Policy information sourced from Core Strategy for Chiltern District

CS16: Employment Land

The Council will aim to secure the long-term retention of a portfolio of employment sites and premises within the District which are attractive to the market and which will provide a range of jobs to meet local needs.

The redevelopment of existing employment sites and premises for employment use to make more efficient use of sites and provide modern premises attractive to the market will be encouraged. Mixed use schemes will be acceptable where these would facilitate appropriate amounts and types of employment uses on the site.

The continued designation, role and boundaries of sites currently covered by Policies E2 and E3 in the Adopted Chiltern District Local Plan will be reviewed in the Delivery DPD to achieve a balanced portfolio of fit for purpose sites attractive to the market. Pending the above review of sites, and subject to the application of the sequential test for any proposed town centre uses, proposals for economic development on these sites will be assessed on a case by case basis in the light of the scale and nature of the uses, their location within the site and the degree to which they would be compatible with, or complementary to, the existing business use in that location and consistent with the integrity and function of the location for employment purposes.

The policies applying to any defined sites will be reviewed in the Delivery DPD.

Changes of an employment use to residential use will be acceptable on the upper floors of properties within the three District Shopping Centres as defined on the Proposals Map.

Where an employment site (including sites covered by policies E2 and E3) is within the built-up areas excluded from the Green Belt, the loss of employment land as a result of redevelopment for other uses, including residential use, will be acceptable where there is no reasonable prospect of the site being used for employment purposes, or where it is creating significant amenity issues, or where the existing use is creating significant highway problems.

For the purpose of this policy “economic development” includes development within the B Use Classes (as defined in the Use Classes Order), public and community uses and town centre uses.

We will measure success with the assistance of the following indicators: