Economy and Employment 35
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Economy and Employment 35 CHAPTER 4 36 Doncaster Unitary Development Plan Economy and Employment 37 Economy and Employment INTRODUCTION 4.1 A healthy economy is vital to the future well being of Doncaster and its citizens. Yet despite recent changes and developments, there is a continuing need to diversify the economy and also to secure growth in the manufacturing and service sectors. Additional employment opportunities are required to counter the present unacceptably high levels of unemployment, to provide for the anticipated growth in the workforce to 4.3 The preparation of this Unitary Council’s planning objectives and 2001 and beyond and to replace those Development Plan has coincided with development priorities. Economic jobs which will be lost as the measures being taken to create a Single Regeneration is identified as one of the traditional employers, especially the European Market by 1992, as well as three major themes. The main coal industry, continue to rationalise other developments by the European contribution of the UDP towards this and shed labour. Commission related to institutional objective lies in identifying and reform and Community enlargement. safeguarding a supply of land for 4.2 The process of restructuring and These will impact on Doncaster, industrial and commercial developing the local economy has although the nature and extent of this development and in promoting the commenced and significant progress impact will depend on a number of servicing and development of this has been achieved in recent years. A factors. Of particular importance are land. The employment policies also wider range of manufacturing communication networks, and in this support the objectives of industries have become established respect Doncaster is well placed to Environmental Improvement by and Doncaster now supports a modest take advantage of links to both the promoting environmental but rapidly expanding service sector, Channel Tunnel (via the East Coast improvements within existing with growth in office-based activities, Main Line) and the Humber Ports and industrial and commercial areas and warehousing and distribution. Wharves for freight and passenger through policies aimed at securing a Through its Economic Development travel to Europe. The local authority good standard of new industrial and Strategy the Council is undertaking a is committed to maximising the commercial development. growing range of initiatives including benefits to Doncaster of the creation Implementation of the employment provision of industrial land, premises of the Single European Market and to proposals should also contribute to the and infrastructure; financial support to taking advantage of the financial third key objective, a Reduction in business; industrial and tourism programmes available to assist Social Inequalities principally through promotion; vocational training; and development within the Borough. the creation of new employment Industrial and Commercial opportunities, especially within the Improvement Area Programmes. 4.4 Chapter 2 sets out the Borough Regeneration Priority Areas. JOB PROTECTION AND CREATION CHAPTER 4 SEMP 1 THE BOROUGH COUNCIL WILL GIVE A HIGH PRIORITY TO THE PROTECTION OF EXISTING JOBS AND THE CREATION OF A WIDE RANGE OF NEW EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE BOROUGH. 38 Doncaster Unitary Development Plan 4.5 The economic structure of Provision of an ample range and The Borough Council, through this Doncaster has traditionally been number of new employment Plan and through its Economic dominated by a few major employers opportunities will be fundamental to Development Strategy, will play a key in manufacturing and coal mining. Up the retention and attraction of key role in this process. At the same time, to and including the 1960’s and 1970’s workers and age groups critical to the the Council is determined to give these industries remained relatively future overall prosperity of the whatever support it can to the existing buoyant and unemployment in the area Borough. It is projected that over economy, through the same was generally low. Since the mid- 20,000 additional jobs will be required mechanisms, to help maintain 1970’s, however, and particularly in by 2001 to cater for the anticipated employment and prevent unnecessary the 1980’s there have been major job growth in the workforce and to reduce job losses. losses in both manufacturing and coal unemployment (See Appendix 4.1). mining and six collieries have closed, (Armthorpe, Cadeby, Edlington, Brodsworth, Askern, Bentley). The remaining collieries at Stainforth and Key Rossington, face uncertain futures, and the threat of further colliery closures, Fact and of job losses in associated activities, remains. UNEMPLOYMENT 13,320 persons within Doncaster Borough were registered 4.6 As a result of the job losses referred unemployed at March 1994, an unemployment rate of 12.8%. At to in para. 4.5, unemployment the local level, unemployment rates were highest in areas remained high throughout most of the adjacent to Doncaster Town Centre and in certain colliery and 1980’s and early 1990’s. Lack of local former colliery settlements employment opportunities also Source: NOMIS resulted in a high level of out- migration within the economically EMPLOYMENT STRUCTURE important 22-44 age group. The influx The proportion of employment in primary industry (including, of new business investment into of course, coal mining) is considerably higher than the national Doncaster in the late 1980’s, average, whilst that in service industries is considerably lower. encouraged by the Borough Council, The proportion in manufacturing industry is close to the national has contributed to a significant average. The relevant figures from the 1991 Census of reduction in unemployment locally Employment are: but, even so, the unemployment rate in the Doncaster Travel to Work Area INDUSTRY DONCASTER GREAT remains well above both the national BOROUGH (%) BRITAIN(%) and regional averages. PRIMARY 7.8 3.3 4.7 If Doncaster is to achieve an MANUFACTURING 21.4 21.2 effective and lasting regeneration of CONSTRUCTION 7.7 4.5 the local economy it will be necessary SERVICE 34.7 39.7 to build upon the achievements of OTHERS 28.4 31.3 recent years, referred to in paras. 4.2 and 4.6 above, widen the economic SOURCE : NOMIS/CENSUS OF EMPLOYMENT 1991 base and create very many more jobs to replace those still being lost in its traditional long established industries. LAND FOR INDUSTRIAL AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SEMP 2 LAND IS ALLOCATED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW, AND THE EXPANSION OF EXISTING, INDUSTRIAL AND BUSINESS USES TO CATER FOR THE ANTICIPATED NEEDS OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE WITHIN THE BOROUGH UP TO 2001 AND BEYOND. PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO THE PROVISION OF NEW SITES IN A RANGE OF SIZES AND LOCATIONS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUSINESS. 4.8 One of the principal ways in which The objective is to provide an adequate both for the needs of existing and the UDP can contribute towards the range of sites in terms of size, variety, expanding local firms and to cater for economic regeneration of Doncaster is location and quality to meet the needs businesses and developers who may through the identification of land for of different types of business wish to locate within the Borough or industrial and business development. operation. Land is required to provide might be attracted to the Borough if Economy and Employment 39 Key Fact CHANGES IN DONCASTER’S EMPLOYMENT STRUCTURE (1981-1991) INDUSTRY NUMBERS CHANGE EMPLOYED (inc. part time) 1981 1991 Nos. % PRIMARY 23,700 7,100 -16,600 -70 MANUFACTURING 25,900 19,200 -6,700 -26 CONSTRUCTION 3,700 7,000 +3,300 +89 SERVICE 26,100 31,200 +5,100 +20 OTHERS 22,300 25,400 +3,100 +14 TOTAL 101,600 89,800 -11,800 -12 SOURCE : NOMIS/CENSUS OF EMPLOYMENT 1981, 1991 suitable sites are made available. In serious shortage of readily available growing trend for companies to attracting inward investment, the industrial land is confirmed by recent relocate from the more expensive, Council recognises that Doncaster is private sector and academic research congested south-east of England to the frequently competing with other parts and by the recent decision of the lower cost, less congested north of of the UK and the UDP must provide Secretary of State to release a large (73 England; a wide range of development ha) site at Armthorpe for business opportunities in terms of size, location development (Proposal EMP 1 (1)). * the impact of the Doncaster Railport and quality. In particular, a sufficient is likely to stimulate increases in number of high quality sites must be 4.10 Statistical assessments of future industrial growth in Doncaster; identified in the Plan. In seeking to industrial land requirements based identify suitable sites for economic upon past rates of take-up and through * the Borough Council-led re- regeneration the Borough Council the application of employment generation strategy is gradually have taken into account the need to densities to the job need targets have increasing the momentum of industrial protect the environment of Doncaster been undertaken for the UDP (See and commercial development within Borough and balance this with this Appendix 4.1) but are not sufficiently the Borough; need to provide sufficient land for reliable to be used other than as a employment purposes. preliminary guide to industrial land * the potential of much of the existing needs. Other factors have to be taken employment land supply is limited for 4.9 Doncaster’s success in attracting into account, including: reasons of (e.g.) poor accessibility, new industrial and commercial poor environment or lack of development in the town over the last * on the basis of known development infrastructure services. 7 years has made heavy inroads into proposals, it is anticipated that the the available land supply. As a result take-up of employment land will be 4.11 The context for the Borough there is very little land for immediate accelerated; Council’s employment strategy for the development.