PPS4: Planning for Sustainable Economic Growth

This document was published in December 2009 and is material to the extent that it is likely to alter the extent to which RDC can rely on redeveloping its existing employment sites for alternate uses as set out in the SCS. In this context making the most efficient and effective use of sites within the Green Belt is important and justifies the need to plan flexibly by allowing scope for additional housing on identified Green Belt sites.

The Government's objectives are for sustainable economic growth (paragraph 9). The bullet points at paragraph 10 then explain that reducing the need to travel by car is a component of this objective. The policy encourages economic growth and redevelopment of town centre uses providing these are within existing centres. The advice of what constitutes an appropriate town centre use is given at paragraph 7 of this PPS. Whilst I note that the current Submission Core Strategy envisages a significant amount of residential development as part of the regeneration initiatives for Eldon Way Industrial Estate adjacent to Hockley Town Centre, the publication of this PPS means that the reliance on this as a source of housing land is not sound.

Policy EC2 of PPS4 provides direct policy advice on planning for sustainable economic growth. Criterion a) seeks a positive approach through identifying priority areas where there is deprivation and where regeneration is urgently required. This is not the case with the Eldon Way Industrial area. Criterion b) seeks support for existing business sectors and planning for their expansion and contraction. Eldon Way Industrial area is well used with nearly all of the 50 plus units in occupation. A strategy for their removal would be at odds with PPS4. In the case of Eldon Way Industrial area, the existing sustainable location next to the railway station makes it a highly suitable employment site where retained employment uses should continue. Criterion i) only encourages alternative uses if it is on vacant or derelict buildings. This is not the case at the Eldon Way site, Rawreth Lane or part of the Star Lane estate at Great Wakering.

Policy EC3 sets out a series of policy statements about how centres should be planned. This policy is controlled by paragraph 7 of PPS4. In this context it is clear that significant introductions of residential uses into a town centre are not supported by Government. Indeed this town centre policy also applies to extensions to town centres (EC3.1(bii)), paragraph 7 also controls the type of uses that would form an extension to town centres. The Council's strategy for the Eldon Way Industrial Estate adjacent to Hockley Town Centre, requires further testing.

Eldon Way/Foundry Estate page 61: This is known as the Hockley Trading Estate and contains over 50 units most of which are occupied. The Hockley Area Action Plan Issues and Options Paper consults on options of between 114 dwellings and 209 dwellings.

The appellant has lodged objections to the Submission Core Strategy and the Hockley Area Action Plan. Not to the principle of regeneration but to the balance between new housing and other appropriate uses such as retail, leisure and employment development. In view of the recent publication of PPS4 and Policy EC3 to EC4 of PPS4, I conclude that the identified level of housing is likely to be much less than the Council anticipate.

The Eldon Way Industrial Estate is strategically well placed. It is the only major employment area in Hockley. The employment area is adjacent to the railway station and located a short distance from the main bus routes that run along Spa Road. Some of the residential areas of the town are also within walking distance of this commercial area, thus providing a potential for sustainable travel by employees. The Eldon Way Industrial Estate is therefore right at the heart of the settlement of Hockley/Hawkwell and provides an opportunity to meet sustainable transport objectives by reducing the need to travel by car. Consequently, this employment area is a premier employment site in sustainability terms, both in the context of PPG13 and PPS4.

Whilst it is acknowledged that improvement to the Eldon Way Industrial Estate can and should take place, the extent to which the mix of employment uses should be altered in favour of alternative land uses does require careful consideration. It is considered that a mix of existing or indeed new employment land uses with some Town Centre type uses should dominate the Eldon Way site and that more housing on the identified housing sites is necessary.

In the Hockley Area Action Plan RDC says that the existing uses on this site are harmful to amenity. However, the site has operated for many years without any significant issues and if renewal for B1 type uses are encouraged then the employment area can be maintained without harm to amenity. Renewal of the employment stock can help develop and improve trade, improve the sustainability of businesses as a whole and make for a more flexible labour market as skill levels are varied. This is one of the key messages promoted by Policy EC3 and EC4 of PPS4. A singularly different use altogether or a development dominated by residential would undermine the long term sustainability of the area and Town Centre.