Policy information sourced from the Harrow and Wealdstone Area Action Plan

AAP15: Supporting the Business Sector in Wealdstone

Proposals for economic development and uses, including appropriate supporting ancillary uses, will be permitted on existing designated business and industrial use land except where the proposal:

  • Involves development or uses that should be located within a town centre;
  • Would adversely impact upon the amenity of surrounding uses or the character of the area;
  • Would prejudice the proper functioning of any neighbouring economic activity;
  • Is detrimental to highway safety considerations; and
  • Involves inadequate arrangements for servicing, parking and inclusive access.

Proposals for enabling mixed use development on allocated business and industrial sites within Chapter 5 will be supported where it can be demonstrated that the proposal:

  • Conforms to the development parameters set out in the site’s allocation;
  • Will secure the retention, renewal or intensification of appropriate levels of business and industrial employment, in particular the delivery of accommodation to meet the needs of small and medium sized businesses and industrial enterprises;
  • Limits the enabling use component of the scheme to that necessary to secure the delivery of the type and quantum of employment floorspace to be provided;
  • Will result in a high standard of design and amenity on site commensurate to the mix of uses proposed;
  • Is designed to ensure that the activity and level of amenity of adjacent sites will not be adversely affected by the mixed use activity proposed. This may require the imposition of noise, buffer, screening, landscaping, daylight admission or separation controls;
  • Is capable of sustaining the infrastructure servicing needs (e.g. drainage, roading) of the proposed development. Where the existing infrastructure can not sustain the new development, the proposal must demonstrate an ability to meet its own servicing needs; and
  • Will provide adequate access and include appropriate measures to ensure that the capacity and safety of the adjacent road network is not detrimentally affected.

Proposals for enabling mixed use development on non-allocated business and industrial land will be supported where it can be demonstrated that such proposals meet the criteria listed under Part B above, and the applicant can demonstrate that:

  • Active marketing of the site has been undertaken with local and national agents for a period of at least 24 months;
  • There is an oversupply of similar quality land and buildings within the local market;
  • The age and condition of the buildings on site is a barrier to their long-term continued use, having regard to an up-todate assessment of demand and supply in respect of the need of potential occupiers;
  • Efforts to secure wider economic uses (e.g. employment-related skills and training uses) or use for essential community infrastructure not appropriate for town centre locations (e.g. Police patrol bases, custody centres) have been explored but have not been successful;
  • Where the site is within, adjacent to or contiguous with existing business industrial use activity, the proposed development can be functionally integrated with existing facilities; and
  • The activities to be included within the proposed development and their arrangement within the site have been the subject of a comprehensive masterplan exercise, that has engaged neighbouring occupiers and other potentially impacted parties, to ensure the mix of uses and activities proposed on the site would be compatible with each other and those on adjoining sites.

For more information please see the Area Action Plan