Policy information sourced from Thurrock Core Strategy and Policies for Management of Development

CSTP6 – STRATEGIC EMPLOYMENT PROVISION

Key Strategic Economic Hubs

The Council will actively seek to maintain high and stable levels of economic and employment growth by creating a network of high quality, mutually reinforcing Key Strategic Economic Hubs, identified in Policy CSSP2. The Key Strategic Economic Hubs will provide 445 hectares of the Industrial and Commercial and Mixed-Use Land between 2009 and 2026. This provision is included in 2 and 3 below.

Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial Areas

The Council will safeguard existing Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial land and premises in, or last used for employment purposes, where it is required to maintain a sufficient supply of employment land in the Plan period. The Site Specific Allocations and Policies DPD will include policies and identify existing Industrial and Commercial land that will be protected for employment purposes, as well as existing employment land to be allocated to other uses. These areas and sites will be shown on the Proposals Map.

The proposed new Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial sites (identified in the Site Allocations and Policies DPD and Proposals Map) will provide approximately 372 hectares of net employment land across the Borough between 2009 and 2026.

The Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial areas will be reserved for employment generating uses falling within Class B1, B2, and B8 and sui generis uses. The Council will consider economic development that includes non-B Class uses within the Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial areas provided that it meets the following:

  • The non-B Class Use provides a complementary and supporting use for the existing Class B uses; or
  • The non-B Class Use is necessary for the day-to-day service requirements of the existing Class B uses; or
  • There is a demonstrable need for the non-B Class Use within the Borough and there are no other reasonable alternative sites within the Borough; and
  • The introduction of the non-B Class Use will not compromise the supply of Class B land within the Borough and will not adversely affect Thurrock’s existing and future economic structure;

Non-B Class uses will not be supported within the Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial areas where they materially change the Class B character of the Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial areas.

Where proposals for new economic development are proposed outside the Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial areas, the Council will make an assessment against the following criteria:

  • Compatibility with uses in the area surrounding the proposal and potential impacts on those uses.
  • Capacity and impact on the road network and access by sustainable modes of transport.

Mixed-Use Employment Locations

The Council will actively seek to maintain high and stable levels of economic and employment growth by creating a network of high quality, mutually reinforcing Key Strategic Economic Hubs, identified in Policy CSSP2. The Key Strategic Economic Hubs will provide 445 hectares of the Industrial and Commercial and Mixed-Use Land between 2009 and 2026. This provision is included in 2 and 3 below.

Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial Areas

The Council will safeguard existing Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial land and premises in, or last used for employment purposes, where it is required to maintain a sufficient supply of employment land in the Plan period. The Site Specific Allocations and Policies DPD will include policies and identify existing Industrial and Commercial land that will be protected for employment purposes, as well as existing employment land to be allocated to other uses. These areas and sites will be shown on the Proposals Map.

The proposed new Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial sites (identified in the Site Allocations and Policies DPD and Proposals Map) will provide approximately 372 hectares of net employment land across the Borough between 2009 and 2026.

The Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial areas will be reserved for employment generating uses falling within Class B1, B2, and B8 and sui generis uses. The Council will consider economic development that includes non-B Class uses within the Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial areas provided that it meets the following:

  • The non-B Class Use provides a complementary and supporting use for the existing Class B uses; or
  • The non-B Class Use is necessary for the day-to-day service requirements of the existing Class B uses; or
  • There is a demonstrable need for the non-B Class Use within the Borough and there are no other reasonable alternative sites within the Borough; and
  • The introduction of the non-B Class Use will not compromise the supply of Class B land within the Borough and will not adversely affect Thurrock’s existing and future economic structure;

Non-B Class uses will not be supported within the Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial areas where they materially change the Class B character of the Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial areas.

Where proposals for new economic development are proposed outside the Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial areas, the Council will make an assessment against the following criteria:

  • Compatibility with uses in the area surrounding the proposal and potential impacts on those uses.
  • Capacity and impact on the road network and access by sustainable modes of transport.

Mixed-Use Employment Locations

The Council will encourage development that maximises the employment contribution from mixed-use development sites. In total, the Council has designated 75.4 hectares of land throughout the Borough for mixed-use development between 2009 and 2026. The mixed-use development sites will be included in the Site Specific Allocations and Policies DPD and identified on the Proposals Map.

Redundant and Under-Used Employment Land and Buildings

In addition to those employment sites allocated to other uses through the Site Specific Allocations and Policies DPD, the Council will accept the redevelopment of genuinely redundant or underused employment land and buildings to non-employment uses provided that it can be demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the Council that:

  • Employment uses are no longer feasible on site;
  • There are sufficient alternative sites/provision to meet existing and future employment needs as identified in this Plan and any future review.
  • The new uses are compatible with neighbouring uses and will not harm the viability of the surrounding employment area;
  • The proposals are compliant with other development plan policies.

Relocation and Expansion of Existing Businesses

The Council will positively encourage the relocation (within Thurrock) of existing firms wishing to expand and major non-conforming installations where this will improve their economic and environmental sustainability, improve the local environment for local residents and enhance the sustainable development potential of adjoining sites. The Council will promote the regeneration and renewal of these sites and their surroundings for housing and mixed-use development.

Office Development

The Council will seek to direct office development to the town centres identified on the Key Diagram and the Key Strategic Economic Hubs. The Council will review locations for office development as part of the Development Plan Documents on Lakeside. Office development will generally be supported in the Primary and Secondary Industrial and Commercial areas provided that it is accessible by sustainable modes of transport and that it does not:

  • Impact upon the viability and amenity of surrounding uses.
  • Unacceptably impact upon the road capacity and network.

Knowledge and Cultural Based Regeneration

The Council will work with partners to enhance local employment opportunities within the Regeneration Areas.

Knowledge based, cultural, retail, leisure and office developments will be directed to existing centres and the Regeneration Areas to promote their vitality and viability. These sectors will act as drivers for sustainable economic growth. The priority centres for the promotion of these sectors are: 

  • Purfleet;
  • Lakeside / West Thurrock Basin;
  • Grays; and
  • Tilbury.

Environmental Industries

The Council will seek to encourage and direct the development of environmental industries to the Key Strategic Economic Hubs. The Council will work with partners to bring forward the delivery of priority environmental industry projects at the preferred following locations:

  • Tilbury
  • London Gateway

Range of Unit Sizes

  • Where appropriate the Council will require the provision of a range of unit sizes including small and medium sized business units in new economic development to ensure the needs of businesses are met.
  • Where appropriate the Council will seek to incorporate small and medium sized business units into mixed-use developments and development proposals within the Regenerations Areas and Key Strategic Economic Hubs.

Skills and Local Employment Opportunities

The Council will work with partners and developers to enhance the knowledge and skills and local employment opportunities for residents including the promotion of local labour and training agreements on major construction projects. The Council will utilise Section 106 obligations to further the objectives of this policy.

Tourism

The Council will support the sustainable growth of the tourist industry in Thurrock. Where appropriate, planning permission will be granted within the town centres and Key Strategic Economic Hubs for overnight tourist and visitor accommodation, including hotels, provided the proposed development would:

  • Avoid any adverse effect on the amenity of occupiers of nearby properties;
  • Be compatible with the character, appearance and function of the area;
  • The proposals are compliant with other policies in the Core Strategy;
  • Where appropriate, the Council will support development proposals that seek to support the development of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and legacy.

Key Diagram and Maps

Key Diagram: Key Strategic Economic Hubs; Regeneration Area. Areas and sites will be included in the Adopted Sites Specific Allocations and Policies DPD and identified on the Proposals Map.

For more information please see the Core Strategy and Policies for Management of Development