Policy information sourced from Wandsworth Employment and Industry Document

EI 4 Affordable, flexible and managed workplaces

All development for economic uses will be expected to be leased at reasonable rents and under flexible leasing arrangements taking account of the Code for Leasing and Business Premises in England and Wales 2007.

Development proposals for affordable, flexible and managed workspace will be encouraged in order to meet the specific needs of SMEs in the local economy including those in emerging and specialist sectors where the borough demonstrates – or could develop – local specialisation. All development that provides economic floorspace will be expected to contribute to the provision of affordable, flexible and/or managed workspace, which will be secured via S106 agreement. This will be achieved in the following ways:

  • Developments that would provide less than 1,000 sq ms of economic floorspace will be expected to provide a range of unit sizes, unless a specific end user has been identified at the time of submitting the application or unless the proposed development is for a co-working workspace.
  • Developments that would provide more than 1,000 sq ms of economic floorspace will be expected to contribute directly to the provision of affordable, flexible and managed workspaces, either through:
    • Providing a significant element of managed workspace that includes a wide range of features that minimise overhead and upfront investment costs and provide business support for micro and small businesses; or
    • Providing a proportion of office floorspace at an affordable rent in perpetuity, subject to scheme viability.

Developments that provide workspace for specialist sectors will be supported. In particular, workspace that meets the specific needs of the creative, digital, and food and drink industries will be encouraged. Cultural workspace will be required on sites within Nine Elms, the Wandle delta area, the Lombard Road York Road Focal Point, and in the Industrial Business Park areas of the SIL. Cultural workspace will be encouraged elsewhere on town centre, local centre and focal point sites as appropriate. Opportunities for clustering of specialist sectors will be encouraged.

For more information please see the Employment and Industry Document