Employment Land Survey

EMPLOYMENT LAND SURVEY

2007 to 2008

Introduction
Local Economy
Method
EmploymentLand Approvals
EmploymentLand Commitments
EmploymentLand Completions
EmploymentLand Under Construction
Allocated EmploymentLand
EmploymentLand Lost
Vacant Land
Area Summary
Conclusion

Appendix

Completions by site

Contacts

Introduction

1.1The Employment Land Survey (E.L.S) monitors changes in employment land within Mid Devon.

1.2It focuses on Classes B1 (Business), B2 (General Industrial) and B8 (Storage and Distribution).

1.3 This E.L.S covers the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008.

1.4Why Monitor?

1.4.1Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 12 (Local Development Frameworks 2004) states: “review and monitoring are key aspects of the Government’s ‘plan, monitor and manage’ approach to the planning system.”

1.4.2Monitoring is required also, by the South West Regional Assembly (SWRA), the designated Regional Planning Body. They work in “close partnership with local authorities to ensure an integrated and co-ordinated approach to the future growth and development of the region.”

1.5WhyEmploymentLand?

1.5.1Planning Policy Guidance 4: Industrial, Commercial Development and Small Firms (PPG 4) states that:

‘Planning authorities should aim to ensure that there is sufficient land available which is readily capable of development and well served by infrastructure. They should also ensure that there is a variety of sites available to meet differing needs. A choice of suitable sites will facilitate competition between developers; this will benefit end-users and stimulate economic activity.’

1.5.2The E.L.S gives information about land allocations for employment purposes, sites with planning permission, sites under construction and vacant land available for development.

1.5.3By looking at the E.L.S, a record of economic trends within Mid Devon is provided, not only of land and premises which have been developed but also the updated situation on land that is likely to be developed in the near future.

1.5.4In terms of policy there are a number of ways the local authority can use the monitoring information contained within the E.L.S. It allows the authority to identify changing priorities for development in regard to the policies and proposals set out within the Development Plan. Trends can be looked at against existing policies and targets to determine what needs to be done.

1.5.5Ongoing the E.L.S. will form part of the evidence base for the emerging Local Development Framework (L.D.F.) for example the Annual Monitoring Report (A.M.R.).

1.5.6The A.M.R. assesses the implementation of the Local Development Scheme and the extent to which policies within the Local Development documents are being successfully implemented. The A.M.R. is a working document and as it develops and changes so will the E.L.S.

2.Local Economy

2.1 Overview

2.1.1 Mid Devon is an inland area covering 915 square kilometres in the South West of England. It is one of the most sparsely populated authorities within England and Wales, with a population of approximately 75,900 and where the majority of residents live in settlements below 3,000 populations.

2.1.2The main concentration of people is found in the eastern part of the District where the towns of Tiverton (approx 21,500) and Cullompton (approx 8400) lie within 6km of each other and similarly close to Junctions 27 and 28 of the M5 and the mainline railway station at Tiverton Parkway. Crediton (approx 7300) is the largest settlement in the west of the District.

2.1.3The hilly, agricultural landscape is the area’s defining physical and environmental characteristic. Most of the rivers in the district drain southwards in steep sided valleys and large expanses of floodplains.

2.2Employment Structure

2.2.1The large and economically successful urban areas of Exeter and Taunton are just beyond the southern and eastern boundaries of the District respectively and exert an influence over the Mid Devon economy for example 16% of Mid Devon’s working population found employment in Exeter according to the 2001 Census. All three main towns have shown a reduction in people living and working in the same town over time.

2.2.2Working at home is increasing in the District, especially in the rural wards (20%) It is likely that this trend will continue and may accelerate with the expansion of broadband and increased travel costs.

2.2.3Manufacturing is particularly important in Mid Devon accounting for 23% of jobs compared to 13% in the sub-region. In the District there continues to be a large number of employees in agriculture and forestry and with the M5 route through Mid Devon, land transport is a major sector. National trends generally show a continued decline in these sectors, which could be a potential threat to employment in Mid Devon.

2.2.4Small and very small businesses are important to the local economy. In the Exeter area 83% of businesses employ less than 10 people. Rural districts show higher proportions still. Self-employment accounts for 13% of the sub-region’s employment, with, again, significantly higher rates in the rural areas.

2.2.5Approximately 1.4 % of the district’s working population are claiming job seekers allowance.

2.2.6The importance of an adequate supply of employment sites in addressing local economic need is clear.

3.Method

3.1The period of monitoring for any particular year is between 1 April and 31 March. This E.L.S covers the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008.

3.2Information has been gathered on Approvals, Commitments, Completions, Sites Under Construction and Employment Land Lost. This was achieved through a combination of desk-based assessment of planning history and site inspections. Staff in Development Control and Building Regulations also assisted in the process.

3.3Sites were only taken into account if the new floorspace was over 100 sq.m.

3.4For completions the survey separates between individual Class B1, B2 and B8 applications.

Changes of use applications between the use classes have not been included.

3.5This survey uses the Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing (PPS3) definition of previously developed land (Brownfield).

4.EmploymentLand Approvals

4.1Table one below provides a yearly comparison of employment land approvals over the past year. It includes applications that have also been started and completed between April 2007 and March 2008. The figures include only sites which provide additional employment land or floor area. They do not for example include approval of reserved matters on a sitewhich already has outline consent.

4.2The floorspace total includes extensions or new buildings within the curtilage of existing premises and industrial estates, however these are not included within the area total. Only sites with a known floorspace provision are included in this figure.

4.3The area total includes outline applications.

Table 1 – EmploymentLand Approvals

Year

(1 April to 31 March) / Approval Area
(ha) / Floorspace
(sq.m.)
Between 1 April 2001 – 31 March 2002 / 0.209 / 7122.62
Between 1 April 2002 - 31 March 2003 / 1.096 / 6390.65
Between 1 April 2003 – 31 March 2004 / 0.87 / 6905.42
Between 1 April 2004 – 31 March 2005 / 1.594 / 6548.6
Between 1 April 2005 – 31 March 2006 / 15.63 / 7161
Between 1 April 2006
- 31 March 2007 / 7.57 / 6825.52
Between 1 April 2007
- 31 March 2008 / 1.10 / 11790

4.4Over the last five years the amount of employment floorspace being approved has remained quite consistent, with an overall average of 7846.10 sq.m. This year is substantially higher as 11790 sq.m. has been approved. The floorspace in comparison to the ha shows efficient use of land.

5.EmploymentLand Commitments

5.1Table two indicates the total committed employment land for development over the past five years i.e. land with a valid permission for employment use.

5.2Included within Table 2 are approvals, previous years commitments that are still valid and outline permissions.

5.3Excluded from Table 2 are Local Plan allocations without a current permission.Extensions or new buildings within the curtilage of existing premises and industrial estatesare given a site area of 0ha.

Table 2 – EmploymentLand Commitments

Timeframe

/ Committed Area
(ha)
At 31 March 2001 / 9.602
At 31 March 2002 / 9.732
At 31 March 2003 / 10.864
At 31 March 2004 / 11.322
At 31 March 2005 / 11.638
At 31 March 2006 / 21.195
At 31 March 2007 / 28.453 ( 86091.94 sq.m)
At 31 March 2008 / 29.062 ( 86998.82 sq.m)

The floorspace showing in brackets in the above table includes both known floorspace figures and an assumed floorspace capacity on outline applications of 3500 sqm per hectare.

5.4Between 2001 and 2005 there was a gradual increase in the hectarage of committed land in Mid Devon, indicating a small but steady replacement of stock. In the last two years a much greater increase has been helped by the applications for a 10.45 ha industrial estate at Willand, a 5.06 ha application for an employment development at Cullompton.Also a second 6.30 ha application also in Cullompton.

6.EmploymentLand Completions

6.1Table three indicates employment completions or employment growth within a given year. It includes applications that have also been approved and started between April 2007 and March 2008.

6.2The floorspace total includes extensions or new buildings within the curtilage of existing premises and industrial estates, however these are not included within the area total.

Table 3 – Employment Completions

Year

(1 April to 31 March) / Completed Area
(ha) / % Brownfield
(completed area (ha)) / Floorspace
(sq. m.) / % Brownfield
(completed floorspace)
Between 1 April 2001 – 31 March 2002 / 0.147 / 100 / 2071.31 / 100
Between 1 April 2002 - 31 March 2003 / 0.057 / 0 / 1018 / 31.8
Between 1 April 2003 – 31 March 2004 / 0.434 / 52.3 / 3041.6 / 58.2
Between 1 April 2004 – 31 March 2005 / 0.553 / 0 / 5378.61 / 53.5
Between 1 April 2005 – 31 March 2006 / 3.071 / 5.2 / 12053.42 / 46.9
Between 1 April 2006 – 31 March 2007 / 2.557 / 3.5 / 2044 / 42.6
Between 1 April 2007 – 31 March 2008 / 1.82 / 4.5 / 6854 / 54.5

6.3Building rates can be attributed to a number of factors for example the overall health of the local economy, availability of employment land for development and form of tenure of the land.

6.4This year (2007 to 2008) there were a total of 9applicationsthat were completed, which is anincrease from the year before (2006 to 2007), where 6 were completed.

7.EmploymentLand Under Construction

7.1By looking at Employment land under construction (Table 4), it can indicate how employment development is progressing and how it will develop over the coming year.

7.2The floorspace total includes extensions or new buildings within the curtilage of existing premises and industrial estates, however these are not included within the area total.

Table 4 – Under Construction

Timeframe / Construction Area
(ha) / Floorspace
(sq.m.)
At 31 March 2002 / 0.279 / 1281.5
At 31 March 2003 / 0.425 / 1822
At 31 March 2004 / 0.485 / 2999.86
At 31 March 2005 / 1.358 / 4273.62
At 31 March 2006 / 4.312 / 4986.17
At 31 March 2007 / 2.844 / 6267.17
At 31 March 2008 / 1.615 / 6569.29

7.3Both construction area and floorspace under construction have been increasing over the last five years

7.4The increase in part reflects a number of the things – the availability of land coming onto the market and then the time taken for this ‘availability’ to translate into under construction and ultimately completion. The implication is that sites will continue to come forward to completion in the next few years.

8.Allocated EmploymentLand

8.1The Local Plan (which provides the legal basis for planning decisions) sets out detailed employment policies, including specific employment proposals – which are subject to individual policies.

8.2The Devon Structure Plan requires the provision of 60ha of employment land between 2001-2016, an average rate of 4 ha per year.

8.3Between 1995 and 2001 7.05 ha of employment land was completed.

8.4The Local Plan allocations below were based on the above guideline, as well as taking into account past developments and existing commitments.

8.4Table 5 indicates the current position of employmentLand allocated by the

Mid Devon Local Plan First Alteration which was adopted in July 2006.

Table 5 – Local Plan Allocations

Site / Location / Type / Policy / Total Area (ha) / Allocation remaining without permission at March 08. / Comment
Stone Crushing Works / Bampton / Brownfield / BA1 / 1.00 / 0 / Mixed Use Allocation site of 3.4 ha – residential and employment.
Reserved matters approved Jan 2006. Work commenced Mar 2007 on Phase 1 (0.5 ha) and it was completed in 07/08.
Station Rd / Copplestone / Brownfield / CO1 / 2 / 0 / Mixed development on 4 ha Employment – minimum 2 ha. Outline approved April 04. Reserved matters approved March 05.Housing under construction.
Mill Street
(Bow Belle) / Crediton / Brownfield / CRE5 / 0.5 / 0 / 50% of 1 ha site is also for housing.
Outline approved March 04. Housing under construction.
Exeter Rd / Crediton / Greenfield / CRE9 / 3 / 3 / Sensitive site which needs landscaping. Flood risk assessment needed.
Preliminary application received 18/03/2005 for foodstore and business park
Week Farm / Cullompton / Greenfield / CU7 / 5.06 / 5.06 / Outline application approved May 2006. Reserved matters approved November 2007 for part of site
Kings Mill Rd / Cullompton / Greenfield / CU9 / 4.93 / 4.93

Longbridge

(Station Rd) / Cullompton / Brownfield / CU11 / 6.0 / 6.0
Junc 27 / M5 / Greenfield / TP2 / 9.2 / 9.2 / Site Called In Jan 06, deleted June 06
Blundells Rd / Tiverton / Brownfield / TIV1 / 1.0 / 0.73 / Mixed Use Allocation site of 6.4 ha - residential, retail, leisure and business.
Application approved November 2007 for
0.27 ha.
BusinessPark (Phase 2) Blundells / Tiverton / Greenfield / TIV12 / 8.5 / 8.5
South View Rd / Willand / Greenfield / WI1 / 10.45 / 10.02 / Outline approved December 2005. Reserved matters approved November 2007 for Phase 1
0.42 ha.
Station Road / Yeoford / Brownfield / YEO1 / 0.4 / 0.4

9.EmploymentLand Lost

9.1Table 6 details the loss of employment land between 1 April 2007to 31 March 2008.

Table 6 – EmploymentLand Lost

Site / Location / Area (ha) / Reason
27 Higher Street / Cullompton / 0.06 ha / Retail
Total: 0.06 ha

9.1The loss of employment land has slightlydecreased from 0.86ha for 06-07 to 0.06ha for 07-08. Any loss of employment land can be attributed to a number of factors for example lack of demand in the future for that employment use, site constraints and increased demand for other uses e.g. residential, retail.

10.Vacant Land

10.1Vacant land is land that is ‘available’ for development, but is not an allocated site or a site with any permission on it for example an area of undeveloped land on an industrial estate. Table 7 documents this situation over the last four years.

Table 7 – Vacant Land

Timeframe / Area
(ha)
At 31 March 2002 / 4.656
At 31 March 2003 / 4.656
At 31 March 2004 / 4.496
At 31 March 2005 / 4.496
At 31 March 2006 / 4.496
At 31 March 2007 / 4.496
At 31 March 2008 / 4.496

10.2There was no change in the amount of vacant land until a 0.16 ha site at the business park at Lowman Way in Tiverton got planning for B1 Offices in March 2004.

10.3Six of the seven vacant sites are on industrial sites. They are parcels of land that could be developed but so far have been left empty e.g. a 0.32 ha site on the Lords Meadow Industrial Estate

10.4The other site, Lloyd Maunder is 1.086 ha within the curtilage of existing buildings. There is the scope for expansion at some point in the future, something the company is pursuing through the Development Plan process.

10.5The vacant sites have clearly been slow in coming forward, and this may be due to a number of reasons for example ownership reasons, market trends or more suitable sites elsewhere.

Area Summary

11.1Table 8 shows the ‘urban’/’rural’ picture within Mid Devon with regards employment land development.

Table 8 – Area Summary

Area / Commitment (At 31 March 2008)
sq.m. below includes assumed floorspace on outline applications (3500 sqm per ha)
(ha) (sq.m.) / Approvals
(Between 1 April 2007 – 31 March 2008)
(ha) (sq..m.) / Under Construction
(At 31 March 2008)
(ha) (sq.m.) / Completed
(Between 1 April 2007– 31 March 2008)
(ha) sq.m.) / Other
Rural Parishes / 15.678 / 55979.4 / 0.43 / 5096 / 1.513 / 4834.79 / 1.81 / 6404 / 4 Local Plan Allocations totalling 13.85 ha. The allocations at Willand & Copplestone have approved outline applications. Willand has an approved permission for a small part of site. Bampton is half completed and the other half has outline permission. Currently Yeoford has no planning permission. 4 Vacant land sites totalling 3.106 ha
Urban
(Crediton, Cullompton and Tiverton) / 13.384 / 31019.42 / 0.67 / 6994 / 0.102 / 1734.5 / 0.01 / 450 / 7 Local Plan Allocations totalling 28.96 ha. 1 allocation at Tiverton has an approved application for part of the site. 1 allocation at Cullompton has an approved application. Also 1 allocation at Crediton has an approved outline application.
3 Vacant land sites totalling 1.39 ha.

11.2Last year (06-07) there was more committed land in the ‘rural’ parishes and this reflected in part the rural nature of employment uses like industry. This year (07-08) this remains the same. Also there appears to beslightlymore approvals in the urban parishes. However there were more rural completions in terms of hectares and floorspace created, this year as last year.

11.3The rural areas (ha) are larger than those in the urban areas for all except approvals as they tend to be more conversions rather then extensions or new buildings within an existing curtilage.

12.Conclusion

12.1The percentage of approvals, sites under construction and completions on Brownfield sites is fairly erratic, however Mid Devon is a rural district and therefore it should be recognised that there is only a limited supply of Brownfield land available at any one time.

Also there is often pressure for non-employment uses when such sites become available for example residential or retail.

12.2There tends to be a lot more Greenfield developments i.e. conversions of agricultural buildings to employment use, as there is diversification away from traditional farming.

12.3A lot of employment development within Mid Devon is in the form of extensions onto existing buildings or new buildings within the curtilage of an existing building therefore the area (ha) figure can look fairly low.

12.4The increases in floorspace along with the smaller area totals are a good indication that employment land is being developed in already existing sites.

12.5Looking forward into the next year (April 2008 to March 2009) there have been increases in the number of Approvals and sites Under Construction in this year. There has also been movement in an Allocated site in Cullompton as an Approved application has come in.

12.6The development of new employment floorspace provision indicates a healthy position for the Mid Devon economy. Additional large sites are coming forward and this employment growth looks likely to continue. The fact that the additional output is in both rural and urban areas is a positive sign for all areas of the district.

12.7Finally it can be seen that “monitoring is essential to establish what has happened in the past, what is happening now and what may happen in the future.”

(Local Development Framework Monitoring: A good Practice Guide)

Appendix

Completions by Site

Total: 0.147

Total: 2071.31

Total: 0.057

/ Total: 1018

Total: 0.057

/ Total: 1018

Completions by site 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004

Site / Greenfield/Brownfield / Completed Area
(ha) / New Floorspace
(sq.m.)
Bampton
- / - / -
Total: 0.00 / Total: 0.00
Crediton
Universal / B / 0.00 / 513
MeadowBusinessPark / B / 0.00 / 205
Page Partners / B / 0.00 / 181
Total: 0.00 / Total:899
Cullompton
Lower Upton Farm / G / 0.062 / 233
Labdon / B / 0.00 / 150
Total: 0.062 / Total: 383
Tiverton
Westexe / B / 0.00 / 147
Howden (B) / B / 0.00 / 226
Total: 0.00 / Total: 373
Elsewhere
Maidendown Stage / B / 0.2 / 210
Eggesford Station / B / 0.014 / 140
Warren Fm / G / 0.111 / 540
Thelbridge Cross / G / 0.025 / 247
Rookbeare Farm / G / 0.022 / 249.6
Total: 0.372 / Total: 1386.6
Total: 0.434 / Total: 3041.6

Completions by site 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005

Site / Greenfield/Brownfield / Completed Area
(ha) / New Floorspace
(sq.m.)
Bampton
- / - / -
Total: 0.00 / Total: 0.00
Crediton
94 High Street / B / 0.00 / 100
Total: 0.00 / Total: 100
Cullompton
- / - / -
Total: 0.00 / Total: 0.00
Tiverton
- / - / -
Total: 0.00 / Total: 0.00
Elsewhere
Chitterley / G / 0.013 / 83.613
Red Ball Garage / B / 0.00 / 149
Jersey Farm / G / 0.352 / 490
Hartnoll / G / 0.148 / 1650
GreenhamInd. Estate / B / 0.00 / 963.5
GreenhamInd. Estate / B / 0.00 / 417
GreenhamInd. Estate / B / 0.00 / 1350
Rose Cottage / G / 0.04 / 175.5
Total: 0.553 / Total: 5278.613

Total: 0.553

/ Total: 5378.613

Completions by site 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006

Employment Land Survey