Today saw the publication of a major study into the future land and property needs of the Suffolk Haven Gateway for employment purposes. The area was set a target of delivering 30,000 new jobs between 2001 and 2021 by the adopted East of England Plan and the study assesses whether current land allocations will be adequate to meet this target.

Based upon economic forecasts made in Spring 2009, the study notes that the jobs target is unlikely to be met but highlights the existence of several key economic drivers in the sub region: The Port of Felixstowe, planned expansion at Adastral Park, the Ipswich functional economic area and the potential for new energy related development at Sizewell. It suggests that with appropriate support, these could offer the prospect of additional growth to meet the target.

The study puts forward a total of 32 recommendations at sub regional and individual local authority district level. Whilst it concludes that, overall, the area has sufficient allocated employment land in terms of quantity, it identifies supply issues in terms of quality, location and suitability as a result of assessing market needs in specific key clusters. Finally, it sets out how a co-ordinated sub regional approach between the authorities can help to ensure that the right balance of sites particularly on the Ipswich fringe, is achieved.     

The report was commissioned by the Haven Gateway Partnership, using Growth Point funding, on behalf of Ipswich Borough Council, Suffolk Coastal and Babergh District Councils and Suffolk County Council. It follows national and regional guidance and involved the following stages; site visits; a commercial market assessment; a business survey; baseline economic forecasts and the development of economic scenarios.

Its findings will form part of the evidence base used by the local planning authorities in the preparation and monitoring of their Local Development Frameworks (LDFs). This is where allocations of land for employment purposes are made.  

The Haven Gateway Partnership is now working with the local authorities on the implementation of the recommendations.

Click here to read the report.