Major Investment Sites

Policy Justification 2.9.2 South Warwickshire has a diverse economy with many thriving employment and research clusters covering a variety of sectors which include national and international businesses. When considered spatially, these clusters cover a core area across the centre of South Warwickshire connected by the A46 and the central section of the M40. The South Warwickshire Economic Strategy identifies a Core Opportunity Area as a way of attracting inward investment into South Warwickshire, encouraging businesses to co- locate in this area and take advantage of economies of scale 2.9.3 The Core Opportunity Area will build on existing employment hubs, harness the potential offered by co-locating businesses and research facilities and support the strategy for attracting significant inward investment to the area. This will be against the backdrop of national planning policies, most notably those relating to the Green Belt, and subject to compliance with other relevant policies in the SWLP . The Council’s will continue to seek to promote improvements to the transport network and ensure that any schemes coming forward within the Core Opportunity Area provide adequate improvements to transport, particularly active travel initiatives. Policy DS.10 Major Investment Sites In accordance with DS.3, the following Major Investment Sites as identified on the Policies Map, will be safeguarded for future employment, research and investment. Additional employment land is being provided at certain Major Investment Sites in accordance with Policy DS.5. A. Gaydon (Proposal MIS.A) • The existing Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin Lagonda employment sites to the southwest of the B4100 at Gaydon will be safeguarded for automobile research and manufacturing uses. • 124.5ha of additional land will be safeguarded for automotive related employment uses adjacent to the existing JLR site at Gaydon • 7.5ha of additional land to the west of the B4100 adjacent to the existing AML site will be safeguarded for automobile research and manufacturing. • Development of the MIS should be in accordance with Proposal GAY. • Consideration will be given to the preparation of a Local Development Order (LDO) for the site to provide certainty to both the businesses and residents regarding future investment. B. Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre (Proposal MIS.B) The Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre will be safeguarded for rail-based and rail- related employment, research and investment including supply chain uses, as the UK’s only looped standard gauge test-track. The operational rail connection to the national rail network will also be safeguarded.