Development Management Development Plan (DPD)

Comment

Representation ID: 1037

Received: 20/10/2010

Respondent: Savills

Policies DM22 and DM23 are combined into one policy

Comment

Representation ID: 1038

Received: 20/10/2010

Respondent: Savills

The DMDPD (and CAAP and other LDDs) need to address the needs of self-employed home workers, the provision of starter units for all types of business and workspace / units for Creative Industries.

Object

Representation ID: 1039

Received: 20/10/2010

Respondent: Savills

1(ii) "Provision is made for alternative floorspace to accommodate employment generating uses of at least equivalent jobs to the existing employment floorspace ". This is not clearly worded and it is unclear whether the equivalence should be in the type of employment (sector and grade) or number of jobs measured as full time equivalents.
Clarification is also required of whether this provision can be made on or off-site or via developer contribution.

Comment

Representation ID: 1040

Received: 20/10/2010

Respondent: Savills

1. This preferred option allows for a case to be made in exceptional circumstances to allow the redevelopment of redundant and underused employment buildings and land for non-employment use provided that "it can be demonstrated that there are no prospects of any employment generating use using the site in its current form or within a redevelopment aimed at meeting the accommodation requirements of the key existing and emerging employment sectors in the borough."
This approach applies to all sites and properties except those identified for protection and retention - for which the policy approach is too rigid and inflexible.
Grainger Road has significant neighbouring use and access problems and should not have been identified as a site for retention and protection.
In any event the proposed approach should extend to the sites identified for protection and intervention to allow for their review during the life of the Plan to allow for their release in where there is no demand for the sites / premises and/ or any prospect of redevelopment.

Comment

Representation ID: 1041

Received: 20/10/2010

Respondent: Savills

3. The suggested approach is to require a mix of units in all development proposals.
Speculative employment development is a thing of the past, without significant public investment and subsidy. The range of unit sizes provided in any employment proposals should be led by feasibility and viability criteria and if not for a named occupier, should be informed by a market demand assessment.

Comment

Representation ID: 1042

Received: 20/10/2010

Respondent: Savills

The approach and the preferred option has focussed on the "traditional" employment uses and areas, which are known to be in major and fundamental decline, The issues of addressing the changing requirements of the occupiers of these traditional types of premises and the needs of different and emerging employment sectors have not been addressed. These sectors include those identified - cultural and creative industries, the "intellectual sector" including tertiary education and the service sector for the expanded retail and leisure offer in Southend.

Comment

Representation ID: 1043

Received: 20/10/2010

Respondent: Savills

Consideration of specific sectoral needs and related site selection criteria are needed for both traditional and for other types of employment uses including those in the leisure, hotel, retail, education, cultural, creative and intellectual sectors.
Key issues may include accessibility to the primary road network and or public transport, proximity to workforce of other uses, inclusion of other space (research and development, laboratory space, conference facilities, exhibition space etc).

Comment

Representation ID: 1044

Received: 20/10/2010

Respondent: Savills

A sustainable approach to allocating land for service, warehousing and storage uses needs to be adopted.

Support

Representation ID: 1045

Received: 20/10/2010

Respondent: Savills

We support the aim to promote economic regeneration development by a variety of means including enhancing the town's role as a cultural and intellectual hub. This includes promoting Southend on Sea as a hotel and conference resort and support the expansion of London Southend Airport.
We support the approach to restrict out-of-town hotel development to secure new hotels in the town centre, on the Seafront and at the airport and the decision not the designate Hotel Development Zones.

Comment

Representation ID: 1046

Received: 20/10/2010

Respondent: Savills

We support the preferred approach, but comment that all applications need to be considered on a site-by-site basis, within the overall context of the preferred locations.
Consideration should be given to the special location requirements of key sub-sectors such as boutique hotels and serviced apartments.