Policy information sourced from the Islington Development Management Policies

DM5.1 New business floorspace

Within Town Centres and Employment Growth Areas the council will encourage the intensification, renewal and modernisation of existing business floorspace, including in particular, the reuse of otherwise surplus large office spaces for smaller units. Within these locations proposals for the redevelopment or Change of Use of existing business floorspace are required to incorporate:

  • the maximum amount of business floorspace reasonably possible on the site, whilst complying with other relevant planning considerations, and
  • a mix of complementary uses, including active frontages where appropriate.

Within Employment Growth Areas, where there is no existing business floorspace on site, the incorporation of new business floorspace within proposals is encouraged, as well as active frontages where appropriate.

Outside Employment Growth Areas, Town Centres and the Vale Royal/Brewery Road Locally Significant Industrial Site, business floorspace may be provided within mixed use developments where this would enhance the character and vitality of the local area, would not detrimentally impact on residential amenity, and would not compromise residential growth.

Proposals for industrial and warehousing uses will be supported where:

  • off-street loading and adequate goods lifts are provided,
  • satisfactory access and servicing can be achieved to the site, and
  • the use would not be detrimental to amenity, due to noise, vibration, smell, fumes, smoke, soot, ash, dust or grit.

Within the Central Activities Zone (CAZ) major development proposals that would result in a net increase in office floorspace should also incorporate housing, consistent with London Plan Policy 4.3. Where housing comprises less than 20% of the total net increase in office floorspace, an equivalent contribution will be sought for the provision of housing off-site.

New business floorspace must be designed to:

  • allow for future flexibility for a range of uses, including future subdivision and / or amalgamation for a range of business accommodation, particularly for small businesses, and
  • provide full separation of business and residential floorspace, where forming part of a mixed use residential development.

Note: this policy does not apply to the part of the borough covered by the Finsbury Local Plan (Area Action Plan for Bunhill and Clerkenwell).

See also Policy DM5.4 (Size and affordability of workspace).

For more information please see the Islington Development Management Policies