BE2 2d.

see comment on previous section

The level of unemployment in this part of the district is low with a large part of the staff at the current Magna Park coming from outside the district. This development will therefore raise the level of commuters coming from outside the district. The extra jobs, said to be 10000, will only make matters worse even with the extra 1500 houses in Lutterworth.
This therefore fails in the Plans' aim to increase the level of 'in-commuting' within the district

The Plan proposes that the present 19% of Magna Park workforce living within Harborough postcodes should be increased to 25%, but gives no indication of supporting evidence of need or means of achieving this. It would require about 5000 workers instead of present 1800 to fulfil this objective and thus is not feasible, espeoially when over 50% of local residents currently fill managerial, professional and associated support roles, of which are estimated to comprise only 24% of current site jobs, at best.

Not positively prepared or Justified - there is no evidence to say that an increase in proportion of the workforce will come from Harborough District, with 81% of the existing Magna Park workforce coming from outside LE postcodes ((IDI Gazeley, 15/01531/OUT ADDITIONAL INFO-UPDATE TO ES CH5-SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS 6th JULY 2017). The HEDNA study suggests 79% of Magna Park employees do not live in the Harborough District. The 2017 Sustainability Appraisal suggests that up to 400,000sqm and 700,000sqm could reduce out-commuting but provides no evidence to suggest how or why.

Most employment opportunities will be for low grade jobs such as warehouse staff/drivers. No attempt would be made to draw in higher salaried jobs or professionals in such a development. This lack of diversity in employment will increase the amount of employees commuting from outside the Harborough district.

Walcote Parish Council wishes to make the following representations concerning the Harborough Local Plan.
Misterton with Walcote Parish Council is concerned that the consultation process has not been used to inform a number of policies proposed in the Harborough Local plan. This does not encourage participation, as the public has had no opportunity to express its views concerning these policies and indeed it seems that some new policies are entirely at odds with the opinions expressed in the earlier consultation.

The new jobs being created by the plans to massively expand Magna Park would NOT, in actuality, be materially taken up by people who live within the Harborough District, which has extremely low levels of unemployment of < 0.4%.

The majority of people working at the existing Magna Park do NOT reside in this district.

They travel, often long distances, often by car, in to work. Most of these jobs are paying relatively low wages.

This section presumes the new jobs could be taken up by local people. This is an erroneous assumption and it's very far from the truth.

Most of the existing Magna Park workforce commute to and from the site from outside of the Harborough District.

If the massive plans to expand Magna Park are regrettably approved by HDC, the vast majority of the new jobs created will be taken up by people who also live outside the District.

The unemployment rate in the Lutterworth area is extremely low at rates of < 0.4%.

Therefore, this issue is of little relevance.

There is no evidence to support this point. 81% of the existing Magna Park workforce commute from outside Harborough District postcodes. The Magna Park Growth Sensitivity Survey concludes the allocation of 700,00 sq. m. of extra warehousing would generate 9689 extra jobs. In the whole of the Harborough District there were only 1400 people registered as unemployed from July 2016 - June 2017 (Nomis Official Labour Market Statistics). Unemployment in the Harborough District for this period was 3% well below 4.3% for the East Midlands and 4.6% nationally. The majority of the workforce required would have to commute from outside the district. Public transport in the area is inadequate and anyone commuting into the area would most likely have to use a private vehicle. This will impact on congestion and pollution, particularly in the surrounding villages who are already used as 'rat-runs' around the clock due to shift patterns.

There is no evidence to support this point. 81% of the existing Magna Park workforce commute from outside Harborough District postcodes. The Magna Park Growth Sensitivity Survey concludes the allocation of 700,00 sq. m. of extra warehousing would generate 9689 extra jobs. In the whole of the Harborough District there were only 1400 people registered as unemployed from July 2016 - June 2017 (Nomis Official Labour Market Statistics). Unemployment in the Harborough District for this period was 3% well below 4.3% for the East Midlands and 4.6% nationally. The majority of the workforce required would have to commute from outside the district. Public transport in the area is inadequate and anyone commuting into the area would most likely have to use a private vehicle. This will impact on congestion and pollution, particularly in the surrounding villages who are already used as 'rat-runs' around the clock due to shift patterns.

There is no evidence to support this point. 81% of the existing Magna Park workforce commute from outside Harborough District postcodes. The Magna Park Growth Sensitivity Survey concludes the allocation of 700,00 sq. m. of extra warehousing would generate 9689 extra jobs. In the whole of the Harborough District there were only 1400 people registered as unemployed
from July 2016 - June 2017 (Nomis Official Labour Market Statistics). Unemployment in the Harborough District for this period was 3% well below 4.3% for the East Midlands and 4.6% nationally. The majority of the workforce required would have to commute from outside the district. Public transport in the area is inadequate and anyone commuting into the area would most likely have to use a private vehicle. This will impact on congestion and pollution, particularly in the surrounding villages who are already used as 'rat-runs' around the clock due to shift patterns.

Harborough District Council: Harborough Local Plan Proposed submission
Lutterworth, db symmetry

Introduction

1 These representations accept the soundness of the Local Plan in the context of Policy BE2 Strategic Distribution.

2 It is however considered that the development management process would be assisted by some clarification to the wording of the following criteria. Such amendments do not alter the underlying purpose of the Criterion, but are considered to assist developers and the public in the operation of the policy when relevant planning applications are submitted for determination.

Criterion 1 a:

3 The allocation is to make provision for strategic scale storage and distribution uses. Criterion 1a) ensures that unit sizes are not less than 9,000 m2. On this basis it seems to me that Criterion c) could be simplified to state:

'The primary use of the premises will be within Class B8. Other uses should be ancillary in function or be relevant associated uses, for example a lorry park driver facilities.'

Criterion 2 b:

4 While the underlying objective of this Criterion maybe understood it may be difficult for a developer to demonstrate 'no adverse impact on the viability and deliverability of existing or further SRFIs.' My comments are as follows. Firstly the planning system does not exist to prevent competition. A developer would be faced in having to prove a negative, which would be an onerous task especially if a competing developer claimed that consent would impact upon ability and deliverability of another site. Secondly the Criterion as presently worded appears to suggest that a developer has to address other potential SRFIs which may be at various stages in the planning process and may indeed not secure a grant of planning permission. The reference to SRFIs 'serving' other neighbouring authorities and Leicestershire could result in an underlying extensive analysis of potential impact.

5 It is submitted that the purpose of this Criterion would be clarified on the basis of it is worded as follows:

'Support or at least no substantial impact upon the delivery of committed SRFIs located within Leicestershire and the neighbouring authorities.'

Criterion 2 d:

6 I believe some wording has been omitted from this Criterion to give effective meaning.

7 I suggest adding the words 'to travel other than by private car' after 'Harborough District'.

'include measures to enable an increase in the proportion of the workforce commuting from locations within Harborough District to travel other than by private car'

Criterion 2 e:

8 'Congestion' is not a term that is defined. It seems that the criterion would be more effective with the use of the word 'conditions'.

'not lead to severe traffic conditions anywhere on the nearby strategic and local road network, particularly the A5, whether within Harborough District or outside'

Criterion 2 f:

9 A landscape impact is an environmental impact. As such the criterion could be simplified to read.

'Ensure that 24 hour operations do not have an unacceptable impact upon the environment, and the amenity of local communities.'

10 I trust that these comments are considered helpful.