About this page
How this part of the Local Plan Options Document works
These Development Management policy option pages contain the following sections:
Policy background
- Relevant national policy or regulations
- National or regional trends
- Local situation and needs/li>
- How we have dealt with this issue in the past
- The thinking behind the policy
Policy options for the new Local Plan
We may suggest a variety of approaches:
- Keeping existing policy as it is
- Making small changes
- Replacing the policy with something that is substantially different
- Identifying factors or events which may affect this policy in the future
Policy option analysis
- A list of the advantages and disadvantages that we have identified for each of the policy options we are presenting.
Read the Jobs Topic Paper , Employment Study Evidence Base document and Economic Strategy Evidence Base for in-depth focus about this topic, and the evidence which informs our policy. Visit our library of Local Plan Options supporting documents to learn more.
Explore the policy
Select a section below to read more.
9.265 Reflecting the latest national policy (NPPF 2023) and the significant losses of industrial land that have occurred in the current Local Plan period; and the increased demand for industrial accommodation; there is an established need for industrial premises in the district and a chronic shortage, particularly in Bath. To help meet this need, all existing industrial and warehousing premises should be protected from redevelopment to higher value uses, in particular residential. Many of the existing smaller scale industrial and warehousing premises are within residential areas or closely related to villages and hence serve a local need and are easily accessible to communities enabling the potential for active travel, and the reduction in commuting distance.
9.266 In light of the chronic shortage of industrial and warehouse premises, we propose to strengthen the policy on non-designated industrial sites to provide greater policy protection. In particular, we will require evidence to demonstrate that tenants have not been served notice with a view to redevelopment, and premises have not been run down by a lack of maintenance with a view to redevelopment to higher value uses. There may also be the potential to redevelop or intensify the use of some of these sites for industrial and warehouse uses and this will be acceptable in principle. In order to assist with the viability of redevelopment or intensification it may be necessary to incorporate an element of higher value uses. Subject to other policies higher value uses may be acceptable as an element of a proposed scheme, but only where there is no net loss of floorspace on the site that is currently used for or, if vacant, last used for industrial and warehousing purposes. In addition, the higher value uses will exclude Purpose Built Student Accommodation.
9.267 Our proposed policy approach is outlined as follows:
Option A
Light industrial, heavy industrial, warehousing (classes E(g)(ii),(iii), B2, B8), builders merchants will be acceptable in principle.
A number of criteria will need to be demonstrated in the case of development involving the net loss of industrial and warehousing/logistics floorspace, including:
- if the premises are vacant the reasons for vacancy
- evidence that the site has not been made purposefully vacant
- details of maintenance demonstrating that the site has not purposefully been left to disrepair
- viability assessment which considers the ability of the current or alternative employment use to continue
- marketing evidence to enable the determination of whether there is genuinely no demand to continue in its current planning use; and marketing for one year based on a protocol to be set out
The criteria relating to ensuring that the development does not adversely affect remaining industrial uses would be retained.
Advantages of Option A
This would assist in meeting the forecast need for industrial and warehousing /last mile logistics uses and facilitating the forecast job growth within the Plan period. This reflects the priorities of the Economic Strategy, supports the growing economic sectors and aligns with housing growth.
Disadvantages of Option A
We recognise that a change of use of one Class E use to another is not development which requires planning permission. It is in some cases beyond the planning system to resist the loss of Class E light industrial uses to other Class E uses.