http://www.nwda.co.uk/pdf/Strategic_sites by Northwest Regional Development Agency

Strategic Regional Sites Evidence Base and Emerging Issues

January 2005

Contents

Page

Introduction

Background

Objectives

Evidence Base for the Designation of Strategic Regional Sites

Strategic Alignment with Regional Planning Guidance for the Northwest

Market Analysis

Emerging issues in inward investment

Conclusion

Appendix A:

Strategic Regional Sites: Planning Background, Issues and Objectives

Appendix B:

Strategic Regional Sites: Primary Economic Targets

Appendix C:

Analysis of Strategic Regional Sites by NWRA Consultants

Appendix D:

Extract from RPG 13 Regional Planning Guidance for the Northwest (1996)

Introduction This report sets out the evidence base for strategic regional sites. It provides general and sitespecific objectives for each site, and discusses some emerging issues, and their implications for the preparation of Regional Spatial Strategy. Appendix A summarises the vision and operational objectives for each of the designated 25 sites. This is supplemented with the relevant policy position in RPG13, and the local development plan context. The Appendix identifies sites designated as potential Regional Investment Sites by local planning authorities in accordance with RPG13 Policy EC5, sites not designated, and sites unsuitable for such designation.

Background Terminology The term ‘strategic regional site’ is used by the Northwest Development Agency to describe 25 key employment sites, the delivery of which will be critical to the effective implementation of the Regional Economic Strategy. The sites are critical priorities for the Agency and the Corporate Plan1 confirms that the strategic regional sites will be priorities for Agency investment. A distinction needs to be made between the use of the term ‘strategic regional site’ and the term ‘Regional Investment Site’. In designating strategic regional sites, the Agency is not taking any land use planning decisions, but is nonetheless establishing its own position and policy direction as the basis for its future involvement in relevant planning issues and decisions. By contrast, Regional Investment Sites are statutory planning designations, and the criteria for their identification within development plans are identified in Policy EC5 of RPG13. This makes it clear that the identification of RISs is a matter for Development Plans (now Local Development Documents). Informed by RPG 13 local planning authorities have identified 12 RISs and are moving these forward through the development plan process. Designation of strategic regional sites The Regional Strategy (2000)2 identified a shortlist of 11 sites. These sites were identified to provide clarity amongst many competing proposals and to guide future Agency investment. The majority of these sites were either well advanced or non-controversial in planning terms. The Regional Strategy confirmed that this list was not exhaustive and that the NWDA would consider the case for additional sites. The 11 sites identified were: • • • • • • • • • • •

Ashton Moss, Tameside Basford, Crewe Cuerden Regional Business Park, Leyland/Preston Daresbury Park, Runcorn Kingmoor, Carlisle Kings Business Park, Knowsley Kingsway Business Park, Rochdale Omega 600, Warrington3 Royal Ordnance Factory, Chorley The Estuary, Liverpool (Speke/Garston) Wirral International Business Park

The Regional Assembly confirmed its support for all the sites in draft RPG13 published in July 20004. In addition the Regional Strategy identified Parkside as a potential intermodal freight terminal. This site was also supported by NWRA in draft RPG13.

1 2 3

Northwest Development Agency: Corporate Plan 2003/04 to 2005/06. England’s Northwest: A Strategy Towards 2020, NWDA (2000). Now known as Omega South. Draft Regional Planning Guidance for the North West, NWRA (July 2000).

In July 2001 the Agency issued for consultation a report identifying potential additions to the list of strategic sites. Candidates for addition were filtered in terms of their economic potential and contribution to achieving the Regional Strategy. The first filter criteria were: • Potential for knowledge based industry (i.e. Regional Strategy growth target sectors, excluding tourism); and • Potential for generic manufacturing (i.e. Regional Strategy established target sectors) and for strategic distribution. Sites emerging from the filter process were then appraised against environmental and regeneration criteria. Following consultation with a wide range of partners, the Agency’s Board formally endorsed the following additional strategic regional sites in December 20015: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Barton, Salford Birkenhead Twelve Quays Blackburn/Whitebirk6 Carrington, Trafford Chester Business Park Davenport Green, Trafford Ditton, Widnes Lancaster University/Bailrigg Liverpool University Edge North Manchester Business Park7 Parkside Former Colliery, St Helens Waterside Park, Tameside Wavertree Technology Park, Liverpool Westlakes, Whitehaven

With the exception of Parkside these sites had already been identified by the relevant local planning authority in either approved or emerging development plans. As highlighted in the Agency’s formal response to Draft RPG138, all of the additional sites proposed were within Regeneration Priority Areas, or within Regional Poles and Inner Cities or in Metropolitan or Key Towns and Cities identified in RPG 13 (now RSS). The identification of these 25 strategic regional sites was confirmed in the Regional Economic Strategy (2003)9, which stated that a limited number of additional sites may be required, for example sites arising from local plans or from studies such as the Mersey Belt Study10. Following extensive consultation with a wide range of partners, the Mersey Belt Study Policy Statement11 set out the Agency’s position on the consultants recommendations in the Mersey Belt

5 6 7 8 9 10

Strategic Regional Sites: Formal Designation, NWDA (December 2001). Now known as Whitebirk. Now known as Central Park, Manchester. NWDA Formal Response to Draft RPG, Annex A – Strategic Regional Sites (August 2002). Regional Economic Strategy, NWDA (2003). Mersey Belt Study: a report by DTZ Pieda consulting in association with JMP Consultants Ltd and Regeneris Consulting to NWDA (2002). Mersey Belt Study Policy Statement, NWDA (October 2003).

Study and confirmed an additional strategic regional site – Alderley Park (AstraZeneca), Macclesfield. In April 2004, the Agency’s Board endorsed the deletion of Waterside Park, Tameside from the list of designated strategic regional sites on the basis that the type of development now proposed was different in scale and location from the earlier Waterside Park proposal and was essentially of local and sub-regional significance. Appendix B lists the current 25 designated strategic regional sites, together with the intended primary economic targets for each.

Objectives Regional Economic Strategy The Regional Economic Strategy (RES) 2003 identifies ten strategic objectives which are integral to achieving the vision to transform England’s Northwest through sustainable economic development. Objective 9 seeks to ensure the availability of a balanced portfolio of employment sites. In this context the RES states, “The NWDA has identified 25 sites as critical to the effective implementation of the Regional Economic Strategy. Without such a portfolio, it will not be possible to deliver other strategy objectives in relation to Business Development. There are also strong links between the identification and delivery of this portfolio and the achievement of other objectives in respect of Regeneration, Infrastructure, Skills and Employment”. Key Activity 9.1 in the RES states that the Agency will act as lead partner to “secure the development of designated strategic regional sites to boost business growth opportunities”. The sites are therefore key priorities for the Agency to be delivered in a phased manner over the next two decades. The Regional Economic Strategy Action Plan 2003-2006 details the major action points required to achieve Key Activity 9.1. It states that the Agency will: • Provide priority for implementation of strategic regional sites through NWDA Corporate Plan and other relevant partners budgets (Major Action Point 9.1.1); • Provide support for strategic regional sites through the statutory planning process (Major Action Point 9.1.2); • Prepare co-ordinating masterplans to ensure high standards of urban design and landscaping (Major Action Point 9.1.3); • Implement CPOs to secure land assembly where required (Major Action Point 9.1.4); and • Provide an implementation plan indicating objectives and including market positioning for each site (Major Action Point 9.1.5). The development of the strategic regional sites is integral to delivering the priorities in the RES and the Agency’s remit. In terms of business development, the sites are supporting cluster development, business incubation and supporting university spin-out, in addition to providing high quality locations for both indigenous and inward investment.

The sites are also critical to meeting regeneration objectives. Sites within regeneration priority areas provide high-value jobs in areas of employment need. Derelict and contaminated sites are being reclaimed to create high quality business locations, thereby facilitating job creation and improving the urban fabric of the region’s towns and cities. Delivery of the sites will be closely linked to achieving skills objectives through supporting largescale job creation, particularly high-value jobs in the knowledge based industries. In order to grow the region’s skills base, a number of the sites have a specific focus on developing closer links between the region’s world class higher education institutions and industry, through providing research and business incubation facilities. Objectives of strategic regional site designation The high level objectives for the strategic regional sites are as follows: • Providing a portfolio of attractive opportunities for future inward investment across the region; • Encouraging the development of knowledge based industry within areas of regeneration need; • Building on the region’s existing clusters of knowledge based activity, especially close to universities and other research and knowledge clusters; • Providing inter-modal freight facilities and terminals to encourage sustainable freight distribution; and • Supporting economic growth and economic restructuring across the region. In accordance with RES Major Action 9.1.3 the Agency is preparing Implementation Plans for each of the strategic regional sites through detailed consultation with the relevant local authorities and other partners. The purpose of the Implementation Plans is to provide a clear sense of direction and focus for the delivery of each site and for working with sub-regional partners. The Implementation Plans will be working documents which set out the strategic context and provide a broad vision and series of operational objectives for the development of each site. They will also provide information on the planning context, access, site constraints and land ownership details along with the identification of committed and future actions for each site.

Evidence Base for the Designation of Strategic Regional Sites The evidence base that has been used to inform the designation of strategic regional sites relies on a wide variety of sources: • The Regional Economic Strategies (2000 and 2003); • Consultation responses to the draft Regional Economic Strategies; • Regional Planning Guidance for the North West (RPG13) - particularly chapter 3: The Spatial Development Framework; • Spatial Implications of the North West Regional Strategy12; • NWDA Property Strategy13: • Mersey Belt Study14; • Discussion with key regional partners; and • In-house knowledge of inward investment and property markets. 12

13 14

Englands North West : a Strategy toward 2020 and Regional Planning Guidance Review - Spatial Implications of the North West Regional Strategy DTZ Pieda Consulting on behalf of DETR, NWDA and NWRA (2000). NWDA Property Strategy : final report GVA Grimley and PricewaterhouseCoopers (2000). Mersey Belt Study: a report by DTZ Pieda Consulting in association with JMP Consultants Ltd and Regeneris Consulting to NWDA (2002).

The above evidence base also forms the basis for the Agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s involvement in the planning system i.e. through its responses to statutory consultations on development plan reviews, regional and national planning policy guidance, and the Agencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responses to statutory consultations on planning applications affecting strategic regional sites.

Strategic Alignment with Regional Planning Guidance for the North West The 25 strategic regional sites display a good strategic alignment with the Spatial Development Framework and policy context of RPG13. Spatial development framework Complying with Policy SD1, the designated strategic regional sites serve to focus development within the North West Metropolitan Area (NWMA), with 15 of the 25 sites falling within the NWMA. Moreover, these sites are clustered within the Regional Poles of Manchester and Liverpool and their surrounding urban areas. Of the sites not within the NWMA, 6 of these are within the key towns and cities outside the NWMA, as listed in Policy SD3 of RPG13. In addition to directing development outside the NWMA to these key towns and cities, Policy SD3 sets out the need for development and regeneration within the identified Regeneration Priority Areas. Complying with this policy context, 18 of the 25 designated strategic regional sites lie within Regeneration Priority Areas as identified in RPG13 Key Diagram 3. In the two instances where the designated sites do not directly fit with the Spatial Development Framework (i.e. those sites that are outside Regeneration Priority Areas and are not identified as key towns and cities outside the NWMA), there exist over-riding reasons for their designation. The importance of Alderley Park (Astra Zeneca), Macclesfield to the regional and national life-sciences sector merited the siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designation, as detailed in the Mersey Belt Study Policy Statement15. The development of the ROF Chorley strategic regional site will bring high value employment to an area of regeneration need and will remediate over 50 hectares of brownfield land. Economic growth and competitiveness with social progress By catering to the requirements of the target sectors, the designated strategic regional sites will be integral to taking forward Policy EC1 Strengthening the Regional Economy. The primary economic targets for the majority of sites are the growth target sectors (Appendix B), which include both manufacturing (Policy EC2) and the knowledge based industries (Policy EC3). Policy EC3 advises the allocation of suitable sites with direct access to research establishments. A number of the designated strategic regional sites are taking forward this recommendation through their close ties with universities, including Liverpool University Edge, Central Park, Manchester, and Lancaster University/Bailrigg.

Mersey Belt Study Policy Statement, NWDA (October 2003).

The strategic regional sites perform well against the criteria detailed in Policy EC5 for the identification of Regional Investment Sites. The majority of the sites are within the identified Regeneration Priority Areas and conform to the Spatial Development Framework. In addition, the NWDA is working closely with partners to deliver good public transport access to the sites, and the majority of sites are re-using previously developed land, contributing to sustainable development and environmental enhancement. A significant number of the sites take forward Policy EC6 through bringing economic growth and high value employment to areas of acute regeneration need. For example, Central Park is bringing high value employment to East Manchester, and The Estuary is catering to growth in the target sectors within the Speke/Garston Strategic Investment Area. Policy EC7 Warehousing and Distribution is being taken forward through those sites that are identified for strategic distribution (see Appendix B). Three sites which are identified for rail-related strategic distribution (Carrington, Trafford; Ditton, Widnes; and Parkside, St Helens), and Birkenhead Twelve Quays which is identified for port-related strategic distribution. The development of these sites will be integral to avoiding unnecessary movement of goods by road and maximising the use of rail and sea for freight distribution. In 2002 research16 commissioned by the NWRA assessed the 25 strategic regional sites in terms of their compliance with draft RPG 13 and found an average score of 60% representing a high compliance with the majority of draft RPG policies. The NWRA’s commissioned research also considered the sustainability and availability/deliverability of the strategic regional sites. It concluded that the sites achieved average scores of 62% for sustainability. Only two of the sites are recorded as failing the sustainability test set by the NWRA’s consultants on the basis of their greenfield nature - Chester Business Park, and Westlakes, Whitehaven. The sites scored an average of 65% in terms of their commercial availability and deliverability indicating that most sites have a good chance of attracting and retaining investment. Appendix C summarises the findings of the NWRA’s consultant’s research. The Agency has assessed the proportionate split of brownfield/greenfield land within the portfolio of the 25 designated strategic regional sites. The overall split is 60% brownfield and 40% greenfield. No national target exists setting out the recommended percentage of employment land to be accommodated on previously developed land. However, if a parallel is drawn with the Government’s target for 60% of all new housing to be accommodated on brownfield land it is clear from the above statistics that the portfolio of strategic regional sites would satisfy the target. Ensuring a balance between the economic, social and environmental means that in limited instances there is a case for greenfield development where other gains outweigh the loss of greenfield land. In the Agency’s Formal Consultation Response to Draft RPG17, it recommended that the instances where this is the case include:

Analysis of Regional investment Sites and Mersey Belt Sites, white Young Green Planning and FPD Savills on behalf of NWRA (May 2002). NWDA Formal Consultation Response to Draft RPG13 (August 2002).

• Enhancing sustainable transport and distribution (e.g. Carrington Inter-modal Freight Terminal); • Attracting and developing knowledge based industry by providing nationally and internationally competitive sites (e.g. Davenport Green, Chester Business Park); • Encouraging knowledge based industry to locate in or close to regeneration priority areas (e.g. Whitebirk); and • Building on the region’s science base (e.g. Lancaster University/ Bailrigg).

Market analysis Property research In July 2000 the NWDA received a final property strategy report from consultants GVA Grimley and Price Waterhouse Coopers18. A summary report was distributed to all regional partners setting out the methodology and recommendations. The consultants were tasked to: • understand the property and location requirements of businesses in key target sectors • develop a needs led approach to supply the right type of land and property in appropriate locations, to stimulate business growth and investment The consultants’ approach built on sector analysis, already undertaken by NWDA and its consultants, drew on the consultants’ expertise and market knowledge, and involved a quantified assessment of future demand and supply trends based on a macro analysis of supply and demand. The research found that, for almost all the growth sectors identified by the NWDA, access to a suitable pool of skilled labour was the key to company location requirements. This would lead to a continued demand for sites linked to company research facilities and higher education institutes in the region. International access, for both people and products, pointed to further demand for high quality business park locations in south Greater Manchester/north Cheshire (at that time referred to by NWDA as the ‘southern crescent’). The key to successful science parks – essentially a subset of business parks – lay either in having a major employer which created a centre of excellence, or in focusing on academic links. Alongside the demand for business park accommodation, some professional services preferred the option of flexible space in the centre of the conurbations – especially those needing face to face contact. The major opportunity for the city centres however lay in the creative and media sectors. All the above findings closely reflected the research commissioned jointly with NWRA and GONW on spatial implications of the regional strategy19. The latter research considered the existing short list of 11 sites. It concluded that “relatively few locations cater for high growth science sectors... there is no provision for creative clusters or knowledge spin out (with the possible exception of Daresbury”. In considering additional sites NWDA carefully considered these conclusions.

18 19

NWRA Property Strategy: final report GVA Grimley + Price WaterhouseCoopers (July 2000). England North West: A Strategy towards 2020 and Regional Planning Guidance Review: Spatial Implication of the North West Regional Strategy, DTZ Pieda Consulting on behalf of DETR, NWDA, NWRA (2000).

In the traditional manufacturing sectors, outsourcing and the rationalisation of production was leading to declining demand for traditional large scale manufacturing with office and storage facilities. This conventional real estate requirement was gradually being replaced by growing demand for smaller, sub assembly, light manufacturing space. Outsourcing and rationalisation was also generating demand for specialist, multi modal, multi product, distribution parks. The consultant’s view was that, in the short to medium term, the priority must be to bring forward the supply of already identified sites in current areas of demand particularly in north Cheshire and south Greater Manchester. This would secure adequate supply for the next 7 to 10 years. Their recommended strategy was based on four main spatial foci: • the ‘southern crescent’ • stretching the ‘southern crescent’ to the north • Liverpool and Manchester city centres • Other regeneration priority areas Stretching the ‘southern crescent’ meant moving both the skills and knowledge supply pool north of the River Mersey, by ‘bridging’ (realistically no more than 5-10 miles) into the Manchester Merseyside urban axis. A combination of measures would be needed including the provision of housing and employment sites in strategic locations, in order to influence both skill supply and skilled employment. Sustainable economic development would therefore be as much about delivering an improved quality of life and better residential environments as reclaiming derelict sites for employment. For other regeneration priority areas the secondary call centre market could form an important new source of employment. The media, finance, business services and aerospace sectors of central Lancashire (Preston, Chorley and South Ribble) would act as a hub and catalyst for economic development in Lancashire. Towns in east Lancashire could capitalise on their strengths as places to live and commute. Within the main cities, science park and incubator capacity was needed (linked to higher educational institutes) along with mixed use development. The latter would help to change the image of rundown areas, and provide support especially for the creative and media sectors. All this market analysis was carefully considered by the Agency in determining its approach to strategic regional sites, to ensure that the proposals were realistic and reflected a proper understanding of markets. Take up rates and long term demand The strategic regional sites are intended as long term priorities over a 20 year time span. Many have very long planning and development lead times. Omega, for example, has been in gestation in the planning system for over twenty years, having first been identified in the Warrington New Town Master Plan in the 1970s. It is estimated by the developers that the current proposals would be phased over twenty five years until the site is developed out. Other strategic sites also have a long lead time and planning history, especially in terms of the provision of main drainage, water

supply and strategic access. Indeed the provision of basic infrastructure and its associated long lead times effectively limits the room for manoeuvre on strategic employment land provision, and explains why the great majority of large employment sites are long standing proposals. Long term projections of demand for employment sites are inherently difficult: there are a wide range of uncertainties, relating to national, regional and sub regional GDP growth, and to technical and sectoral change. To obtain some feel for aggregate future requirements the Agency has brought together information on past take up rates for employment land across the region. These can be compared with the total developable land supply available in the strategic regional sites. Taking a mid-range estimate the data suggest that if past rates are projected into the future the North West as a whole will require 5400ha. of employment land over the next 20 years. The projected range lies between 3200ha. and 7100ha. This technical evidence indicates that the strategic regional sites would cater for a little less than a quarter of this estimated total requirement for employment land. More than three quarters of the requirement would need to be satisfied on other employment sites, including those which cater for local needs and uses. Based on this evidence the total quantum of land available in the strategic regional sites over the next 20 years bears an appropriate relationship to evidence of aggregate long term requirements. The outlook for inward investment and its potential special requirements for large sites in the medium term future is considered next.

Emerging issues in inward investment Several, often implicit, assumptions underlie much thinking on inward investment and the need for large sites in the North West, as follows: a) Manufacturing in the UK is in decline b) Large scale manufacturing, and particularly inward investment, will move to cheap labour areas in Eastern Europe (within an extended EU) or to India and the far East c) Services, and in particularly knowledge based industries, are critical to economic growth d) In any event there will be far less inward investment in the future than in the past To a certain degree assumptions such as these find expression in paragraph 4.22 of RPG 13: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bearing in mind the nature of investment attracted to the North West and the trend for more labour intensive projects to choose lower cost locations outside the UK there is no need to identify additional sites for large single users.â&#x20AC;? Each of these assumptions has some grounding in truth and has been reflected in recent trends, but trends could change in the future. Indeed there is growing evidence that such change may already be underway.

Changing trends Manufacturing is a case in point. Until quite recently the automotive industry, for example, was portrayed as a declining, problem afflicted sector, especially in the UK. Yet if output expansion in vehicles continues at the rate seen in recent years, within two years total output will be back to the record levels set in 1972 when British Leyland was the third largest producer in the world20. Moreover current expansion is occurring at a time when production in other west European countries is declining. In the North West Liverpool’s once troubled Halewood plant has emerged as the most productive and efficient plant in Ford’s worldwide operations. There has been substantial investment in the plant and in the adjacent supplier pack. At a European level foreign direct investment is rising. According to Ernst and Young21, projects increased by 27% in the first half of 2004. The automotive industry had the leading share of project numbers (12%) and project numbers in manufacturing rose to 610 from 551. Central and Eastern Europe performed particularly well but there was strong interest in several West European countries including Ireland and the UK. The UK remained the single largest country recipient in terms of number of projects announced. Looking a little further back, research by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) the UK’s share of European Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has fallen from nearly 30% ($120 billion) of the EU total in 1998 to 5.4% ($14.5 billion) in 2003 (see Figure 1 below)22. The causes of the fall are contentious (and some reports have argued that Euro entry is not relevant), but it is a fact that in 1998 the UK decided not to enter the Euro at a time when other EU states chose to do so. The EIU concludes that staying out of the Euro will cost the UK more than one third of its potential annual FDI flows. It remains possible that within the next decade the UK may join the Euro, or other cyclical factors, such as the strength of sterling or the Euro may shift. The Treasury’s assessment is that, if the UK joined on the right basis, membership of the single currency would increase inward investment in the UK. Figure 1

Source: Economic Intelligence Unit(EIU)

20 21

The Economist, ‘The car in front is British’, 9 September 2004. European Investment Monitor: 2004 – the first six months, Ernst & Young International Location Advisory Services, 2004. The Economist, ‘Foreign, redirected investment’, 29 May 2004.

Other factors which are less tangible may also come into play. To date the ICT revolution has had a significant impact on productivity and working practice in the service sector - including logistics. Yet with further growth in robotics and automation it is possible that, over the next decade, similar, or more significant, changes may occur in the manufacturing sector. These would influence the UK’s comparative advantage in manufacturing, reducing the advantage of low labour costs in emerging economies, and increasing the attraction of a politically stable and advanced economy as the base for highly capital intensive projects requiring smaller, yet highly skilled, labour inputs. These changes – and potential trend shifts – have the capacity to significantly change the market for inward investment over the next decade. It is quite possible that demand will strengthen in the UK for a significant number of large scale manufacturing investments, requiring a large site and access to a high skilled and highly paid labour force, probably tending highly automated processes. Recent inward investment in the North West by Quinn Glass and arvato AG provide some support for this hypothesis. Equally there is the possibility of renewed FDI at the high end of the knowledge spectrum (eg corporate HQ and research). Across Europe, the Ernst and Young survey shows that manufacturing remains the most important single activity. But the activity showing the greatest growth was corporate headquarters, where projects rose from 89 to 158. This growth reflected a large number of headquarter projects from Asia, particularly Japan and China. Some parts of the region, notably Chester, have shown the capability to compete in national and international markets for this high level knowledge based activity. This year’s annual survey of inward investment projects by Ernst and Young showed a rise in UK FDI projects23. The popularity of the recent accession countries appears to have weakened slightly – their share of projects fell by 17%. France won only two thirds of the number of projects attracted to the UK. Within the UK, the North West showed the largest increase in direct investment, rising from 13 projects in 2002 to 34 in 2003. London, whilst still the largest draw for investment, saw its total fall from 125 to 112 projects. The survey showed that ten new call centres were established in the North West. In addition, however, substantial manufacturing investments were secured, creating jobs in food, chemical and pharmaceutical plants. The NWDA has recently secured a single German project (arvato AG) requiring 500 skilled staff to run a highly automated printing process, requiring a 500,000 sq ft building on a 50 acre site – with an option for an additional 25 acres. A search of the region revealed that only one large suitable site was available. It will be extremely difficult to cater for the next similar inquiry. In part, inward investment decisions are influenced by the availability of grant aid support. It is expected that the UK grant aid map will be revised in 2006 with the loss of, or reductions in, assisted area status, caused by the EU accessions. It is expected that Merseyside will be the only part of the North West retaining some grant assisted status. The removal of grants will create a more level playing field and arguably put more emphasis on other factors such as site availability.

European Investment Monitor: 2004 – the first six months, Ernst & Young International Location Advisory Services, 2004.

Issues for RSS This discussion poses a number of important questions for the preparation of RSS: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv)

Do we have enough large sites in the right general locations? Do we know their condition, availability and deliverability? Should we be reserving a number of sites solely for large inward investment projects in manufacturing and advanced service sectors? Would it be helpful to reintroduce a criteria based policy similar to the major inward investment site policy in Regional Planning Guidance for North West 1996? (see Appendix D)

There can be no certainty that the trends outlined above will emerge, although recent events do appear to support the arguments made. It would nonetheless seem to be advisable to prepare for likely market developments, rather than make no preparations and be short of necessary supply – especially given the long lead times involved in bringing sites through the planning system. Clearly it is not for RPG to be site specific, but a positive policy would give LDFs the lead they may need.

Conclusion This paper has set out the rationale behind the Agency’s designation of strategic regional sites, the relevance of strategic regional site designation to investor demand and the emerging issues which need to be addressed in the forthcoming preparation of RSS. Of key importance to the development of effective employment policies within RSS is the use of the criteria based approach. Policy EC5 in RPG 13 issued in 2003 provided the necessary criteria based approach and is being actively taken forward by 13 local planning authorities in the Development Plan/Local Development Document process. The key issues can be summarised as follows: • The delivery of the strategic regional sites is critical to the effective implementation of the Regional Economic Strategy. • The identification of strategic regional sites has been based upon supporting the established and growth target sectors, and directing investment towards the Regional Poles, Regeneration Priority Areas, and Metropolitan Key Towns and Cities in accordance with the Spatial Development Framework for the region. • Of the 25 strategic regional sites, 12 are currently being taken forward by local planning authorities as Regional Investment Sites through the development plan review process. • Not all the 25 sites are appropriate for designation as Regional Investment Sites. For example three are inter modal freight terminals, where Policy EC7 rather than EC5 applies. • RPG 13 sets out a 20 year strategy and was issued only one year ago, but total delivery timescales for major economic and regeneration projects of this nature can exceed 20 years. • In the interests of investor confidence and delivery of major economic and regeneration projects, RSS needs to provide a suitable policy framework which reflects the planning processes already in place. • The nature of regional inward investment flows may change and RSS needs to consider whether a Major Inward Investment Site policy would be helpful in accordance with the advice contained in PPS 11 (Annex A).

APPENDIX A: STRATEGIC REGIONAL SITES: PLANNING BACKGROUND, ISSUES AND OBJECTIVES Site Name

Primary Economic Target

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

• Provide a high quality setting for the development of B1a (office) and B1b (R&D) floorspace in greater East Manchester, an area of regeneration need; • Provide a range of high quality developments including office, leisure and retail uses; • Attract growth target sectors of environmental technologies, life science industries, medical equipment and technology, financial and professional services and computer software and services, with a particular focus on computing and ICT; and • Accommodate high quality generic manufacturing and strategic distribution.

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry

Identified for B1b,B1c,B2,B8 & C1 uses in adopted Tameside UDP (November “004). B1a office development of 9290sq m granted consent on part of site

Reposition and diversify Crewe’s narrow traditional economic base and help tackle pockets of high deprivation by attracting inward investment and providing space for indigenous industries to grow. • Provide a high quality, well planned, flagship scheme for South Cheshire which will enhance the image of the area at a key gateway to the region;

EC4 Business Clusters

Allocated for B1, B2 and B8 uses in the Crewe and Nantwich Local Plan and the Cheshire2011 Replacement Structure Plan. Allocations being carried forward in Replacement Local Plan and Deposit Draft Structure Plan Alterations.

Vision and Objectives

Regional Strategy Initial Designations (October 1999) Ashton Moss, Tameside

Basford, Crewe

Growth target sectors.

Strategic distribution (rail related) / established target sectors.

EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need. Within Metropolitan RPA and Metropolitan town in RPG.

EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need

17 Site Name

Cuerden Regional Business Park, Leyland / Preston

Primary Economic Target

Established target sectors.

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

• Capitalise on rail access and the new road access from the A500; • Take advantage of Crewe’s railway and engineering background; • Accommodate a quality mix of employment uses with particular emphasis on established sectors of textiles, mechanical and other engineering, automotive and food and drink at Basford East; • Create a rail related warehouse and distribution park at Basford West to accommodate the sustainable movement of freight; • Make some provision for knowledge based industry at Basford East and West.

EC7 Warehousing and Distribution

Provide a high quality employment site to encourage inward investment and improve the employment prospects and profile of an area affected by the loss of traditional industries. • Act as a focus for high quality indigenous growth and inward investment. • Accommodate high quality generic manufacturing uses; • Present a new image and provide quality jobs for the sub-region;

EC2 Manufacturing Industry

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

Allocated as a Major Inward Investment site for high quality technology uses in the South Ribble Local Plan (2000). The proposed modifications to the Replacement Lancashire Structure Plan identifies Cuerden as a Regional Investment Site primarily for high quality generic

Yes

T7 Freight Transport Key Town in RPG

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry EC4 Business Clusters

Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

• Attract established sectors of chemicals, textiles, aerospace, mechanical and other engineering, energy, automotive, food and drink; • Develop links with the aerospace industry in Lancashire; • Make some provision for knowledge based industry.

EC5 Regional Investment Sites

manufacturing uses and knowledge based industry.

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need Key City in RPG

Daresbury Park, Runcorn

Growth target sectors.

Provides high quality, knowledge based flagship development to attract both inward investors and indigenous business and to grow new science based businesses capitalising on Daresbury Labs providing the opportunity to tackle high levels of deprivation in adjoining areas • Build on the role of the Daresbury laboratory complex as a centre for national research and encourage wider participation on the site by research universities;

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry EC4 Business Clusters EC5 Regional Investment Sites

Both Daresbury Park and adjoining land are identified as Regional Investment Sites in the post Inquiry Proposed Modifications to Halton UDP.

Yes

19 Site Name

Kingmoor, Carlisle

Primary Economic Target

Strategic distribution/ established target sectors / growth target sector.

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

• Accommodate the needs of knowledge based businesses, with particular emphasis on growth target sectors of environmental technologies, life science industries (biotechnology and pharmaceuticals), medical equipment and technology and computer software and services; • Form an essential ingredient of the partnership working between the NWDA and the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CLRC) which will seek to exploit the major research facilities at Daresbury Laboratory and promote and grow the subsequent commercial opportunities; • Provide for local employment needs within a high quality business park location, to assist in addressing the regionally significant deprivation problems in Halton and adjoining areas.

EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need

Development of Kingmoor will support the regeneration of Cumbria by attracting inward investment and providing space for indigenous industries to grow in an area of regeneration need. • Provide quality jobs for the sub region;

EC5 Regional Investment Sites

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

Allocated under Policy EM3 of the Deposit draft Carlisle District Local Plan (2003) for B1, B2 and B8 uses.

Yes

Within Metropolitan RPA

EC7 Warehousing and Distribution

Site Name

Kings Business Park, Knowsley

Primary Economic Target

Growth target sectors.

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

• Act as a focus for high quality indigenous growth and inward investment; • Accommodate high quality generic manufacturing uses; • Attract established and growth target sectors; • Accommodate some strategic distribution development and associated modern intermodal exchange, logistics and rail freight facility; • Accommodate businesses that will utilise the railway for the transportation of freight.

T7 Freight Transport Key City in RPG

Allocated as a Regional Investment Site in the Proposed Changes to Cumbria and Lake District Joint Structure Plan 2001 - 2016

Create a high quality employment site in Merseyside primarily for knowledge based industry growth target sectors. • Facilitate attraction of high quality businesses to a borough which is under represented in the growth target sector of knowledge based industries; • Attract growth target sectors of environmental technologies, life science industries, medical equipment and technology, financial and professional services, tourism, computer software and services, and creative industries.

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry

Key City in RPG

EC5 Regional Investment Sites EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need Within Metropolitan RPA in RPG

Identified under Policy EC5 of the Knowsley UDP Revised Draft Replacement Plan (2004) as meeting the criteria for a Regional Investment Site. Site has outline planning consent for B1, B2 and C1 uses.

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

Yes

21 Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

Kingsway Business Park, Rochdale

Strategic distribution/ established target sectors / growth target sectors.

A high quality development easily accessible by the proposed Metrolink from a wide area of north east Greater Manchester with direct access from junction 21 of the M62 motorway. The project will counter negative perceptions of north east Greater Manchester, an area which suffers from unemployment rates higher than the regional and national average, and has a generally vulnerable traditional economic base. The strategic regional site will:• Act as a regional flagship for inward investment; • Provide a high quality business park to attract modern industry and businesses, and provide opportunities for indigenous businesses who wish to expand in a quality environment as well as inward investment, particularly in knowledge based and manufacturing industries; • Attract growth and established target sectors to an area defined in RPG as a Regeneration Priority Area; • Create job opportunities for the local population which are accessible by a range of transport modes; • Accommodate an element of strategic distribution development.

EC2 Manufacturing Industry

Allocated in the adopted Rochdale UDP for high quality general and light industry, storage and distribution and research and development.

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need EC7 Warehousing and Distribution Within Metropolitan RPA and Metropolitan town in RPG

The Kingsway proposal is being carried forward in the revised deposit Draft Replacement UDP.

Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

Omega South, Warrington

Growth target sectors / established target sectors.

Development of Omega is intended to provide a flagship site to attract inward investment and support key sector growth over the next two decades. Located in the central area of the Metropolitan Area Regeneration Priority Area, which has been identified in the Mersey Belt Study as being weakly represented in the growth sectors of the knowledge economy development of the site will improve the image of the region. The strategic regional site will:-

EC2 Manufacturing Industry

Allocated under Policy EMP2 in the Deposit Draft Warrington UDP (2002) as a Regional Investment Site.

Yes

• Act as a regional flagship site to attract inward investment by providing a site which has the environment, space and flexibility to provide a unique offer within the region; • Attract growth and established target sectors to an area defined in RPG as a Regeneration Priority Area; • Accommodate new development in the region, with particular emphasis on knowledge based industries; • Accommodate generic manufacturing especially if there is a long term resurgence in such investment; • Encourage growth of knowledge based industries in RPG’s North West Metropolitan Area Regeneration Priority Area;

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry EC5 Regional Investment Sites EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need Within Metropolitan RPA and a metropolitan settlement in RPG

23 Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

The development of ROF Chorley presents the opportunity to:

EC2 Manufacturing Industry

Yes

• Remediate a large scale derelict brownfield site; • Act as a focus for high quality indigenous growth and inward investment; • Accommodate high quality strategic distribution uses; • Attract established sectors of chemicals, textiles, aerospace, mechanical and other engineering, energy, automotive, food and drink; • Present a new image and provide quality jobs for the sub region; and • Make some provision for generic manufacturing and knowledge based industry, improving the employment prospects of an area affected by the loss of traditional industries.

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry

Allocated under Policy EM1A of the Chorley Borough Local Plan (2003) for strategic inward investment of regional significance. Identified in the proposed modifications to the Replacement Lancashire Structure Plan as a Regional Investment Site, primarily for high quality generic manufacturing uses and knowledge based industry.

• Provide space for growing indigenous companies who wish to expand in a quality environment as well as inward investment, particularly in knowledge based industries; • Benefit deprived communities in eastern Merseyside / mid-Mersey area, including Halton, Wigan, St Helens and Warrington. Royal Ordnance Factory, Chorley

Established target sectors

EC5 Regional Investment Sites EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need

Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

The Estuary, Liverpool (Speke / Garston)

Growth target sectors.

The Estuary Business Park presents the opportunity to create a high quality business park on a prominent site within south Liverpool to support urban renaissance objectives within a Regeneration Priority Area. The strategic regional site will:-

EC2 Manufacturing Industry

Allocated for industrial and business development in the adopted Liverpool UDP.

Designated as a Primarily Industrial Area in the Adopted Wirral UDP.

Yes

• Act as a regional flagship site for inward investment; • Accommodate new development in knowledge based industries, with particular emphasis on the life science industries (biotechnology and pharmaceuticals) and the established sector of aerospace; • Provide space for growing indigenous companies who wish to expand in a quality environment as well as inward investment; • Capitalise on the proximity of Liverpool Airport and the good access to the road and rail communications networks. Wirral International Business Park

Established target sectors.

Wirral International Business Park is Wirral’s largest and potentially highest quality business location with good public links to areas of severe regeneration need. It presents the opportunity to:

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need Within Metropolitan RPA and Regional Pole in RPG

EC2 Manufacturing Industry EC3 Knowledge Based Industry

Allocated as a Regional Investment Site under Policy

25 Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

• Act as a focus for inward investment and indigenous growth • Accommodate generic manufacturing • Make some provision for knowledge based industry in an improved environmental setting, relating to the adjacent Mersey riverfront and Country Park

EC4 Business Clusters

EM1B of the Wirral UDP First Deposit Draft Alterations (July 2004) for B1, B2 and B8 uses.

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

EC5 Regional Investment Sites EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need In the Metropolitan RPA and in a Metropolitan Town in RPG

Additional Designations (December 2001) Barton, Salford

Growth target sectors.

Not yet progressed as the site is currently subject to a major application for port and rail distribution facilities to which the Agency has not objected

EC5 Regional Investment Sites EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing

Allocated under policy EC10 for B1, B2 and B8 uses in the adopted Salford UDP. Identified in the Revised Deposit Draft Replacement UDP

Yes

Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need

as a Regional Investment Site for a broad range of employment uses including offices, storage and distribution and a multi modal freight interchange. In addition a specific site for a sport stadium is identified on the site.

T7 Freight Transport In Metropolitan RPA and Regional Pole in RPG Birkenhead Twelve Quays

Strategic distribution (port related).

• Create a modern river terminal to serve the region; • Provide a high quality well planned scheme at a key gateway to the region from Ireland; • Accommodate strategic distribution development and maximise the inter-modal potential of the site; • Provide employment opportunities including those for residents in the local vicinity; • Assist in facilitating the economic restructuring of parts of the Wirrral; • Accommodate businesses that will utilise the river terminal for the transportation of passengers and freight; • Accommodate the Maritime Centre of Excellence;

EC4 Business Clusters EC5 Regional Investment Sites EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need EC7 Warehousing and Distribution

Allocated under Policy EM3 in Wirral UDP (February 2000) for B1, B2 and B8 uses. Identified in Wirral UDP First Deposit Draft Alteration as a Regional Investment Site

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

Yes

27 Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

• Enable the environmental quality and image of the site, one of the region’s major gateways, to be considerably upgraded.

T6 The Region’s Ports and Strategic Inland Waterways

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

Allocated as a major inter modal rail served facility, primarily for B1c, B2 + B8 uses under Policy T15 of Trafford’s Revised Draft UDP (2004).

T7 Freight Transport In Metropolitan RPA and in a Metropolitan Town in RPG Carrington, Trafford

Strategic distribution (rail related).

Development of a rail freight facility at Carrington is intended to: • Support national and regional objectives including the SRA Freight Interchange Strategy for the transfer of freight from roads to more sustainable modes of transport; • Provide a major intermodal freight terminal to accommodate need and demand in Greater Manchester area; • Contribute to the regeneration of the wider area of Carrington and Partington which is within one of the region’s most deprived wards.

EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need EC7 Warehousing and Distribution T7 Freight Transport In Metropolitan RPA in RPG

Inappropriate as policy EC7 rather than EC5 applies

Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

Chester Business Park

Growth target sectors.

Development by MBNA currently on site.

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry

Expansion land allocated in deposit Draft Chester Local Plan.

Allocated in the Manchester UDP Alterations (2003) for B1, B2 and B8 uses.

EC4 Business Clusters Key City in RPG Central Park, Manchester

Growth target sectors/ established target sectors.

Development of Central Park presents the opportunity to enhance the image of Manchester by attracting inward investment and providing space for indigenous industries, especially knowledge based industries, to grow in a critical regeneration area. The strategic regional site will:• Provide a flagship site in the Regeneration Framework for New East Manchester; • Build on Manchester’s key strengths in the growth target sectors of environmental technologies, finance and professional services, life science industries (biotechnology and pharmaceuticals), tourism and creative and media sectors; • Accommodate incubator facilities and spin-off businesses associated with the higher education sector, forming a bridge between

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry EC4 Business Clusters EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need Within Metropolitan RPA and at Regional Pole in RPG

29 Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry

Allocated as a major high amenity site for B1 uses in adopted Trafford UDP. Proposal being carried forward without alteration through the current UDP review to the proposed adopted Revised Trafford UDP (May 2004)

academia and commerce; • Attract growth and established target sectors to East Manchester, defined in RPG as an area of regeneration need.

Davenport Green, Trafford

Growth target sectors.

Development of Davenport Green will provide for a high quality, prestige site reserved for major international headquarter business activities, in accordance with the Trafford UDP policy, bringing substantial benefits for Greater Manchester and the regional economy. The strategic regional site will:• Capitalise on the site’s location in close proximity to Manchester Airport; • Attract high quality, science based / high technology industry, research and development activities and headquarter office activities; • Accommodate companies of national or international importance, providing substantial new employment activities which would otherwise be lost to Greater Manchester; • Promote urban regeneration by stimulating indirect and spin-off development and jobs in other parts of the conurbation;

EC4 Business Clusters Within Metropolitan RPA in RPG

Possibly not appropriate as the site is effectively a major inward investment site reserved for strategic inward investment

Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

Development of Ditton is intended to create a modern intermodal exchange, logistics and strategic rail freight facility to serve, in particular, the needs of Merseyside, North Wales and the Cheshire sub-region, with potential links to the Airport and Port of Liverpool. The strategic regional site will:-

EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need

Allocated as strategic rail freight park/Regional Investment Site in the post Inquiry Proposed Modifications to Halton UDP.

Yes

• Accommodate strategic distribution development; • Accommodate businesses that will utilise the railway for the transportation of freight; • Provide a significant number of jobs for local people.

EC7 Warehousing and Distribution

• Create jobs of a high quality that are readily accessible to disadvantaged communities within Greater Manchester; • Ensure the conservation and enhancement of the landscape and ecological features of land adjacent to the site to ensure it remains open and undeveloped. Ditton, Widnes

Inter modal rail freight facility.

T7 Freight Transport In Metropolitan RPA and in a metropolitan settlement in RPG

31 Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

Lancaster University / Bailrigg

Growth target sectors.

Development of Lancaster University/ Bailrigg presents the opportunity to create a premier employment site in Lancashire for knowledgebased industries and University spin-out. The strategic regional site will:-

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry

Yes

• Facilitate university related business development and clustering; • Provide a high quality setting for move-on businesses which still require an umbilical link back to the University; • Attract growth target sectors of environmental technologies, medical equipment and technology, financial and professional services and computer software and services, with a particular focus on computing and ICT; • Capitalise on Lancaster University’s reputation as one of the leading higher education players nationally in the field of computing and ICT, with ongoing and productive relationships with the major industries – Microsoft, Nokia and Ericsson.

EC5 Regional Investment Sites

Allocated under Policy EC1 of the Lancaster District Local Plan (2004) for B1 business use. Identified in the proposed modifications to Replacement Structure Plan as a Regional Investment Site suitable for knowledge based industry.

The vision is to create a new knowledge community, fusing higher education, research, knowledge related industry, university related spin out, academic entrepreneurs and quality city centre living. The area will become a new

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry

Allocated for mixed use development under Policy E6 of the adopted Liverpool UDP.

Liverpool University Edge

Growth target sectors.

EC4 Business Clusters

Key City in RPG

EC4 Business Clusters

Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

regional focus for knowledge related jobs and people and a growth pole for transmitting knowledge into the wider economy. It will have a supportive relationship with the growth and development of the two Universities and the teaching hospital, and become the focus for a range of resource bids. The strategic regional site will:-

EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need

• Transform the quality of the urban environment, encouraging quality design and restoring pedestrian linkages to the rest of the city centre; • Foster the growth of university and NHS teaching hospital research functions; • Stimulate the growth of university / business linkages, especially in new incubator facilities; • Attract complementary high level research, private sector and government research activity; • Encourage the development of quality new residential accommodation; • Improve its pedestrian connectivity to Lime Street Station and the regional rail network to the west, alongside its highway infrastructure and connectivity to the east; • Become a confident new city centre gateway,

In Metropolitan RPA and within Regional Pole in RPG

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

33 Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need

Within Green Belt in St Helens UDP (1998) although highlighted as “Possible area of change.”

especially to the east; and • Be supported by skills and innovation programmes relating to incubators, spin-out graduate enterprise, graduate retention and attracting world class researchers. Parkside Former Colliery, St Helens

Strategic distribution (rail related).

Development of Parkside is intended to create a modern inter-modal exchange, logistics and rail freight facility to serve, in particular the needs of Lancashire, the Mid-Mersey area and parts of Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire. The strategic regional site will: • Accommodate strategic distribution development; • Accommodate businesses that will utilise the railway for the transportation of freight; and • Provide a significant number of jobs for local people.

EC7 Warehousing and Distribution T7 Freight Transport Within Metropolitan RPA and in Metropolitan Town in RPG

Inappropriate as policy EC7 rather than EC5 appropriate

Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

Wavertree Technology Park, Liverpool

Growth target sectors.

Development of Wavertree Technology Park is intended to present a key opportunity to support the regeneration of Liverpool by capitalising on the success of knowledge based industry at the existing technology park. The strategic regional site will:-

EC4 Business Clusters

Allocated as a primarily industrial area suitable for use classes B1, B2 and B8 in the adopted Liverpool UDP.

• Build on the already existing cluster of high tech and information technology business activity, including the growth target sectors with special emphasis on digital industries, forming a key component of Liverpool Digital • Address the current deprivation, unemployment and lack of opportunity suffered in the area surrounding the strategic regional site; • Create more direct and indirect job opportunities for people benefiting from education and training initiatives in the adjacent Kensington New Deal Area through the provision of a range of job opportunities covering all skill levels; • Enable the environmental quality and image of Edge Lane, one of Liverpool City’s major gateways, to be considerably upgraded.

EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need Within Metropolitan RPA and Regional Pole in RPG

35 Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

Westlakes, Whitehaven

Growth target sectors.

Development of Westlakes is intended to present the opportunity to build on and develop knowledge based industry in West Cumbria, a peripheral area with a vulnerable local economy. The strategic regional site will:-

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry

Extension land allocated for B1 use as a high quality “Regional Strategic Site” in the Copeland Local Plan 2001.

• Act as a flagship for inward investment; • Attract knowledge based industry, with a special emphasis on technology related to nuclear power and decommissioning; • Assist in the creation of a centre of excellence for the nuclear industry; • Accommodate the needs of knowledge based industries including the growth sectors of environmental technologies, life science industries (biotechnology and pharmaceuticals), medical equipment and technology, financial and professional services, computer software and services, along with advanced engineering and robotics, hazardous environment operations and project / programme management.

EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need

Development of Whitebirk is intended to provide the premier site for East Lancashire to reverse the poor image of industrial decline by providing land for new high-quality businesses, to

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry

Majority of site allocated for B1, B2 and B8 uses in the Borough of Hyndburn Local Plan. Identified in the Proposed

Yes

Whitebirk

Established target sectors.

EC4 Business Clusters

In Regeneration Priority Area

EC4 Business

Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

encourage inward investment and improve the employment prospects for the area as a whole. The strategic regional site will:-

Clusters

Modifications to Replacement Lancashire Structure Plan as a Regional Investment site for knowledge based industries and high quality generic manufacturing purposes.

• Act as a focus for high quality indigenous growth and inward investment; • Encourage the growth of knowledge based industry in Blackburn, Hyndburn and East Lancashire as a whole; • Present a new image and provide quality jobs for the sub region; • Attract established sectors of chemicals, textiles, aerospace, mechanical and other engineering, energy, automotive, food and drink along with the growth target sectors of environmental technologies, medical equipment and technology, financial and professional servicesand computer and software services; and • Develop links with the aerospace industry in Lancashire.

EC5 Regional Investment Sites EC6 The Regeneration Challenge: Bringing the Benefits of Economic Growth to Areas of Acute Need

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review.

In Regeneration Priority Area and in Key Town in RPG

Additional Designations (December 2001) Alderley Park (AstraZeneca), Macclesfield.

Growth target sectors.

Further development of Alderley Park is intended to present a very significant opportunity to continue to provide for the region’s life science

EC3 Knowledge Based Industry

Alderley Park is identified as a major developed site within the Green Belt under Policy GC4 of

37 Site Name

Primary Economic Target

Vision and Objectives

RPG Policy Alignment

Development Plan Position

cluster, bringing substantial benefits for the Manchester City Region and the wider regional economy. The strategic regional site will:-

EC4 Business Clusters

the adopted Macclesfield Borough Local Plan (2004).

SD4 North Cheshire • Build on Alderley Park’s existing role as an international research, development and commercial centre; and • Accommodate the need to replace, redevelop and expand buildings for Astra Zeneca to remain a competitive and successful company.

Identified as RIS in adopted development plan/development plan review

APPENDIX B - Strategic Regional Sites: Primary Economic Targets Site

Primary Economic Target

Regional Strategy Initial Designations (October 1999) Ashton Moss, Tameside

Growth target sectors1

Basford, Crewe

Strategic distribution (rail related) / Established target sectors

Cuerden Regional Business Park, Leyland / Preston

Established target sectors2

Daresbury Park, Runcorn

Growth target sectors

Kingmoor, Carlisle

Strategic distribution / Established target sectors / Growth target sectors

Kings Business Park, Knowsley

Growth target sectors

Kingsway Business Park, Rochdale

Strategic distribution / Established target sectors / Growth target sectors

Omega, Warrington

Established target sectors / Growth target sectors /

Royal Ordnance Factory, Chorley

Established target sectors

The Estuary, Liverpool (Speke / Garston)

Growth target sectors

Wirral International Business Park

Established target sectors

Additional Designations (December 2001) Barton, Salford

Growth target sectors

Birkenhead / Twelve Quays

Strategic distribution (port related)

Blackburn / Whitebirk

Established target sectors / Growth target sectors

Carrington, Trafford

Strategic distribution (rail related)

Chester Business Park

Growth target sectors

Davenport Green, Trafford

Growth target sectors

Ditton, Widnes

Strategic distribution (rail related)

Lancaster University / Bailrigg

Growth target sectors

Liverpool University Edge

Growth target sectors

Central Manchester Business Park

Established target sectors / Growth target sectors

Parkside Former Colliery, St Helens

Strategic distribution (rail related)

Wavertree Technology Park, Liverpool

Growth target sectors

Westlakes, Whitehaven

Growth target sectors

Further Designation (October 2003) Alderley Park (Astra Zeneca), Macclesfield 1 2

Growth target sectors

These are the seven target sectors in the 1999 Regional Strategy, excluding tourism. Chemicals; textiles; aerospace; mechanical and other engineering; energy; automotive; food and drink.

APPENDIX C - Analysis of Strategic Regional Sites by NWRA Consultants Site Location

Overall Score

Sustainability Draft Regional Planning Guidance

Availability Pass and Deliverability

North Manchester Business Park

Wirral International Business Park

Birkenhead/12 Quays

Wavertree Technology Park Extns

Liverpool University Edge

The Estuary, Liverpool

Parkside

Ditton

Ashton Moss, Tameside

Kingmoor, Carlisle

Kings Business Park, Knowsley

Royal Ordnance, Chorley

Daresbury Park, Runcorn

Omega 600, Warrington

Waterside Park

Carrington

Barton

Kingsway, Rochdale

Basford East & West, Crewe

Blackburn/Whitebirk

Cuerden Regional Business Park

Lancaster University/Bailrigg

Davenport Green

Westlakes

Chester Business Park Extension

Average Scores

Source: Analysis of Regional Investment Sites and Mersey Belt Sites, White Young Green Planning and FPD Savills on behalf of NWRA (May 2002).

APPENDIX D â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Extract from RPG 13 Regional Planning Guidance for the Northwest (1996) Major Inward Investment Sites 5.15 To maintain and improve its competitiveness the Region needs to be able to compete for large-scale inward investment by ensuring a limited, but ongoing, supply of large readily available sites. Such sites should on their own, act as an incentive to overseas and UK investors to locate in the North West and should be provided for high technology headquarter business functions, or for large scale manufacturing which might otherwise be lost to the Region 5.16 The preference should be for creating such sites on recycled land within the urban framework of the cross shaped spatial area based on the north/south and east/west spines. Where physical site constraints exist, the availability of private sector, Government and European funds to overcome them should be investigated. 5.17 Only if it can be demonstrated that sufficient provision cannot be made available within the urban framework, having regard to environmental constraints, should peripheral sites be considered. 5.18 Sites affecting the Green Belt and other rural areas should only be considered as a last resort. Any such proposals would require exceptional justification on a basis broader than that of individual development plans. 5.19 In all cases sites should be well located to a choice of housing and related high quality community facilities, to promote integrated development patterns, which reduce the need to travel and avoid dependence on the car. 5.20 Unless the regeneration benefits of releasing all or part of the site for other than major investment uses are sufficiently compelling, major inward investment sites should be safeguarded for the purposes intended. If, in accordance with paragraph 5.18 above, exceptional justification is established for sites affecting the Green Belt or other rural areas, these should be safeguarded for the uses intended. 5.21 A common definition and designation in plans is required to avoid confusion, sites of genuine regional significance should be capable of employing 3000+ people or be over 50 hectares in size. To justify the term â&#x20AC;&#x153;Major Investment Siteâ&#x20AC;? they should meet the following criteria:In addition to paragraph 5.15 to 5.21 above, in the interest of sustainability they should be: a Within the development framework set out in Chapter 3; b) Served or capable of being served, by public transport; c) Well related to a choice of housing and related high quality community facilities; d) Accessible to the rail network, or a port, or a commercial waterway;

And also e) Suitably located for international access; f) With reasonable accessibility to an adequate major trunk road or motorway junction to facilitate access for goods and services; g) In proximity, where possible, to a higher educational institute; and h) Within a good environmental setting. 5.22 Because not more than one or two sites are likely to be required in the Region at any one time, the Regional Association in consultation with North West Partnership is asked, in the first monitoring report, to identify a prioritised short-list of locations which can be included in future Guidance and brought forward through the Development Plan process. The response should include information about each siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s size, location, physical characteristics and ownership; and about any physical or policy constraints having regard to the development strategy, the principles of sustainable development and the above criteria

The Northwest Regional Development Agency manages all operations from its Headquarters at: PO Box 37 Renaissance House Centre Park Warrington WA1 1XB Tel: +44 (0)1925 400 100 Fax: +44 (0)1925 400 400 e-mail: information@nwda.co.uk

In addition, there are five area offices for the implementation of local activities as follows: Greater Manchester Giants Basin Potato Wharf Castlefield Manchester M3 4NB Tel: +44 (0)161 817 7400 Fax: +44 (0)161 831 7051

Cumbria Gillan Way Penrith 40 Business Park Penrith Cumbria CA11 9BP Tel: +44 (0)1768 867 294 Fax: +44 (0)1768 895 477

Merseyside Station House Mercury Court Tithebarn Street Liverpool L2 2QP Tel: +44 (0)1925 400 100 Fax: +44 (0)151 236 3731

Lancashire 13 Winckley Street Preston Lancashire PR1 2AA Tel: +44 (0)1772 206 000 Fax: +44 (0)1772 200 049

Cheshire Brew House Wilderspool Park Greenalls Avenue Warrington WA4 6HL Tel: +44 (0)1925 644 220 Fax: +44 (0)1925 644 222

Visit:

www.nwda.co.uk www.englandsnorthwest.com www.visitenglandsnorthwest.com

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