Delivering Economic Prosperity
The long term sustainability of Preston depends on developing the local economy and providing enough jobs for existing and future generations.
Economic growth is essential to assist with the restructuring of the local economy, to attract new firms to Preston, to help existing companies expand, foster the creation of new firms and at the same time reduce dependence on the private car for work.
In the interest of sustainable development, as well as economic, environmental and social well-being of Preston's residents, it is important that greater employment opportunities are created or facilitated within the City. The creation of employment opportunities is strongly linked to the availability of suitable sites for employment.
Employment Site Allocations
Core Strategy Policy 9 identifies the potential for economic growth within the area and the opportunity to provide enough jobs and services if employment land is made available. The Core Strategy sets out the areas of economic land required within the B Use Classes (B1 - Business; B2 - General Industrial and B8 - Storage and Distribution) over the period to 2026, please see table below.
This can come from the re-use of vacant premises, re-development of existing employment sites or areas, as well as new development sites. Table 2 below, sets out the employment land requirements for Preston for the period 2014 - 2026 and the supply of employment land in Preston.
| Land Supply | Hectares |
|---|---|
| Core Strategy Preston Employment Requirement 2010-2026 | 118.5 |
| Employment Completions 2010 -14 | 22.40 |
| Residual Requirement | 96.10 |
| Local Plan 2004 Allocations | 4.15 |
| Commitments on Allocated Sites | 44.93 |
| Proposed New Allocations | 50.44 |
| Total Employment Land Supply | 99.52 |
Core Strategy Policy 1
Core Strategy Policy 1 suggests growth and investment are to be concentrated on the northern suburbs of Preston, focussing on Local Centres, with greenfield development within the Cottam Strategic Site and the North West Preston Strategic Location.
Core Strategy Policy 9
Core Strategy Policy 9 (b) and (c) identifies regional and sub-regional office developments will be acceptable in Preston City Centre including the Central Business District and the Tithebarn Regeneration Area.
These two locations, in addition to regeneration opportunities in Inner East Preston, are the focus for growth and investment opportunities in Core Strategy Policy 1. The allocation of sites suitable for such regional and sub-regional office developments within the Central Preston Strategic Location will be allocated through the City Centre Plan.
Core Strategy Policy 1 (b)
Core Strategy Policy 1 (b) (iii) directs some employment growth and investment to Longridge, therefore reflecting the role of Longridge as a Key Service Centre in the Ribble Valley.
Core Strategy Policy 9 (d)
Core Strategy Policy 9 (d) (ii) and (iii) also identifies Preston East/Millennium City Park and Riversway, respectively, as employment sites for sub-regionally significant developments.
Existing employment allocations from the Preston Local Plan (2004) have been reviewed and only those that are truly suitable, achievable and deliverable are carried forward as an employment allocation.
The viability of other sites for an element of employment use has been enhanced with proposals for mixed use. Additional good quality employment sites have been identified to meet the Core Strategy employment supply requirement while a number of sites such as Deepdale Mill have been de-allocated for employment use and proposed for housing.
It is important to protect all new allocations for employment including greenfield sites which have no previous employment use on site.
Therefore the Council will expect all allocated sites under Policy EP1 to also be covered by Core Strategy Policy 10.
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