Policy information sourced from the Dartford Development Policies Plan

DP20: Identified Employment Areas

Identified Employment Areas are important for providing storage, industrial and distribution services, and other business uses. Development for B-class and industrial sui generis uses will be permitted at these locations where industrial development provides for the compatible operation of different activities within the employment area (e.g. by enclosing industrial processes or other measures). Development should minimise adverse impacts on adjoining uses, local character and the environment. Proposals must be acceptable with regard to hours of operation, traffic, noise, fumes, smell, dust, paint or other chemical over-spray, vibration, glare or light spill, electronic interference, or other harmful or nuisance creating material impacts (also see DP5) on neighbours or environmental assets.

At the Identified Employment Areas development for non B-class/ industrial sui generis uses will be permitted only where satisfying the following clauses (3-5) of this policy.

Redevelopment on Core Strategy Priority Areas

In the Borough’s three Priority Areas (Core Strategy Policy CS1) redevelopment at Identified Employment Areas will be permitted only where it is clearly shown that significant overriding local economic and job benefits will be achieved, and also that any loss or re-location of existing employment uses is clearly justified.

Ancillary Facilities

Small scale and well located walk-to facilities and services that are demonstrated to be critical to the functioning of Identified Employment Areas, such as workplace childcare facilities, sandwich shops and cafés, and smallscale convenience retail uses, will normally be supported providing they do not, individually or cumulatively, adversely affect the status or operation of the employment area or harm the vitality and viability of nearby centres or the town centre.

Employment (B-class) proposals involving an element of direct sales will normally be supported only where all of the following criteria are met: