Bury Employment Land Review
The Draft Employment Land Review is an assessment of the quantity and quality of existing employment land in the Borough and considers the extent to which this land can meet projected employment land requirements over the LDF plan period. In addition, the Review has identified those sites which are no longer considered to be appropriate for continued employment use. The approach taken is in line with the methodology set out in the Employment Land Reviews: Guidance Note (2004) produced by the Government.
Go to the Employment Land Review web page
Bury Employment Opportunities Study
The Council has commissioned King Sturge to undertake an Employment Opportunities Study for Bury in order to guide the Council’s approach towards economic development and economic planning policy in the Bury Local Development Framework. This Study was finalised in December 2006 and was formally endorsed by the Council's Executive Committee on 10 January 2007. The Study is now a material consideration in the determination of planning applications.
The Bury Employment Opportunities Study reviews the state of the local economy, reviews appropriate planning policy and assesses the local property market and the availability of employment land and premises in the Borough, in both quantitative and qualitative terms. Against this background, the Study recommends changes to planning policy to ensure that there is a supply of quality employment land and premises that are genuinely available to meet the needs of the market and to enable the Borough’s economy to continue to grow. In addition, the EOS recommends an approach towards dealing with proposals for the redevelopment of existing employment land and premises for other uses, including the use of planning obligations (Section 106 Agreements) to secure compensation for the loss of such employment opportunities that will be used to bring forward employment sites elsewhere in the Borough.
Download the Executive Summary of the Employment Opportunities Study (77kb 5 page pdf)
Copies of the full report can be obtained at a cost of £100 by contacting a member of the Planning Policy Section (see details below)
Employment Land and Premises SPD
Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) 14 was adopted on 12 September 2007. The SPD is updated in conjunction with revisions to the Valuation Office Agency’s Property Market Reports. The latest update to the SPD was in May 2008.
The SPD sets out the Council’s intended approach towards planning applications proposing the redevelopment of employment land and premises in the Borough for higher value uses, such as housing or retail.
The approach seeks to protect appropriate employment land and premises but also provides a developer with alternatives where they can clearly demonstrate a lack of demand for the site from other businesses and that the retention of the site in employment use is not a financially viable option.
Go to the ADOPTED SPD14 Employment Land and Premises web page
Employment Land Availability
The employment land availability schedule produced by the Planning Policy Section provides details of the availability of employment land as of 1 April 2007. The full schedule is available for free inspection or purchase (£15). The introduction to the schedule, available from the link below provides a brief summary of the employment land supply. For further information on the content of this document please contact Planning Policy.
Download the Employment Land Availability Summary Statement 2007 (943kb 23 page pdf)
Contact Us
Planning Policy Section, Department of Environment and Development Services
2nd Floor, Craig House, 5 Bank Street, Bury, BL9 0DN
Tel: 0161 253 5283 Fax: 0161 253 5290 Email: planning.policy@bury.gov.uk
