Strategy for economic growth

SP4 - Strategy for economic growth This strategic policy is supporting Local Plan objectives 4, 7, and 8. SP4: Strategy for economic growth 1. This plan is required to allocate at least 219 hectares of employment land to 2045, based on the requirements set out in the Buckinghamshire Employment Land Review. After accounting for committed sites, a total of approximately 147 hectares of additional employment land is identified for allocation, as set out in the table below and directed to the locations shown on the Policies Map. Location Employment land allocation (ha) Net developable site area contributing to new supply (ha), excluding infrastructure Permissible uses within Class E and Classes B2 and B8 Expansion at strategic employment sites Westcott Venture Park expansion areas 268 65 Research & Development, Light Industrial, General industrial, Distribution and storage Aston Clinton North  2.4 2  General industrial, Distribution and storage New employment within/aligned with urban expansions and new settlements Winslow NESS 16 13 Offices, Research & Development, Light industrial, General industrial Buckingham NESS 1.7 1.7 Offices, Research & Development, Light industrial, General industrial Turweston NESS 2 1.6  Offices, Research & Development, Light industrial, General industrial Land at Greenway Business Park, Winslow 1 1  Light industrial, General industrial, Storage and distribution Land west of Greenway Business Park, Winslow 3.5 2.8 Light industrial, General industrial, Storage and distribution Tinkers End Garage, Winslow 3.6 3.6  Light industrial, General industrial, Storage and distribution Princes Estate expansion  4 3.2  Research & Development, Light industrial, General industrial, Storage and distribution Land north of Lower Icknield Way, Princes Risborough 12 9.6  Research & Development, Light industrial, General industrial, Storage and distribution Land at Rectory Farm, New Road, Weston Turville 2.3 1.9 General industrial, Storage and distribution Expansion of existing employment sites and new employment sites in accessible locations Bucks Goat Centre and Layby Farm 1 1 Light industrial Land adjacent to Triangle Business Park, Stoke Mandeville 2.9 2.3 Light industrial, General industrial Land off Drakes Drive, Long Crendon 29 7.7 Office, Light industrial, General industrial, Storage and distribution Gomm Valley, High Wycombe 1.2 1.2 Office, Research & Development, Light Industrial Land to the rear of Stokenchurch Business Park 2.6 2.6 Office, General industrial, Storage and distribution Intensification of Broadwater Park, Denham 2.5 2.5 Office, Research & Development Land at former Finmere Aerodrome 27 16 Research & Development, general industrial, storage and distribution Land to the rear of 1-87 Weston Road, Aston Clinton 4.5 3.6 Office, Research & Development, Light industrial Land between Osier Way and Natco spice factory, Buckingham 1 1 Office, general industrial, storage and distribution Garland Works, Desborough Avenue, High Wycombe 0.4 0.4 General industrial, storage and distribution Land at Hideaway Farm, Wendover Road, Stoke Mandeville 1 1 Light industrial Utilising town centres to support regeneration Gateway Offices, Aylesbury 0.1ha/1281sqm Office, Research and Development Hale Leys Shopping Centre, Aylesbury 0.5ha/4821sqm Office, Research and Development Exchange Street carpark, Aylesbury 0.2ha/2086sqm Office, Research and Development Central Business Centre, High Wycombe 0.42ha/4500sm Office, Research and Development, Light Industrial Desborough Square car park, High Wycombe 0.05ha/553sqm Office, Research and Development Duke Street, High Wycombe 0.03ha/560sqm Office, Research and Development Easton Street carpark, High Wycombe 0.01ha/196sqm Office George Street carpark, George Street 0.1ha/1000sqm Light industrial TOTAL Circa 147ha 2. An employment trajectory is set out in Appendix H demonstrating how this requirement will be delivered over the plan period for the proposed allocations and NESS sites. 3. Development proposals on non-allocated sites which provide strong evidence as to how they will help to further the five strategic priorities of Buckinghamshire’s Economic Growth Plan will be supported, providing they are in a sustainable and accessible location and do not undermine the delivery of allocated employment sites. 4. Development proposals that would provide additional floorspace associated with research and development uses will be strongly supported. 5. Development proposals for the refurbishment, reuse and/or extension of buildings and/or for the redevelopment of existing employment land for employment uses will be supported. 6. Employment development, particularly larger-scale industrial, warehousing and distribution development, should be located and designed to ensure safe and suitable access to the strategic and local transport network, provide appropriate opportunities for access by walking, cycling and public transport, and avoid or mitigate adverse impacts arising from HGV movements, traffic generation, air quality, noise and other environmental effects. No new employment development is allowed in areas of Flood Zone 3b. Supporting Economic Growth in Buckinghamshire 5.40 A strong, productive and resilient economy is fundamental to creating sustainable communities across Buckinghamshire. Economic prosperity supports higher living standards, creates opportunities for residents, enables investment in infrastructure and services, and supports healthier and more inclusive places. 5.41 Buckinghamshire has a nationally significant economy with strong links to London, the Thames Valley, Oxfordshire and the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor. The county benefits from a highly skilled workforce, strong entrepreneurial culture and internationally recognised innovation clusters. 5.42 However, productivity growth has weakened over the past fifteen years, and the county faces a range of challenges including insufficient modern employment premises, affordability pressures, skills shortages, transport constraints and increasing competition from neighbouring economic centres. 5.43 The Buckinghamshire Local Plan therefore has an important role in supporting sustainable economic growth by: a) planning positively for future employment needs. b) ensuring sufficient employment land is available in the right locations. c) supporting productivity growth in high value sectors. d) protecting and enhancing existing employment areas. e) improving access to jobs, skills and infrastructure. f) supporting regeneration and town centre renewal; and g) aligning homes, jobs and infrastructure growth. 5.44 This approach supports the National Planning Policy Framework requirement for local plans to set out a clear economic vision and strategy and aligns with Buckinghamshire’s Economic Growth Plan and the Government’s National Industrial Strategy priorities. Buckinghamshire’s Economic Context 5.45 Buckinghamshire has a £19.2 billion economy and is home to approximately 31,200 businesses, with small and medium enterprises forming the backbone of the local economy. 5.46 Buckinghamshire occupies a strategically important location within both the Oxford- Cambridge Growth Corridor and the wider Southeast economy. This provides opportunities to support nationally important growth sectors and strengthen links between innovation, infrastructure and housing delivery. 5.47 The Buckinghamshire Economic Growth Plan establishes a vision for productivity-led growth focused on: a) growing high value sectors. b) enhancing place and infrastructure. c) investing in people and skills. d) fostering innovation; and e) supporting partnerships and collaboration. 5.48 Buckinghamshire also has significant strengths in sectors aligned with the Government’s Industrial Strategy priorities, including advanced manufacturing, film and creative industries, space technologies, life sciences and digital industries. 5.49 Nationally significant economic assets include Pinewood Studios, Westcott Venture Park, Silverstone Park, Woodlands Enterprise Zone and Stoke Mandeville Hospital, alongside established business parks and industrial estates across the county. These locations support innovation, inward investment and highly skilled employment. 5.50 The Local Plan supports these growth sectors by ensuring employment land and infrastructure provision responds to evolving business needs and supports long-term productivity growth. Employment Land Review and Evidence Base 5.51 The Local Plan employment strategy is informed by an extensive evidence base including the Employment Land Review (ELR), Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA), Sustainability Appraisal and wider economic evidence. 5.52 The Employment Land Review assessed Buckinghamshire’s future employment needs to 2045 and considered five alternative growth scenarios. The preferred approach is based on the labour supply-led scenario, which aligns employment growth with planned housing growth and represents the most ambitious and flexible scenario for supporting Buckinghamshire’s long-term economic aspirations. 5.53 The ELR identifies an overall employment land requirement of approximately 219.4 hectares to 2045, comprising of 33.5 hectares for office, research and development uses and 185.8 hectares for industrial, warehousing and distribution uses. 5.54 Table below shows the implied Gross Land Requirements in Buckinghamshire, 2024 to 2045 (ha), with scenario 3 being the preferred option. Table 4: Implied Gross Land Requirements in Buckinghamshire, 2024 to 2045 (ha) Use class Scenario 1A: Labour Demand CE Scenario 1B: Labour Demand Experian Scenario 2A: Past Trends Monitoring Data Scenario 2B: Past Trends Commercial Data CoStar Scenario 3: Labour Supply Office/R&D R(g) (i)/(ii) 27.5 31.0 -18.9 11.8 33.5 Light Industrial E(g)(iii) -2.8 76.7 5.3 204.2 Industrial B2 -13.7 23.1 39.9 24.9 Distribution B8 51.9 80.3 73.3 87.0 Total 62.9 202.1 99.6 215.9 219.4 5.55 Once existing commitments are considered, the evidence identifies a requirement for approximately 100 hectares of additional employment land. 5.56 The ELR also identified: a) 37 Key Employment Areas across Buckinghamshire. b) demand for modern industrial, logistics and research space. c) continued pressures from office to residential permitted development. d) growing demand for flexible SME premises. e) increasing market interest in modern economy uses such as data centres; and f) the importance of maintaining a flexible portfolio of employment sites. 5.57 The evidence confirms that Buckinghamshire’s economy does not rely on a single employment location or sector. Instead, it is characterised by a network of strategic employment assets, town centres, business parks, rural enterprise locations and innovation clusters, each performing different but complementary roles. Overall Spatial Strategy for Economic Growth 5.58 The Local Plan spatial strategy seeks to direct employment growth towards Buckinghamshire’s most sustainable and economically advantageous locations. 5.59 Employment growth will primarily be focused in: a) Aylesbury. b) High Wycombe. c) Winslow. d) Westcott. e) Silverstone-related growth locations. f) Strategic business parks and enterprise zones; and g) Selected sustainable urban extensions and employment expansions. 5.60 The strategy focuses growth where it can support existing economic clusters, improve access to labour markets and infrastructure, align homes and jobs growth, reinforce strategic transport connections and support regeneration priorities. 5.61 This approach reflects Buckinghamshire’s role within England’s Economic Heartland and the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, where improved east-west connectivity and innovationled growth are expected to drive significant economic change. 5.62 The Local Plan also recognises the potential for future collaborative Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) arrangements across Buckinghamshire, West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire to help deliver shared economic growth ambitions. These areas share common objectives focused on increasing productivity, supporting high-value sectors and strengthening strategic connectivity across the corridor. 5.63 This is particularly relevant to the Silverstone cluster and wider growth corridor linking Northamptonshire, Milton Keynes, Winslow, Aylesbury and High Wycombe, where advanced manufacturing, digital, defence, clean energy and life sciences sectors are driving significant innovation and productivity growth. Improved connectivity, including East West Rail and strategic transport corridors, has the potential to unlock further growth and strengthen economic relationships between these locations. 5.64 The Local Plan supports improved connectivity between Buckinghamshire’s economic centres through: a) East West Rail. b) the A421 growth corridor. c) strategic road links including the M40 and M1. d) active travel infrastructure e) digital connectivity; and f) improved public transport access to employment locations. 5.65 Improved connectivity is critical to supporting productivity growth, reducing inequalities in access to jobs and enabling businesses to attract and retain workers. 5.66 The Council recognises that larger employment developments, particularly industrial, storage and distribution uses, can generate significant vehicle movements and environmental impacts if not carefully planned. Development proposals will be expected to demonstrate that they are well connected to the strategic road network and accessible by walking, cycling and public transport where appropriate. Transport assessments should consider the effects of HGV movements, road safety, congestion and impacts on local communities. Proposals should also demonstrate how potential effects on air quality, noise and amenity will be avoided, minimised or mitigated through site design, layout and operational measures. Protecting Existing Employment Areas and Supporting Innovation 5.67 The Local Plan supports the protection, renewal and intensification of Buckinghamshire’s key employment areas. 5.68 Existing business parks, industrial estates and strategic employment locations continue to make an important contribution to Buckinghamshire’s economy. However, some sites face pressures associated with ageing premises, limited expansion capacity, poor public transport access and pressure for alternative uses. 5.69 The Local Plan therefore seeks to: a) safeguard viable employment land. b) support regeneration and modernisation of employment sites. c) improve infrastructure and environmental quality. d) encourage intensification where appropriate; and e) support energy and digital upgrades. 5.70 Strategic employment locations including Westcott Venture Park, Silverstone Park, Pinewood and Woodlands Enterprise Zone will continue to be supported as nationally significant growth locations. 5.71 Buckinghamshire’s future growth will increasingly rely on innovation-led and knowledgeintensive sectors. The Local Plan therefore supports research and development space, flexible SME premises, specialist facilities, modern employment environments and supporting digital infrastructure. 5.72 This is particularly important for sectors such as space technologies, advanced manufacturing, film and life sciences where specialist land and infrastructure requirements differ from traditional employment uses. Supporting Town Centres and Managing Modern Economy Uses 5.73 The Local Plan supports regeneration and mixed-use renewal in Aylesbury, High Wycombe and other centres including Chesham, Marlow, Amersham and Buckingham. 5.74 This approach will help increase commercial activity, diversify town centre uses, support flexible workspace and encourage town centre living in accessible locations. 5.75 The Local Plan also recognises increasing demand for data centres and digital infrastructure. A criteria-based approach will ensure proposals are located appropriately, supported by sufficient energy and digital infrastructure capacity and do not adversely affect local communities or infrastructure. Employment and Housing Growth 5.76 The Local Plan seeks to align employment growth with planned housing delivery to support sustainable communities and reduce unsustainable commuting patterns. 5.77 The labour supply-led employment strategy reflects the scale of planned housing growth and seeks to ensure that residents have access to employment opportunities within Buckinghamshire. 5.78 In locations such as Aylesbury, Winslow and growth areas connected to East West Rail, employment provision will form an important part of creating balanced and sustainable communities. 5.79 The supply of employment land will be monitored regularly. Where delivery falls significantly below expected levels, the Council will consider the release of additional sites or review of allocations.