In the Lombard Road/York Road Riverside, Ransomes Dock, and Wandsworth Riverside Quarter and Wandle Delta Focal Points, offices suitable for SMEs will be supported as part of mixed use developments in order to create vibrant active places, in accordance with DMPD policy DMO8 and Core Strategy policy PL9. To ensure there is no detrimental impact on town centres, applications for developments that would result in a net increase in employment (use class B1a) floorspace will need to be justified by a sequential test. Applications for office floorspace over the 2,500 sq ms threshold will need to be justified by an impact assessment, in accordance with the NPPF.

In areas lacking local jobs, such as Roehampton, measures to promote additional employment through regeneration initiatives willbe supported. This may include small-scale B class floorspace that is aimed at local start-up and SME businesses. This floorspace should be in appropriate locations, near to Town Centres, Local Centres or Important Local Parades, should be in places with good public transport accessibility, and should be part of a cluster of mutually-supporting uses such as libraries, cultural facilities and community centres.

To help meet the need for business and industrial floorspace, and to support emerging and growing industries, the following areas as set out on the Policies Map,are designated as Economic Use Intensification Areas:

These areas have capacity to provide intensified industrial uses, increased business floorspace and/or managed workspace for SME businesses. Residential use will also be appropriate in these areas, where this assists in developing more intensive economic uses and is compatible with the spatial objectives set out in the relevant Area Spatial Strategy and/or Site Allocation. The site allocation for each area sets out the required approach to the provision of economic and other uses on the site and must be complied with. Where a site allocation requires 25% increase in floorspace this will be applied to the net internal area.

Policy EI6 identifies parts of the Queenstown Road, Battersea Strategic Industrial Location as appropriate for Industrial Business Park uses. These areas have capacity to provide intensified economic uses including industrial floorspace as well as workspace for SMEs. In the IBP areas, redevelopment of all sites must provide at least the existing quantity of industrial floorspace on the site. B1a (office) and B1b (research and development) uses may also be appropriate. If the existing use of the site is solely or predominantly offices (B1a), redevelopment must provide industrial uses of the ground floor, unless this would result in harm to a heritage asset or would have a significantly detrimental impact on the amenity of neighbouring residents.

Outside of the locations described in sections 1 to 5 above, applications for new office development will only be supported subject to justification with a sequential test. The sequentially preferable locations are those set out in part 1 of this policy. Applications for office floorspace over the 2,500 sq ms threshold will need to be justified by an impact assessment, in accordance with the NPPF.

For more information please see the Employment and Industry Document