Post Submission Main Modifications Core Strategy and Policies (DPD) and Site Allocations and Policies (incorporating IP-One Area Action Plan) (DPD)

Object

Representation ID: 24403

Received: 01/12/2016

Respondent: Ashfield Land Limited

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Ashfield Land is however concerned regarding the need to provide a "town centre first approach to the location of offices". It is accepted that office uses are a Main Town Centre Use within the NPPF, and sequential testing should be used when assessing appropriate sites.

However, by defining a site as an Employment Area, the requirement to provide a sequential test within these areas should be removed. If a site is seeking to attract
employment, then office uses should also be encouraged.

Support

Representation ID: 24471

Received: 01/12/2016

Respondent: Ashfield Land Limited

Ashfield Land continues to support the allocation of IP140 Land North of Whitton Lane as defined within Policy SP5. Ashfield Land supports the removal of the words "with some" before "B2 and B8", which therefore allows flexibility between the uses that could come forward on the site. This is in line with paragraph 157 of the NPPF.

Object

Representation ID: 24472

Received: 01/12/2016

Respondent: Ashfield Land Limited

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

B1a uses are now proposed to be specifically excluded, whilst the draft Plan previously specifically included B1a uses. This appears to be contrary to the text in Table 3 of Policy SP5 where there is no exclusion of uses within class B1 for the Ipswich Business Park.

As a result, Appendix 3A and Policy SP5 are consistent, and this also relates to the wording of policy DM25 of the draft Core Strategy DPD, which allows for B1 use subject
to sequential testing.

Ashfield Land considers the proposed exclusion of office uses at the Ipswich Business Park to be contrary to paragraph 157 of the NPPF, where flexibility of uses are
encouraged.

Ashfield Land also seeks reassurance that the indicative capacity figures for floorspace is for indicative purposes only. At no point during the consultation process have the figures of 10,000sqm for both business use and other B-Class uses been discussed.
At present, the eastern part of the site is subject to a planning application (ref 16/00898/FUL) by a national floorcovering business for a regional distribution centre
providing approximately 13,378sqm of B8 use. The application is due for determination in January 2017. The size of this proposed development would exceed the indicative capacity figures provided in the policy.