Feasibility Study for the Industrial Area - Part 1 (PDF 5 MB)

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5. Planning Policy Audit This section will identify the strategic significance of the area, the development strategy and the regional context by reviewing Regional Planning Guidance for the North East and the Regional Economic Strategy for the North East; and provide a local context and site specific policy, by reviewing the Unitary Development Plan for Newcastle, the Local Economic Development Strategy and other related documents. 5.1 Strategic Planning Strategic planning policies promote the development of a knowledge based economy, particularly for engineering and manufacturing. They support the establishment of clusters, including for offshore and marine industries. They do not, however, identify or promote the Walker Riverside area in any particular way. Moreover they note the overprovision of employment land and seek de-allocation of employment sites, except where there is a realistic potential of port related activity. 5.1.1 Regional Spatial Strategy for the North East – RSS 1 (2002) The Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for the North East was adopted in 2002 and provides a spatial strategy for the North East up to 2021. The RSS is now under review and a consultation draft was published in November 2004. A summary of both Plans is provided below, including the Plan’s strategy along with policies that affect the Walker River side. The locational strategy identifies the following priority areas for growth: - Majority of new development should be located within the built up areas of the Tyne, Wear and Tees Conurbations; - A significant but smaller scale developments in Hartlepool, Darlington, and the main towns serving other regeneration areas; and - Enhance the role of market towns and other main rural centres. Employment Strategy The strategy aims to facilitate an economic renaissance by encouraging inward investment opportunities, the development of Small/Medium Enterprises (SME’s) and the growth of indigenous businesses. This will be promoted by providing good quality employment and business sites to meet the needs of businesses. The Strategy notes that there is an overprovision of employment land in the region and therefore a Regional Employment land survey is being conducted. However, an additional strategic employment site in the broad location of north of Sunderland is identified. Cluster development is also being promoted in the region. One NorthEast, the Regional Development Agency is promoting the following clusters (two of which could be relevant to the study area, indicated by *): - Automotive; - Bio-sciences; - Chemicals; - Electronics; - Environmental industries*; - Food and drink; - Multi-media; - Offshore/marine/high value added engineering including energy*; - Rural clusters; and - Tourism and cultural industries. Sites adjacent to ports and deep water passages are quoted as being assets in the RSS and should be protected where they have a realistic potential of port related purposes. Housing Strategy Housing provision for the North East Region is set at 5,050 dwellings per annum for the period 2002-2006 (350 per annum for Newcastle Upon Tyne) to reflect the RSS strategy of economic renaissance, reversing out-migration and stabilising population. An early review is required to reconsider this allocation due to the problems of low demand and abandonment in the region. Specific Policy The following policies are pertinent to the Walker Riverside Area and its development: Employment The policies below support the renewal and the development of the Walker Riverside area as an existing employment area and promote cluster development. - Policy EL3 promotes the renewal and modernising of existing employment areas through development plans and other strategies. - Policy EL5 promotes the creation and expansion of innovative business cluster areas. Development Plans should ensure that sites are well related to other development, accessible by a means of transport, priority is given to brown field sites, sites should make use of successful existing employment areas in the locality and the creation of necessary physical infrastructure and support networks. - Policy EL7 safeguards development sites adjacent to existing ports for industries and port related services that would benefit from these locations. Environment The Walker Riverside area contains a number of environmental assets, particularly as it contains open space designations, a Site of Local Conservation Interest (SLCI), and is adjacent to the River Tyne, which provides an important habitat for wildlife. - Policy ENV5 regarding biodiversity states that development plans and other strategies should aim to maintain and increase biodiversity. - Policy ENV10 on open space resists the unnecessary 20 Colin Buchanan
www.cbuchanan.co.uk development on open space. - Policy ENV14 regarding the historic landscape seeks to preserve, in situ, Scheduled Ancient Monuments. - Policy ENV15 designates Hadrian’s Wall as a world heritage site and aims to protect the setting of the site from inappropriate development. Transport The Walker Riverside Area contains a deep water facilities and therefore the following policy supports the protection of such sites. - Policy T16 promotes the safeguarding of sites adjacent to ports for associated development. Energy identified for restricted employment uses. It is likely that this provision will not be developed in its entirety by 2021. The plan identifies that Newcastle should allocate up to 165ha of employment land, including; - 25ha general employment land; - 10ha of mixed use allocation; and - 130ha of prestige employment sites. Even with the likely predicted increase in land requirements, there remains an oversupply in Northumberland, County Durham and Tees Valley. However, a potential shortfall is identified in Tyne and Wear. Prestigious employment sites are identified within policy 21, and do not include Walker Riverside. The policy designates the following sites: The RSS supports the development off-shore wind clusters which is reflected in the policy below and supporting paragraphs. - Policy EN2 on renewable energy states that development plans and other strategies should identify the general locations of Strategic Wind Resource Areas, including offshore locations. 5.1.2 Regional Spatial Strategy for the North East – Consultation Draft - RSS 1 (2004) The RSS consultation draft was published in November 2004 and will replace the existing RSS (2002). The policies of the plan have an end date of 2021, however, some policies will guide development over a longer period. The strategy aims to reduce the economic and social disparities between the North East and other regions, by moving towards a more knowledge based economy and regenerating areas that have experienced high levels of socio-economic deprivation, urban dereliction and low demand. The locational strategy for the North East is based on ‘the two city regions concept - the Tyne and Wear and Tees Valley. The RSS supports the development of these city regions in conjunction with developing vibrant rural areas (i.e. market towns and rural service centres). Employment Strategy The strategy builds upon the Regional Economic Strategy for the Region, by supporting the continued restructuring of the economy to capture the growth potential of new innovative industries such as the renewable energy sector and the service and information technology sector. At present, the economy of the region is changing with more emphasis on the service sector, knowledge based industries and closer links between universities and businesses. Employment in manufacturing is expected to decline. However, the Strategy stresses that it remains an important sector for the regions economy and provision should be made for further developments within this sector. Following the Regional Employment Land Survey and Local Plan reviews, a number of sites designated for employment purposes have been de-allocated, however, there still remains provision for approximately 2,700 ha, which also takes into account sites - West Hartford, Cramlington - This site is being marketed as a Bioscience Park, and comprises of 55ha of land with good transport accessibility. - Newcastle Great Park - Location for digital based businesses, with a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, providing incubator units for start-up firms and facilities for technology transfer, financial and management support. - Newburn Riverside, Newcastle - Located on the north side of the River Tyne which has planning permission for B1, B2 and B8 uses. - North of Sunderland - The site could potentially cross 3 local authorities including Sunderland, Gateshead and South Tyneside. It will provide land for regionally significant emerging growth sectors and could support cluster/campus developments to support knowledge based industries. - Knowledge Campus, Baltic Business Park Gateshead - This is an international centre, providing workspaces, technology based products and on-line services to the global product development community. - North East Technology Park, Sedgefield - Conceived as a regional centre for technology transfer. - Wynard Business Park – being developed for business purposes, including electronics’ and high tech sectors. Sites adjacent to ports and deep water passages are considered assets and should be protected where they have a realistic potential of port related purposes. In terms of the renewable energy, on -shore wind schemes are being promoted in certain locations within Policy 44, that have the least environmental impact. With regards proposals for offshore wind developments along the North East , the strategy supports their development in principle, subject to local assessment. The RSS also stresses that it is unlikely that further commercial offshore wind site/wave energy generation will come forward in the region before 2010, other than those already committed. It is also too early to consider the potential for future deep water offshore wind developments, although this will be reviewed in subsequent RSS reviews. Walker Riverside Feasibility Study Section 1 - p. 21
Page 1 and 2: Walker Riverside Feasibility Study
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Page 6 and 7: Fig. 1.1 - Study Area N A&P Tyne Fi
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Feasibility Study for the Industrial Area - Part 1 (PDF 5 MB)

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