Cornwall Employment Sites Study Saltash July 2012 Cornwall Development Company Tyncroft House Station Road Pool Redruth TR15 3QG Cornwall Employment Sites Study July 2012 Contents 1. Introduction...........................................................................................................3 1.1 Objectives.....................................................................................................3 1.2 Methodology.................................................................................................4 2 Saltash Site Identification.....................................................................................5 2.1 Saltash Draft Town Framework Plan............................................................5 2.2 ELR (Employment Land Review) .................................................................5 2.3 Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) ..........................6 2.4 Planning Context ..........................................................................................6 2.5 Saltash Site Visits.........................................................................................7 2.6 Saltash Site List............................................................................................7 3 Public and Private Sector Engagement................................................................8 3.1 Barriers to Development and Investment .....................................................8 3.2 Unlocking Cornwall’s Market ......................................................................12 4 Saltash ...............................................................................................................17 4.1 SWOT Analysis for Saltash ........................................................................18 4.2 Snapshot of Viability...................................................................................22 5 Summary of Organisations’ Feedback ...............................................................23 6 Assessment and Reporting ................................................................................28 6.1 Matrix Assessment .....................................................................................28 7 Conclusion/Recommendations...........................................................................30 8 Appendices.........................................................................................................35 8.1 Appendix 1 .................................................................................................35 8.2 Appendix 2 .................................................................................................37 8.3 Appendix 3 .................................................................................................40 8.4 Appendix 4 .................................................................................................42 8.5 Appendix 5 .................................................................................................45 8.6 Appendix 6 .................................................................................................48 8.7 Appendix 7 .................................................................................................52 8.8 Appendix 8 .................................................................................................53 8.9 Appendix 9 .................................................................................................55 8.10 Appendix 10 ...............................................................................................56 8.11 Appendix 11 ...............................................................................................59 8.12 Appendix 12 ...............................................................................................67 2 Cornwall Employment Sites Study July 2012 1. Introduction Cornwall Council (CC) commissioned Cornwall Development Company (CDC) to report on the deliverability of potential employment sites1 within thirteen towns across Cornwall: Launceston, Liskeard, Saltash, Hayle, CPR (Camborne, Pool and Redruth), Falmouth/Penryn, Truro, Penzance, St Austell, Torpoint, Looe, Wadebridge and Callington. This report focuses on Saltash. The overall aim of this study is to list specific sites, within the Optional Growth Areas (OGAs) of Cornwall Council’s Draft Core Strategy2 and within the town boundaries, and to research and record factors affecting their deliverability. The assessment of sites does not prioritise any site/s to be developed but does indicate sites within a timescale that could come forward with the right intervention, for example, developer commitment to delivering a site or public sector intervention. CC identified this study as necessary to support the Economic Papers that are being produced for the Town Framework Plans (TFPs)3. Although CC commissioned an Employment Land Review (ELR) in 2010, as part of the evidence base to inform the preparation of the Local Development Frameworks (LDF) and the allocation of land for employment uses, this did not go into depth regarding the availability, deliverability and ultimately the suitability of the land supply sites it identified. Engagement with the private sector has been an important part of this assessment, enabling evidence about owner and developer interest, as well as demand and barriers to development, to be collated. This study will identify sites with the greatest potential for bringing forward for employment use. The report will also recommend schemes which have the potential to obtain Priority 2 European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding. 1.1 Objectives The objectives for the Cornwall Employment Sites Study are to identify: 1 Employment sites has been defined for the purpose of the project as land with potential for B1 (offices/light industry), B2 (general industrial), B8 (storage or distribution) and some A2 (financial and professional services) use development. 2 The Core Strategy will be a lead document in Cornwall’s Local Development Framework – a suite of planning documents outlining the planning policy for Cornwall for the next 20 years. 3 Town Framework Plans are being produced for Launceston, Liskeard, Saltash, Hayle, Camborne, Pool and Redruth (CPR), Falmouth/Penryn, Truro, Bodmin, Penzance, Newquay, St Ives and Carbis Bay, St Austell and Bude/Stratton/Flexbury/Poughill. The Framework for each town provides a spatial strategy for the future growth/enhancement/protection of a Town for the next 20+ years, linked to an overall vision for the town. They provide an additional layer of evidence for the Core Strategy. 3 Cornwall Employment Sites Study July 2012 Sites most likely to be deliverable for employment space; Sites with the greatest potential for accessing European Regional Development Fund (Convergence Priority 24) within the timescale of the Programme;5 Current market evidence to support the Core Strategy; Demand for employment space; 1.2 Methodology This report has used a three stage methodology to report on the deliverability of potential employment sites within the town; initial site identification, followed by engagement with the private sector to understand barriers to development and investment, and finally, assessment of the sites identified and reporting of conclusions. 1.2.1 Site Identification The ELR6 and Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment7 (SHLAA) were reviewed to identify existing allocated sites which could potentially deliver employment space. CC planning officers identified specific sites, within the OGAs and the town boundaries, which they were aware that the private sector was actively pursuing for employment space development. They also identified employment sites with extant or expired planning permission. Contact was made with the TFP Officers to discuss potential employment sites. CDC undertook a ‘drive round’ of the towns to familiarise themselves with sites and to identify any additional sites with potential for employment space development. CDC/CC identified recent applications (or pre-applications) for large housing schemes that had not included employment provision as part of a mixed-use sustainable development. 1.2.2 Private/Public Sector Engagement Commercial Property Agents who are active in the local market were commissioned to identify local demand and supply, potential sites CDC had overlooked, barriers to development and investment and factors constraining the property market. CDC also made contact with the following parties: 4 Enterprise and Innovation. 5 The deadline for applications is mid 2013 to enable final contracts for the schemes to be signed off by December 2013. Final payment to the contractor must be by 30 June 2015. Final claim needs to be with Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) by end of August 2015. 6 Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners, 2010, Cornwall Employment Land Review. 7 Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (Identifying sites with potential for housing). 4 Cornwall Employment Sites Study July 2012 Saltash and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Invest in Cornwall Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) CC in relation to the Core Strategy, and Developers In addition, CC wrote to owners of land within the OGAs as part of the public consultation on the Draft Core Strategy. See Appendix 1 for a copy of the letter sent to landowners. 1.2.3 Assessment and Reporting A ‘Deliverability Assessment’ of the sites identified in Saltash