PEAK SUB -REGION EMPLOYMENT LAND REVIEW FINAL DRAFT REPORT August 2008 Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Ltd Generator Studios Trafalgar Street Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 2LA Offices also in: T 01912615685 London F 01912619180 Cardiff [email protected] Manchester www.nlpplanning.com CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 1 Methodology .............................................................................................................. 2 2.0 GENERAL CONTEXT ............................................................................................... 4 Introduction................................................................................................................ 4 Overview of Study Area ............................................................................................. 4 Review of Regional Employment Land Studies.......................................................... 7 3.0 POLICY CONTEXT ..................................................................................................11 Introduction...............................................................................................................11 National Guidance ....................................................................................................11 Regional Guidance ...................................................................................................12 Local Guidance.........................................................................................................13 Summary ..................................................................................................................17 Aim / Vision...............................................................................................................18 Raising Productivity ..................................................................................................18 Ensuring Sustainability..............................................................................................20 Locational Priorities...................................................................................................20 Summary ..................................................................................................................22 4.0 ECONOMIC CONTEXT ............................................................................................23 Introduction...............................................................................................................23 Population.................................................................................................................23 Economic Activity......................................................................................................25 Migration Patterns.....................................................................................................26 Travel to Work Patterns ............................................................................................28 Economic Structure...................................................................................................30 Unemployment / Skills...............................................................................................34 Business Base ..........................................................................................................39 Productivity ...............................................................................................................43 Housing Affordability .................................................................................................45 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................45 5.0 THE CURRENT STOCK OF EMPLOYMENT SPACE ..............................................47 Stock of Employment Floorspace..............................................................................47 Emerging Supply of Employment Space ...................................................................54 Take-up of Employment Land ...................................................................................55 Enquiries Data ..........................................................................................................57 Losses of Employment Space...................................................................................59 Allocated Employment Land......................................................................................59 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................60 6.0 THE SUB-REGIONAL PROPERTY MARKET..........................................................62 Overview...................................................................................................................62 Industrial Land / Premises.........................................................................................63 Office Market ............................................................................................................63 Rental Levels ............................................................................................................64 Property Availability / Vacancy ..................................................................................65 Gaps in the Property Portfolio ...................................................................................66 Emerging Supply.......................................................................................................67 Supply in Adjoining Districts......................................................................................68 R40393-019 (Final Report 28 August 2008) Conclusions ..............................................................................................................72 7.0 REVIEW OF CURRENT EMPLOYMENT SITES ......................................................74 Introduction...............................................................................................................74 Available Employment Sites......................................................................................75 Developed Employment Sites ...................................................................................81 High Peak .................................................................................................................82 Conclusion ................................................................................................................86 8.0 CONSULTATION .....................................................................................................89 Introduction...............................................................................................................89 Stakeholder Workshop..............................................................................................89 Business Survey .......................................................................................................91 Telephone Interviews..............................................................................................108 Conclusions ............................................................................................................109 9.0 THE FUTURE ECONOMIC ROLE OF THE SUB-REGION.....................................111 Indicators of Demand..............................................................................................111 Potential Drivers of Future Demand ........................................................................113 Challenges and Risks .............................................................................................125 The Way Forward ...................................................................................................131 10.0 FUTURE NEED FOR EMPLOYMENT SPACE.......................................................133 Employment Growth................................................................................................134 Employment-based Space Requirements ...............................................................136 Past Take-up Scenario............................................................................................138 Development Site Based Scenario..........................................................................139 Preferred Scenario..................................................................................................143 Planning Requirement for Employment Land ..........................................................144 Phasing of Employment Space ...............................................................................145 Land Requirement by Area .....................................................................................145 Land Requirement by Use ......................................................................................147 11.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.......................................................149 APPENDICES APPENDIX 1: ORGANISATIONS CONSULTED APPENDIX 2: SITE ASSESSMENT CRITERIA APPENDIX 3: SITE ASSESSMENT MATRICES APPENDIX 4: BUSINESS SURVEY APPENDIX 5: EMPLOYMENT FORECASTS R40393-019 (Final Report 28 August 2008) 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This report sets out the findings of the Peak Sub-Region Employment Land Review undertaken by Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners (NLP). The study area is shown in Figure 1.1 and comprises the local authorities of Derbyshire