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Planning Advisory Service (PAS)
Open group | Started - July 2012 | Last activity - May

RE: NPPF Para 22 - 'long term' and 'reasonable prospect'

Former Member, modified 9 Years ago.

NPPF Para 22 - 'long term' and 'reasonable prospect'

Im starting to receive planning applications for policy comments where developers are trying to develop employment sites for alternative uses - usually residential.

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience of determining what 'long term protection' of a site is and how to define what a 'reasonable prospect' of an employment site coming forward for its intended use is?

I have sites newly allocated in an emerging Local Plan, which weren't employment sites previously. Given the economic downturn that we are slowly climbing out of, can the issue of 'no reasonable prospect' be considered fairly in the current economic climate?

nppf paragraph 22 safeguarding employment land
Andrea King, modified 9 Years ago.

RE: NPPF Para 22 - 'long term' and 'reasonable prospect'

Enthusiast Posts: 76 Join Date: 19/08/13 Recent Posts

Hi Alison!  We recently had a planning application for housing development of a 1.1ha site allocated for ED uses in our 2012-adopted LDF Site-Specific Allocations DPD (plan period to 2026), which they gained planning permission for on 17-02-2014 based on viability evidence that suggested limited prospect for it coming forward for ED in the near future.  It was ultimately decided that it was in accordance with the criteria in our Policy DM2 that requires evidence of marketing and viability.  It's currently under construction. 

See application ref. ST/0969/13/FUL for Cotswold Lane, Boldon Colliery via http://poppy.southtyneside.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/ApplicationSearch.aspx and committee report at http://www.southtyneside.info/applications/2/councillorsandcommittees/committeemeeting.aspx?committeeid=796&meetingid=2991&periodid=26.  

Former Member, modified 9 Years ago.

RE: NPPF Para 22 - 'long term' and 'reasonable prospect'

Thanks for this Andrea.

Looks like there is no way to safeguard sites, especially seeing as you have an adopted DPD in place. I think its a shame that sites are are being lost to other uses given the economic climate and the fact that we plan for a longer time period than 'near future'.

Andrea King, modified 9 Years ago.

RE: NPPF Para 22 - 'long term' and 'reasonable prospect'

Enthusiast Posts: 76 Join Date: 19/08/13 Recent Posts
We did look at the argument that it was part of our allocated employment land supply to provide for needs for the whole plan period up to 2026, not just the next few years, and that we already have a 5yr housing land supply, but on balance with the viability evidence it was felt that being quite a small site it wasn't a priority one to retain for ED use at all costs and wouldn't greatly impact on our supply, .