Policy information sourced from Barking and Dagenham Adopted Core Strategy

POLICY CE3: SAFEGUARDING AND RELEASE OF EMPLOYMENT LAND

Strategic Industrial Land

The Council will safeguard, promote and manage the Strategic Industrial Locations at River Road Employment Area, Rippleside, and Dagenham Dock. Land within these locations will not be released for other purposes. The Council will also seek to safeguard designated Locally Significant Industrial Sites for employment uses subject to the provisions set out below.

Locally Significant Industrial Land

The partial release of sites within a designated Locally Significant Industrial Site will only be considered acceptable where it can be demonstrated that the remaining part of the designated site will be more intensively developed to ensure no net loss in employment provided. Redevelopment which satisfies this requirement and which would also provide for the needs of small and medium enterprises through the provision of affordable workspace would be particularly supported. A local (or, where appropriate, strategic) assessment of industrial demand should form the basis of any such proposals.

Non-designated Employment Land and Buildings

Proposals for the change of use or redevelopment of land and buildings which are in employment use but not specifically designated for employment purposes may be allowed. Where this is the case the potential of the surplus land or buildings to provide vital community facilities will be given priority over residential-only proposals. In considering such proposals the following will be considered:

  • Is the site located in a low public transport accessibility level (PTAL 1-2) area, where it would be hard for the local workforce to access it by bike or walking, and / or where sustainable freight transport would not be possible?
  • Would the continued use of the land or buildings for employment purposes cause unreasonable disturbance to residential properties and would the proposed new use improve residential amenity?
  • Is the land or building no longer needed for employment uses, and has this been evidenced through the provision of a local (or, where appropriate, strategic) assessment of industrial demand?
  • Has the site been unused for employment uses for at least a year, despite having been properly marketed on reasonable terms?
  • Is the current employment use (if one remains) moving to an alternative accessible and otherwise suitable site?
  • Is the site of an insufficient quality and / or fitness to accommodate existing types of industrial demand?

Strategic Industrial Locations

  • River Road Employment Area, Rippleside, and Dagenham Dock/Rainham Employment Area are designated as Strategic Industrial Locations in the London Plan and as such form a vital part of the capital’s main reservoir of industrial capacity and must be protected.