DEV14 - Maintaining a flexible mix of employment sites

The Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan has now been adopted! To find out more please visit the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan: Adoption page.

Visit the interactive Plymouth Plan to see other policies that affect decision making across Plymouth City including the Council and its partners.

A flexible supply of employment land and premises will be maintained to support investment and expansion of existing businesses as well as for the inward investment of high-value businesses, particularly but not exclusively those involved in the marine sector, advanced manufacturing and knowledge based industries. The following provisions will apply:

  1. Change of use of existing employment sites (including vacant sites whose lawful use is for employment purposes) will only be allowed where the following applies:
      1. The proposal is specifically provided for by the local plan to deliver wider strategic objectives, or
      2. There are overriding and demonstrable economic, regeneration and sustainable neighbourhood / communities benefits from doing so, or
      3. There is no reasonable prospect of a site being used for employment use in the future.
  2. The following categories of site will be specifically protected:
      1. Sites that have clear future potential to support the future expansion of existing businesses.
      2. Employment sites with access to wharves and/or deep water facilities, quays and pontoons, which will be protected for marine related uses appropriate to the site and location.
  3. Employment sites will be protected from inappropriate neighbouring development that will adversely affect the employment operations taking place on the site.