Employment Policy E6

Information on a new policy (E6)within the Local Plan, aimed at retaining employment sites.

Guidance on making applications to change the use of employment or service trade sites to other uses

The Local Plan has introduced a new policy (E6) aimed at retaining employment sites.  The policy provides for the retention of sites unless:

• the continued use of it is no longer economically viable; and
• the site has been marketed at a reasonable price for at least a year for that and any other suitable employment or service trade uses. 

We will also consider any planning applications for changes of use in relation to the proposed use. 

To help you submit planning applications we have prepared guidance on the interpretation of Policy E6.  You can see this guidance via the link on the right.  It sets out the list of matters which you should address in an application brief for redevelopment/change of use of an existing employment site. 

The guidance was agreed by Cabinet on 3 March 2006.  It has not been adopted as a supplementary planning document as it deals with information requirements only.  However, if you do not provide the information requested, we are likely to refuse planning applications for redevelopment/change of use on the basis that the you have not made a case for the proposal.