The report combines Iceni’s experience in the sector with insight from key clients including market-leading developers, occupiers and local planning authorities, to identify five key recommendations for the Government to consider.
Iceni’s Top 5 Priorities for the New Government: Planning for Industrial & Logistics
18 Sep 24
Iceni is proud to launch its annual Industrial & Logistics research, which this year identifies key priorities for the new government to address through the planning system.
The report combines Iceni’s experience in the sector with insight from key clients including market-leading developers, occupiers and local planning authorities, to identify five key recommendations for the Government to consider.
These recommendations are:
1. Enacting sub-regional planning
2. Updating the Planning Practice Guidance
3. Ensuring an available employment land supply
4. Identifying ‘golden rules’ for Green Belt land release
5. Educating decision makers
Sub regional planning: Our experience and research highlight a need for more consistent and widespread strategic planning. At present, many large scale investment requirements fall between the cracks as individual authorities develop their local evidence and plans. Strategic planning should be brought forward, mandated and extended to all areas, at the earliest opportunity to address this. Our report highlights an example of best practice in the West Midlands, where collaboration between authorities effectively identified strategic needs and potential locations to accommodate development.
Planning Practice Guidance: Government needs to update the Planning Practice Guidance, to clarify the approach to assessing employment needs. In particular, how greater weight should be given to market signals to reflect the true need for new premises.
Employment supply: In terms of supply, we highlight a need to identify and maintain an employment land supply, like housing, to ensure sufficient weight is given to the need to deliver economic growth. This will provide more certainty for authorities and ensure appropriate measures are in place to boost the supply of land should delivery fall for any reason.
Green Belt: We note the Government’s proposed ‘golden rules’ set out in the draft NPPF. While the draft policy primarily focuses on housing development, we believe that extending consideration to other sectors, such as Industrial & Logistics, could reveal additional benefits. This broader approach may help secure more support for proposals and unlock further opportunities for development.
Education: There is a need for greater dialogue and partnership between decision makers and industry, and to provide the appropriate tools for decision makers to develop their knowledge of the sector.
And not to forget infrastructure, with the investment in the power and highways networks being critical to unlocking growth.
The new Government’s focus on the planning system provides an important opportunity to enhance the role of Industrial & Logistics, and to drive economic growth in a sector that is ‘ready to go’.
We look forward to engaging further with key stakeholders on these issues, and if you would like to discuss please get in touch.
