ipswich.gov.uk

The Plan's strategy is no longer employment led, but has been changed to a housing needs led strategy - 13,350 new dwellings to be built by 2031. The result is that the jobs target has fallen out of kilter with the housing target. This is a move in the wrong direction as the emphasis on housing reduces the priority that should be put on jobs. The town cannot support an increasing population (forecast to rise from 133,384 in 2011 to 154,000 in 2031) without a large increase in jobs. The Council's strategy will inevitably result in "too many people chasing too few jobs".

Housing growth must be matched by employment growth. There is a need to ensure that enough jobs are created for the population living in the new housing developments. There is insufficient emphasis on employment in the Strategy which will lead to an imbalance between jobs and homes. Ideally jobs and homes should be in balance and in close proximity with good transport links. However, the strategy provides for the bulk of new housing in the town to be in the Ipswich Garden Suburb, whilst the major employment sites are some distance away e.g. Ransomes Europark, Ravenswood. Other people living in the Garden Suburb will have to look for employment further afield including travelling to London. This will lead to a significant increase in commuting with all the adverse effects this will have on traffic congestion and air quality in the town. The Strategy fails to provide a positive approach to job creation. The target of 12,500 by 2031 may well prove to be unrealistic, particularly as it represents an annual increase in employment which is well in excess of the number of jobs created in the town each year in the past twenty years. Recent years have seen significant growth in population and housing, but lesser growth in jobs.

The Strategy contains no phased targets for job creation over the period. Moreover, there is no link between the land allocated for employment and job creation. The number of jobs will depend on the type of businesses that develop the land. If capital intensive industries move to the town, the number of additional jobs created will be limited.

By emphasising housing rather than employment, the Strategy has severe limitations. It may well encourage the construction of a significant number of additional houses, but those houses will not be located near to new jobs - even if those jobs exist at all.