Consultation DRAFT
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Consultation DRAFT Former Swan Hunter Ship Yard Enterprise Zone and Local Development Order Contents Chapter Subject Page 1 Introduction 2 2 Rationale 2 3 Simplifying Planning on Enterprise Zones 4 4 The Swan Hunter Enterprise Zone Proposed Land Uses 5 5 The Former Swan Hunter Ship Yard Local Development 6 Order Site 6 Land Use, Planning History and Surrounding Area 7 7 Planning Policy Context 8 8 Potential Constraints 9 9 Justification for Creating the LDO 10 10 Description of Development granted Planning Permission 12 11 Statement of Policies that the LDO will Implement 13 12 Lifetime and Monitoring of the LDO 13 13 Development Requirements 14 14 Other Statutory Requirements 14 Diagram 1 Former Swan Hunters Shipyard LDO 16 Former Swan Hunter Ship Yard Local Development Order 18 1 1 Introduction 1.1 In the March 2010 Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer invited the North Eastern Local Enterprise Partnership (NELEP), alongside ten other ‘First Wave LEPs’, to submit a proposal to Government on a designated Enterprise Zone within the LEP area. In order to aid economic recovery and stimulate growth, the Government is pursuing its programme of Enterprise Zones throughout the country. 1.2 The vision for the North Eastern LEP is to deliver smart, enterprising leadership between the private sector, local government, Higher Education and Further Education to rebalance the economy, and create Europe’s premier location for low carbon, sustainable, knowledge-based private sector-led growth and jobs. To achieve its vision, the LEP has agreed to focus on supporting actions that will be delivered within four strategic economic priorities: Supporting Enterprise and Private Sector Business Growth Building on Key Economic Strengths Improving Skills and Performance Strengthening Transport, Connectivity and Infrastructure 2 Rationale 2.1 The North Eastern area has made substantial progress in moving towards achieving the overall vision agreed by the LEP. The intention of the LEP is to capture the benefits from the development of a low carbon economy by capitalising on the locational advantages of the LEP area and the critical assets and strengths it possesses. 2.2 There are two major opportunities in low carbon industries that the LEP area is well placed to secure: The development of mass production ultra low carbon vehicles, particularly in the form of electric cars. The manufacture assembly and servicing of offshore wind energy farms in the North Sea. 2.3 For both industries, the North East’s strong industrial base and wide ranging engineering skills base are key factors in supporting these developments. Research expertise in the marine sector on the River Tyne. 2 The availability of very large sites on the River Tyne for final assembly. Excellent port facilities for survey work, sub-assembly and the servicing of offshore fields. Riverside sites suitable for component assembly of the very large structures that go to make the new generation of offshore turbines. 2.4 Traditional off-shore industries, particularly in the North Sea, have related to exploration and production of oil and gas, particularly via oil rigs. The North East has benefited significantly from this, catering for the oil rig construction sector in particular. 2.5 As these industries have developed, exploration has tended more towards deeper, harsher environments as the supply of readily retrievable oil diminishes. Such a shift in exploration has led to a changing industrial and manufacturing focus, with an increasing focus on SURF (sub-sea) technologies. However, there is already an established global export industry based in the North East relating to the exploration of oil and gas, particularly in this sub-sea sector. 2.6 As such, the following key opportunities have been identified for the region/area in relation to: Manufacturing wind turbines; Establishing offshore supply bases and associated supply chains; Building on existing sub-sea technology sector; Adapting to new wind farm opportunities; Building on local area supply chains. 2.7 The Enterprise Zone initiative is intended to support and attract investment in key sectors which have been identified as having potential for growth. In North Tyneside there are two sites which have been identified as appropriate for Enterprise Zone status, Former Swan Hunter Ship Yard site and Port of Tyne landholdings located adjacent to the North Shields Ferry Terminal. 2.8 As well as the financial benefits, Enterprise Zones provide an added incentive of simplified planning processes. The larger part of the sites designated as Enterprise Zones will do this through Local Development Orders (LDOs). This means that for specific developments that help deliver the aims of the Enterprise Zone, planning permission will not be required. The introduction of LDOs is intended to provide greater certainty to potential developers in terms of planning decisions. 2.9 The Former Swan Hunter Ship Yard Enterprise Zone will be guided by a Local Development Order. The LDO will allow defined development to be undertaken without the need for obtaining planning permission, providing the development is carried out in accordance with established design guidance and conditions. This document sets out the details by which developments will be permitted within the Swan Hunter former Ship Yard site 3 and the associated conditions that need to be satisfied. The Former Swan Hunter former Ship Yard LDO will extend beyond the boundary of the Enterprise Zone, in order to facilitate greater flexibility for businesses and encourage the development of supply chain companies within existing buildings. 3 Simplifying Planning on Enterprise Zones 3.1 A requirement of the Enterprise Zone designation is that planning controls are ‘simplified’. The Government is promoting the use of Local Development Orders (LDO) as a means to simplify the planning process. North Tyneside Council therefore intends to establish an LDO for the Swan Hunter site and adjoining land. 3.2 LDOs are an established part of the planning system having been introduced through the Town and Country Planning Act (1990). Their roles and functions have been revised through subsequent legislation as follows: Sections 61A‐D and Schedule 4A to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 amended; Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004; Section 188 of the Planning Act 2008; and the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2010. 3.3 An LDO will enable development that supports the aims and objectives of the Enterprise Zone to be undertaken without the need for planning permission. This should encourage development by providing a high degree of certainty to developers and investors, as well as reducing costs through the removal of planning application fees. 3.4 An LDO sets out the type of development that will no longer need to be subject to a planning application. If the proposed development falls within the categories defined in the LDO and provided it satisfies certain conditions and development requirements, it is assumed that for planning purposes consent is granted, and the work can start right away. Developments within the LDO area that do not fall within the specified criteria or do not meet the conditions or development requirements may still be suitable, but will be subject to the normal planning consent procedures. The LDO does not affect permitted development rights that exist under the General Permitted Development Order (GPDO) 1995 (as amended) nor any local or private Act of Parliament. 3.5 However LDOs do not remove the need to obtain other statutory consents such as Building Regulations approval, consents under Highways Legislation, Listed Building Consent, Health and Safety Executive consents etc. 4 4 The Swan Hunter Enterprise Zone Proposed Land Uses 4.1 The site is allocated within the North Tyneside Unitary Development Plan for the following uses: (B1) Offices, research and development of products and processes, light industry appropriate in a residential area; (B2) General Industry and; (B8) Storage and Distribution. The LDO proposes to allow uses within the B1 and B2 use class. 4.2 Proposed Business Sectors Through the LDO the following business sectors will be appropriate on the Swan Hunter site. The manufacture and maintenance of plant and machinery and parts for the following: Off shore wind energy generation, Tidal and wave technology, oil and gas exploration and extraction, Advanced subsea manufacturing and technology. Example of Appropriate Businesses Table B: Appropriate Business in Acceptable Business Sectors Acceptable Business Sector Acceptable Business Off shore wind energy generation Engineering or manufacturing place which designs and/or makes equipment that can be used to harness renewable energy Manufacture or assembly of Tidal and wave technology, oil and offshore modules or platforms gas exploration and extraction, and associated. supply chains Advanced subsea manufacturing Design and manufacture of and technology subsea cabling and trench laying systems 5 5 The Former Swan Hunter Ship Yard Local Development Order Site 5.1 The site of the Former Swan Hunter Ship Yard is located on the North Bank of the river Tyne and sited at the southern end of Station Road, Wallsend. It comprises five relatively distinct parcels of land and buildings located around and including the former Swan Hunter Ship Yard. i. The main part of the Ship Yard formed by a block of land 480m long and between 155m and 385m wide between the former Wallsend Dry Docks and Oceana Business Park; ii. The eastern portion of the Former Swan Hunter site and which includes the group of buildings known as the Carville Works and the Carville Electricity substations, the Old Jointing Schools and land to the north west of the Old Jointing School. (These buildings are currently occupied by WD Close and Sons and marine supplies company and a scaffolding company;) iii. Gainers Terrace and the vacant public house “The Ship in the Hole” (lying at the south west corner of the Swans site;) iv.