View Policy SSV9 Somer Valley Enterprise Zone on a map
4.34 An integral part of the spatial strategy is the provision of additional job opportunities and employment uses in the Somer Valley area. The Old Mills employment allocation was designated as an Enterprise Zone in 2018. The Somer Valley Enterprise Zone (SVEZ) comprises land to the west of Midsomer Norton, adjoining the A362, in the Old Mills area in Paulton parish. In the Placemaking Plan land is allocated for business uses (primarily industrial & warehousing) at Old Mills (Policy SSV9). This site allocation covers most the SVEZ.
4.35 A Local Development Order (LDO) is being progressed for the SVEZ. The LDO once prepared and approved by the Planning Committee is effectively a grant of full planning permission for development on the SVEZ that accords with the uses specified and parameters set in the LDO. The LDO is being prepared in order to encourage investment in the SVEZ and to facilitate delivery of employment development by reducing uncertainty and planning risks for investors and developers.
4.36 In order to help enable preparation of the LDO and to facilitate delivery of development and supporting infrastructure it is necessary for the Old Mills site allocation to be reviewed and amended.
4.37 Two main issues, the site boundary and the mix of uses, need to be addressed. These are outlined below along with the associated proposed policy approach changes.
Site Boundary
4.38 Land in the south eastern corner of the SVEZ (shown in red on the map below) is not included within the current site allocation in the Placemaking Plan. Whilst this land was included in the historic allocation in the B&NES Local Plan (2007) it was excluded from the site allocated in the Placemaking Plan (2017) because at the time of preparing and adopting the Placemaking Plan there was uncertainty regarding the availability and deliverability of the land. Discussions with the owners have continued and it is now confirmed that the land is available. Therefore, it is proposed through the partial update that it be included within a revised site allocation. This will help to facilitate delivery of the wider site, notably through enabling necessary improvements to transport infrastructure through provision of walking/cycling links to other parts of the town as well as improvements to the A362.
Mix of uses
4.39 The allocation in the Placemaking Plan of the site solely for industrial and warehousing uses needs to be updated to make it more commercially viable. As such including a limited amount of higher value uses within the allocation would help to enable delivery and investment in the site. There would also be benefits in enabling a greater mix of uses to help facilitate a more diverse range of employment opportunities and to provide amenity facilities on site for workers. Uses that could be enabled by an amended allocation could include offices, eating/drinking establishments, hotel and retail uses.
4.40 It is vital that the uses proposed do not harm Midsomer Norton town centre which, as the main focus of retail and other activity, must be maintained and enhanced. This is particularly the case for retail uses. The town centre is underpinned by food stores and further provision was proposed in the town centre in the Placemaking Plan in order to further improve the town centre shopping offer (see South Road Car Park section below). Therefore, inclusion of a food store in the retail uses in the SVEZ would need to be subject to robust evidence demonstrating its appropriateness. In order to avoid harming the town centre further assessment work is being undertaken e.g. relating to retailer demand, consumer trends and trading overlap, to determine the amount and type of retail development that should be provided. This work will inform the approach to be proposed in both the pre-submission Draft Plan and the LDO. It is proposed that the SVEZ should provide a complementary offer to local town centres, helping to stimulate economic growth and boost the local economy.
4.41 It should also be noted that through the LDO, work is being undertaken to ensure other critical objectives of the Council that are reflected in the Local Plan partial update policies are addressed. These include targeting net zero carbon development and delivering biodiversity net gain e.g. through retention and enhancement of the network of existing hedgerows.
Consultation Reference SV1
Amend Policy SSV9 (Old Mills)
Proposed to amend Policy SSV9 (Old Mills) by including additional land that forms part of the SVEZ within the allocated site boundary (land to the south-east) and broadening the mix of uses appropriate to be developed on site to include offices, eating/drinking establishments, hotel and retail uses subject to not harming the town centre.