Policy information sourced from Redbridge Local Plan

LP14: Stimulating Business and the Local Economy

The Council will promote business and employment, and maintain the viability of key employment sites by:

  • Protecting and directing industrial activity to the borough’s Strategic Industrial Locations (SILs) at Hainault Business Park and Southend Road Business Park as the prime locations for Class B1 (business), Class B2 (general industry) and Class B8 (storage and distribution) development. Proposals for uses falling outside the above uses will be resisted;
  • Allocating Hainault Business Park as an Industrial Business Park (IBP) and Southend Road Business Park as a Preferred Industrial Location (PIL) and Industrial Business Park (IBP);
  • Intensifying and managing Local Business Areas of Newton Industrial Estate, Forest Road, Hainault Works, Ravens Road and Connaught Road West. In these areas the Council will support:
    • Intensifcation of Class B1 (business), Class B2 (general industry) and Class B8 (storage and distribution) uses, particularly premises to accommodate small and medium enterprises (SME); and
    • Mixed use employment led schemes which include housing and live/work units as long as it does not prejudice the ongoing use of the area for business purposes, there is no net loss of employment space and where residential use is compatible with existing employment uses.
  • Seeking to protect Local Business Areas at The Shrubberies, Barnado’s, Coventry Road and Cranbrook Road, Beal Road, Wellesley Road, and Roden Street North for continued ofce use;
  • Making more efective and efcient use of non-designated employment land by managing the release of 14.45 ha of employment land considered to be outdated, underutilised or poorly performing. Unless identifed as an Opportunity Site in Appendix 1, proposals for alternative uses on nondesignated employment land should:
    • Demonstrate that continued business activity will confict with character, appearance and amenity of the locality and its surrounding area;
    • Demonstrate the premises have been vacant for over 12 months, following active marketing using reasonable terms and conditions, and has no reasonable prospect of being occupied for another business use; and
    • Include compatible modern ft for purpose employment uses, which could include live/work units, as part of any new or replacement mixed use schemes.
  • Supporting a minimum 21,206 sq.m (net) of new purpose built modern fexible ofce and business accommodation (24,948 sq.m gross) in Investment and Growth Areas, town centres, and other land previously used for employment purposes, to accommodate small and medium enterprises (SME) falling in Class B1; and
  • Promoting the established Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in Ilford Town Centre and Hainault Business Park and support initiatives by local businesses to establish new BIDs.

Where live/ work units are proposed:

  • At least 50% of the proposed foorspace of an individual unit should be B1 workspace, to ensure it is genuinely dual use, and the workspace is compatible with the residential element;
  • The residential element should meet amenity and internal space standards;
  • The character and function of the surrounding area should not be compromised, and
  • Where development thresholds are met, afordable housing requirements will apply.

Implementation

The Council will continue to play an active role in relevant local economic partnerships (i.e. London Enterprise Partnership) and other sub-regional partnerships to create a clear vision and provide a strong voice for east London’s economic development and infrastructure needs;

The Council will continue to support the provision of training, development and employment opportunities through mechanisms such as Work Redbridge and partners, its own capital projects, and procurement of goods and services; and

The Council will monitor the change to industrial space and provide supplementary guidance in the event that greater clarity is required regarding the distribution or type of reduction in industrial capacity.

For more information please see the Local Plan