Chapter 4

INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE

INTRODUCTION

A4.1. This chapter relates to industrial and commercial uses, principally in the context of the 'B' classes of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended by the (Use Classes) Order 1995), viz:

When the terms industry and commerce are used within this chapter they refer to all these 'B' class employment uses. Other employment-related development, such as financial and professional service offices, retailing, tourism, recreation and agriculture are referred to in the appropriate chapters in the Plan.

A4.2. The plan objectives are to provide for the well-being and increasing prosperity of the local economy and to ensure the availability of sufficient employment land to enable the potential needs of the labour force to be met within the Borough. It is anticipated that these can be achieved by building upon the strengths of the Borough - its increasingly diverse economic base, accessibility and land availability. Policies are put forward, therefore, to provide for the needs of a variety of firms, both existing and new, by ensuring that a wide choice of land and premises in terms of size and location with adequate infrastructure is available.

A4.3. 160 hectares of employment land is required in the urban area of Wellingborough for the period between 1996 and 2016. In accordance with the County Structure Plan, this figure includes provision for clusters or networks of knowledge driven companies. In determining the amount of new employment land required, account has been taken of implemented planning permissions, outstanding consents and land still available on the existing industrial estates. (See Fig 4.1 below).

• Note 1: The above figures include a planning permission covering some 40.9 hectares and granted to Whitworth's. 10.4 hectares of this land is located within the floodplain of the River Nene. This area has not been allocated for development and therefore if the permission is not implemented, this figure will be added to the area allocated for employment use in Wellingborough East between Finedon Road and the railway. The remaining 30.5 hectares of this permission continues to be allocated under Policy U15.
• Note 2: The area of site U13 includes 8.82 hectares which currently has planning permission for development.

Paragraphs 4.4 to 4.9 inclusive and Policy E1 of the 1999 adopted Local Plan remain unchanged by the Alteration.

New Employment Areas

A4.10. In total, allocations for new employment areas comprise 122.4 hectares. One of the sites listed in Fig. 4.1, Wellingborough East, land north of the A45, has been granted planning consent for industrial development (30.5 hectares). To meet the Structure Plan requirement, four further sites are allocated for new industrial development. An area of 39.3 hectares is included in policy area U17, the central portion of Wellingborough East. To ensure that this central portion of Wellingborough East evolves as a vibrant mixed use area, small scale businesses, workshops and live-work facilities must be interspersed with housing and other uses. Some provision should also be made for dedicated employment areas and business parks to provide for uses which would be inappropriate in very close proximity to housing and encourage businesses that will benefit from clustering. Development of this site will be dependent upon construction of satisfactory means of access both from the North and South and also links into the town to the West. There is also an allocation of 31.0 hectares solely for rail related development at Neilson's Sidings (U18) plus 10.0 hectares of land North of Finedon Road to be used either in connection with development at Neilson's Sidings or as general employment land in its own right (U19). The remaining site lies to the north east of the Finedon Road Industrial Estate; it has an area of 11.6 hectares and is provided for under Policy U13. Parts of site U13 already have planning permission for development.

Paragraphs 4.11 to 4.28 inclusive and the related Policies (E2 to E11 inclusive) of the 1999 adopted Local Plan remain unchanged by the Alteration.

Policy E12 and paragraphs 4.29 and 4.30 remain unchanged in relation to the rural area and, in relation to the town, are amended as follows:

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

A4.29. General amenity considerations are covered in Policy G1, with which all proposals should comply. Other Policies of particular relevance are T5 and T8. In addition, to ensure that proposals involving industrial and commercial development are properly planned and designed, Policy UE1 is introduced. The Borough Council will expect a high quality of design, particularly in prominent locations. Buildings should not be visually intrusive and therefore reflective roofing material should be avoided; this can be visible over a wide area, particularly in rural locations. Similarly the use of floodlighting should be kept to a minimum.

A4.30. Attention is also drawn to landscaping requirements as referred to in Chapter 2, Policy G22. Landscaping will be particularly required where the development abuts the open countryside, between units, to safeguard space between buildings, where buildings and sites require screening from public view and in the sub-division of large parking areas. For the purpose of guidance, a minimum 10% of the site area should be given over to landscaping, although a lesser amount may be appropriate on parts of industrial estates where substantial landscaped areas are excluded from development.

A4.31. Where developments will have significant transport implications, Transport Assessments should be prepared and submitted with the planning application. The coverage and detail of the Transport Assessment should reflect the scale of the development and the extent of the transport implications of the proposal. Where appropriate, a Travel Plan should be included. These plans seek to deliver sustainable transport objectives and will be particularly relevant in areas where there are existing local traffic problems. Further advice is available in PPG 13 -Transport.

A4.32. Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 requires Local Authorities to exercise all their functions with due regard to crime and disorder reduction. Local Planning Authorities can refuse applications where on the advice of the police they have significant concerns about the implications of a proposal on community safety. In order to show that such issues are properly taken into account applicants are strongly advised to obtain 'Secured By Design Certificates' from the police to accompany planning applications. This will be taken as sufficient evidence that adequate measures have been included within the design.

A4.33. Energy and resource efficiency will make economic benefits to many businesses, as well as bring overall environmental benefits and are likely to be of increasing importance. Sustainable Drainage Systems, such as detention ponds, grass swales and porous surfaces to minimise surface water run off should be used wherever possible.

A4.34. It is recognised that not all of the criteria in Policy UE1 will be applicable in respect of every proposal. In addition, some of the objectives in the policy could be seen to conflict with each other in certain circumstances. In determining applications the Borough Council will therefore seek to ensure that an overall balance is achieved. Further guidance on the design and layout of development is available in Supplementary Planning Guidance.

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