New planning guidance to help create cleaner environment for sensitive industries
Published on Mon, 1 Oct 2012
by ecomms@doeni.gov.uk.
New planning guidance to help create cleaner environment for sensitive industries
Environment Minister Alex Attwood has today published new planning guidance aimed at protecting sensitive industries.
This guidance will safeguard enterprises that are particularly dependent upon a clinically clean, contaminant free environment such as the pharmaceutical and food processing sectors.
The Minister said: “My chief aim is to ensure that we have a planning system responsive to people’s needs which protects both the environment and our valuable industries.
“I have carefully considered the responses from the public consultation and the guidance I am publishing today directly addresses these issues.
“Sensitive industries such as those in the pharmaceutical and food processing sectors are particularly reliant upon a clean, contaminant free environment and are of considerable significance to our local economy. This guidance will ensure that these sectors are not hampered through incompatible development proposals.
“There are often very complex issues involved in dealing with such cases. This guidance will assist in speeding up the process by highlighting to applicants the importance of engaging in pre-application discussions with the planning authority and providing the necessary information from the outset to ensure the right planning decisions are made.
“This guidance, as with other changes I am making in the planning system, underlines my commitment to growing the local economy by safeguarding existing businesses and employment in key sectors.”
This supplementary guidance is to Policy PED 8 of Planning Policy Statement 4 ‘Planning and Economic Development.’
Notes to editors:
- The Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) to Policy PED 8 was published in draft in March 2012 for a four week period of public consultation, ending on 23 April 2012. DOE received a total of 16 responses from a range of public bodies, business organisations, local councils and individuals. The final document together with a Synopsis of Consultation Responses can be accessed at:
- Policy PED 8 of PPS 4 sets out the Department’s planning policy for ‘Development incompatible with Economic Development Uses’. The policy provides protection for existing economic development enterprises from any form of development that is incompatible and likely to prejudice the continued existence and employment generated by the established use.
- 3. The SPG provides clarification in regard to the specific circumstances referred to in the policy justification and amplification where certain types of industrial use would be incompatible with existing industrial undertakings requiring a particularly contaminant free environment (such as life sciences, food processing and research and development sectors).
- 4. A copy of this document can be obtained from DOE’s Planning Policy Division, Millennium House, Third Floor, 17-25 Great Victoria Street, Malone Lower, Belfast, BT2 7BN.
- 5. For media enquiries please contact DOE Communications Office 028 9025 6058. Out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
