Policy information sourced from the The Dartford Plan

Policy M18: Sustainable Economic Locations

New business and services in Use Classes B and E will be supported where appropriately located and designed, with major developments to be accessible by good public and active transport, at:

  • Central Dartford and Ebbsfleet Garden City; or
  • Identified employment areas; or
  • The network of retail centres (Table 10).

Outside the network of Retail Centres, and where not in accordance with Identified Employment Area policies, developments classified as main town centre uses must be accompanied by:

  • a sequential assessment; and
  • an impact test for developments of 280sqm gross or more.

Strategic investment proposals for large new research and development facilities, offices or high technology industrial premises, and storage and distribution operations at a variety of scales, of a form not already provided in the Borough, will be supported where sustainably located at Central Dartford, Ebbsfleet Garden City or at/ adjacent to identified employment areas. If there is no prospect of accommodating this development at these locations, such uses may exceptionally be considered elsewhere where:

  • it is robustly evidenced that clear substantial local benefits are secured, including through the scale and type of new employment opportunities generated and improved sustainable transport provisions; and
  • there is a demonstrable extraordinary economic need for the development in the Borough.

Policy information sourced from the The Dartford Plan