route from Loughborough to Leicester. The Borough Council will expect Commuter Plans to be submitted showing how traffic generation is to be reduced. Measures such as reduced levels of car parking should be considered as part of such plans, and will be subject to a condition or planning obligation as appropriate.
Implementation of the Employment Land Allocations
5.78 Development briefs will be prepared to provide detailed guidance for the development of each site and to specify the distribution and balance of land uses, any restrictions on particular uses, as well as specifications for buildings construction and finish, site layout and landscaping. In the preparation of briefs the Council will have particular regard to the provisions of related policies set out in this Plan.
5.79 The briefs will usually be prepared by the local planning authority in consultation with prospective developments and will be intended to be attached to and form part of any planning permission. Planning permission will not normally be granted until the submission and agreement of a satisfactory planning solution in which a developer proposes to comply with any requirements set out in the site specific policies for each site, and any other material considerations.
5.80 The exact nature and extent of contribution from individual developments to improved transport choice, local highway and other infrastructure, and related community benefits will be a matter for negotiation between landowners/developers and the local planning authority, having regard to current government guidance on planning obligations. In order to help reduce car dependency for journeys to work developers will be required to plan for alternative travel modes such as walking, cycling and public transport in the development of the allocated employment sites. In the case of proposals likely to result in significant traffic generation the Council will expect applications to be accompanied by a Commuter Plan setting out targets and measures to reduce private car use.
5.81 Provision of open space and landscaped areas will need to accord with areas shown on the Proposals Map. Such provision will need to be accompanied by arrangements agreed with the Borough Council for their long term management and maintenance. This will usually be through the transfer of land to the Borough Council. For small areas of open space or landscaping principally for the benefit of the development itself, the payment of a commuted sum for future maintenance may be sought.
5.82 Where provision of any requirement is not achievable by conditions the Borough Council will require the signing of a legal agreement with the landowner, developer and any other body as appropriate to secure provision as part of a phased and comprehensive development.
5.83 The timing of development will be governed by the availability of infrastructure required to enable development to proceed.
Future Use of the Dishley Grange Farmstead
Planning permission will be granted for the establishment of a recreation/leisure/tourism/education facility utilising land and buildings at Dishley Grange farmstead, Hathern provided it is demonstrated that the facility:
i) is focused on the important archaeological and historic character derived from the ancient monument, listed buildings and water meadows at the farmstead together with their landscape setting. These features must be safeguarded, incorporated into and enhanced by any proposals. Particular attention will need to be given to the accommodation of archaeological remains worthy of preservation in situ without unacceptable harm; and
ii) secures a public resource for the benefit of the wider community with levels of use compatible with the long term preservation of the archaeological and historic character; and
iii) is of a design, scale, character and form which creates a positive and attractive gateway feature at the northern entry along the A6 into Loughborough; and
iv) respects the environmental and amenity value of the Loughborough/Hathern green wedge to which this site makes an important contribution.
5.85 Treatment of the retained farmstead as a separate entity is the best way to safeguard its special interest in the long term. The farmstead occupies a sensitive location within the Loughborough/Hathern green wedge on the approach into Loughborough from the north along the A6. A carefully controlled and well designed scheme incorporating the historic/ archaeological features and their settings and compatible with environmental protection policies is the best means of safeguarding the special interest for the community in the long term. It will also enable the creation of a high quality and unique entry into Loughborough.
5.86 Dishley Grange Farmstead is a site of important archaeological interest and any development should allow for the investigation of remains and possible preservation in situ if significant remains are identified in accordance with Policy EV/2. In considering applications for development which could affect these archaeological interests, the Borough Council will liaise with English Heritage and Leicestershire Museum Arts and Records Services.
Control of Employment Uses in Primarily Employment Areas
In determining planning applications within the Primarily Employment Areas and employment land allocations for business, industry and warehousing development, as defined by Part B of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, the Council will take into account, amongst other matters, the following criteria:
i) the environmental impact of the proposed development, including visual need to minimise the adverse intrusion in sensitive landscapes;
ii) planning permission will be granted for business and industrial uses (Classes B1 and B2) provided that in locations adjacent to existing or proposed residential areas residential amenities can be protected by appropriate measures;
iii) permission will be granted for storage and distribution industries (Class B8) unless it is shown there will be seriously detrimental effects in terms of:
a) a significantly lower level of job creation compared with Class B1 or B2 uses in areas of limited employment land supply and higher levels of unemployment;
b) an unacceptable impact upon local traffic movements, particularly the intrusive effect of heavy goods traffic;
c) inadequate provision of parking, manoeuvring, and servicing spaces in an off-road location.
5.88 The Primarily Employment Areas comprise the main employment areas in the plan area where business, industry and warehousing will remain the dominant activities. They will be extended and supplemented by the additional allocations set out above.
5.89 In all new employment development the Council is anxious to encourage compatible patterns of land use to safeguard neighbouring amenities and environmental quality and to ensure an adequate range of employment opportunities in areas of need.
5.90 Where employment areas adjoin residential areas it may be necessary to impose conditions limiting the use of the premises, restricting hours of operation or defining permissible noise levels.
5.91 Existing and proposed employment areas in the Borough will provide for the diverse needs of employees and investors. The mix of uses achieved in any site will reflect the location, environmental qualities, market demand and accessibility. Within this general guidance the Borough Council wishes to provide for a variety of activities, including:
i) large companies likely to broaden the employment base of the local economy especially in sectors such as high technology, professional and financial services; and
ii) provision for small businesses, including start-up accommodation, serving areas of high unemployment in the form of small units/workshops on proposed industrial sites and conversion of buildings where this is appropriate.
Provision for Small Businesses
5.92 In considering applications for new employment uses within the Primarily Employment Areas identified in Policy E/7 and within the new land allocations proposed in Policy E/5 the Council will negotiate the provision of premises suitable for the needs of small businesses where it can be demonstrated that such needs exist and are not currently being met in the locality.
5.93 PPG4 states that planning authorities should ensure that their development plans contain positive policies to provide for the needs of small businesses.
5.94 There is an improving market for offices with the demand for office space concentrated in Loughborough Town Centre. There are also more recent demands for office space to service industry in locations with good access, parking and preferably a location with an attractive environmental setting. These demands are focused in Loughborough, although there is some interest in locations in the Soar Valley and nearer Leicester in the south of the Borough.
5.95 Present demand as expressed in the form of enquiries to the Borough Council indicates continuing interest in office accommodation particularly for areas between 100m_ and 200m_. There is also an interest in much larger sites including over 3,700m_.
5.96 The level of provision available has increased recently. In Loughborough development of a site between Woodgate/Southfields Road in the Town Centre has provided about 3,250m_ of purpose built office suites.
5.97 The proposed town centre opportunity sites in Loughborough will provide excellent opportunities for new office development most likely as part of mixed developments. New provision will in part compensate for existing office space on parts of the sites. Other opportunities may arise through the conversion of existing buildings such as houses and obsolete factory buildings at the fringes of the town centre, and the use of upper storeys over shops.
5.98 Matters relating to offices providing a service to the general public (primarily Class A2 uses) within or close to shopping areas are dealt with in the ‘Central Areas and Shopping’ chapter.
Safeguarding Employment Land and Buildings
Planning permission for development for uses other than those falling with Part B (business, industrial and warehousing) of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, (as amended) of land and buildings situated within primarily employment areas, will not be granted unless:-
i) the removal of the employment use would enable the achievement of significant environmental improvements in local residential amenity by virtue of the removal of heavy traffic movements, indiscriminate street parking and/or sources of noise, fumes, dust, vibration or other nuisance; or
ii) the alternative use would secure specific benefits to the advantage of the local community which would also serve planning function and could not be achieved by other means; or
iii) the land and buildings are unfit for employment purposes; or
iv) the alternative use is small scale, complementary and ancillary to the main employment use; or
v) the alternative development could not be suitably accommodated within a town centre location or a residential area by reason of its trading profile, overall appearance or need for buildings of industrial scale and character, and is not a shop falling within Class A1 of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes Order) 1987 (as amended); or
vi) the alternative use is otherwise acceptable in planning terms and would be essential to enable the relocation or expansion elsewhere in the area of the current activity for which the site or premises have become unsuitable.
And provided the loss of the employment use would not result in a shortage in employment land and buildings either in the short term or over the plan period, nor result in any underprovision to the disadvantage of the local community or across the Borough as a whole.
5.100 The retention of existing employment areas will ensure the provision of a ready supply of land and buildings for the new businesses and enterprises needed to create jobs and facilitate growth in the local economy and reduce the need to make further greenfield allocations outside the urban areas.
5.101 Those areas designated as being primarily employment areas are particularly well placed to provide for modern business needs with a range of land and buildings appropriate to contemporary requirements, usually with the benefit of good estate roads and immediate access to the specified road network. It is particularly important that these areas should be safeguarded from speculative housing or retail development.
5.102 Also identified as falling within Primarily Employment Areas are many industrial businesses which continue to operate from older premises including nineteenth century mill buildings historically associated with areas of terraced housing and village communities. In total these businesses employ significant numbers and often provide a local source of work easily accessible to people without independent means of transport.
5.103 While most such businesses continue without injury to neighbouring residential amenities a limited number do give rise to local problems. In these circumstances the interests of the business and the local community may be best served by the encouragement of its relocation and the redevelopment of the site for more appropriate uses. Such sites may usefully contribute to windfall housing opportunities.
5.104 In the case of older premises it is to be expected that many will have outlived their natural usefulness and will be incapable of conversion to meet modern business needs. In these instances, too, alternative development may offer the only practical use for the site. The policy also recognises that a situation may arise where redevelopment for alternative use is the only way of financing relocation or expansion.
5.105 Finally there will always be a demand for a range of uses which, although not falling within the generic group of Part B uses as defined by the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, have a need for and benefit from an industrial estate type of location often with the additional advantage of a prominent frontage to and excellent access from the principal road network. Typically such businesses often require industrial style buildings and commonly relate to leisure and entertainment uses or the motor trade.
5.106 However in all cases the development of employment land for alternative purposes will be the exception and will normally be permitted only where there exists an adequate supply of employment land to meet overall strategic requirements in accordance with a pattern of distribution which ensures for all communities within the Borough convenient access to employment opportunities.
Sales Areas for Cars, Caravans and Other Vehicles
Planning permission will be granted for development involving sales areas or showrooms for cars, caravans and other vehicles within primarily employment areas provided the development would not result in a shortage of employment land and buildings either in the short term or over the plan period, nor result in any underprovision to the disadvantage of the local community or across the Borough as a whole.
In those circumstances where the use of the premises for unrestricted shop purposes, as defined under Class A1 of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, would be unacceptable, conditions will be attached to any consent removing permitted development rights.
5.108 Development involving the sale of cars, caravans and other vehicles is specifically excluded from Loughborough’s Core Retail Area and will not normally be appropriate within primarily residential areas where their appearance in the streetscene, associated traffic generation and related disturbance would be detrimental to visual and residential amenities. Over recent years there has been a trend for such businesses to relocate from congested town centre and edge of centre sites to more spacious accommodation in industrial areas, primarily in locations benefiting from prime frontage to the primary road network. This shift in distribution has brought distinct advantages to central areas in the form of new development opportunities which can provide townscape improvements, scope for the expansion of shopping and new jobs, primarily within the office sector. These advantages have balanced the loss of land allocated for employment purposes.
5.109 The provision of such businesses in employment areas has been achieved to date without serious injury to employment land supply and further such development is likely to be acceptable provided adequate employment land remains to meet strategic requirements in locations accessible to the local labour needs.
5.110 Where the normally permissive change of use to a general shop use (Class A1) would be unacceptable by virtue of inappropriate provision for access or car parking, unsuitable environmental impact, or detrimental effect upon the vitality and viability of a neighbouring shopping centre, conditions will be imposed to more strictly control the nature of sales permitted.
Regeneration Opportunity Site –
Land Between Burder Street and Midland Main Line, Loughborough
Planning permission will be granted for the comprehensive redevelopment of the Regeneration Opportunity Site lying between Burder Street and the Midland Main Line at Loughborough provided that the development of the site would:
i) avoid piecemeal development prejudicial to the achievement of a comprehensive scheme for the whole site;
ii) safeguard the residential amenities of the residents of Burder Street;
iii) allow for improved access and servicing for Loughborough Station in particular for public transport, cyclists and pedestrians;
iv) allow for the provision of a bus/rail interchange;
v) secure the provision of a link road from Nottingham Road to Meadow Lane on the general route indicated on the Proposals Map with the details to be approved through development control process;
vi) secure a significant environmental improvement at this important entrance to the town;
vii) protect any operational use required in association with the operation of the railway;
viii) provide for satisfactory access to the local road network.
(See also in particular Policies E/11, TR/9)
5.112 This is a key site in the town. It is the focus of the Council’s successful bid for Challenge Funding under the Single Regeneration Budget. In economic terms it offers the opportunity for job creation by the attraction of a range of land uses. In environmental terms its development will transform a major entrance to the town and enable the removal of the through traffic from the residential Ratcliffe Road. In social terms it will aid the regeneration of an area of the town with very high unemployment. It can also provide the opportunity for improved transport links, encourage use of the railway and provide a better interchange between different transport modes.
Acceptable Uses for Proposed Regeneration Opportunity Site
Planning permission will be granted for the comprehensive redevelopment of the Regeneration Opportunity site lying between Burder Street and the Midland Main Line Loughborough for the following uses:
i) Employment (Classes B1, B2 and B8);
ii) Dwelling houses (Class C3);
iii) Hotels (Class C1);
iv) Non-residential institutions (Class D1);
v) Assembly and Leisure (Class D2);
vi) Transport related uses; and
vii) Recreation
(See also in particular Policies E/10, TR/11)
5.114 The Borough Council is anxious to encourage the early and successful redevelopment of the Opportunity Site in accord with the other policies set out in this Plan. There is a particular concern that any redevelopment should not undermine the strategy for the growth and expansion of the town centre but subject to that consideration the Council will be prepared to adopt a flexible approach to the range of uses within the site in order to deliver the overall package of environmental and economic improvements.
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