Public Consultation for the Regeneration
of Drayton Manor Business Park
PUBLIC CONSULTATION FOR THE REGENERATION OF DRAYTON MANOR BUSINESS PARK
Welcome
Drayton Manor Business Park (DMBP) is owned and managed by FI Real Estate Management Ltd. Made up of over 46,000 sqm of floor space, accommodating 27 tenants and over 350 employees.
Proposed Development
Proposed development comprises of both detailed and outline elements (hybrid application). The detailed element covers the provision of a significant ecology-zone along with tree planting and landscaping with 3 new blocks of employment development each with dedicated service yards, car and HGV parking and new circulation roads. The outline element relates to the existing industrial units which are planned for redevelopment or remodelling to provide new units with internal offices and service yards etc. but only up to the amount of floorspace currently existing at the site. The proposals also include Improvements to the site’s existing access off Coleshill Road/A4091, additional tree planting and landscaping plus flood mitigation assets which will form part of the significant ecology zone. Overall, the proposed development will improve, extend and reprofile the old and in need of modernisation industrial estate into an attractive and fully functional modern employment park.
Planning Framework
The existing business park was formed out of a training depot that was built during WWII. Initially and for many years it was operated as a large manufacturing complex by a single user. At its height, in the 1990s, the site accommodated more than 60,000 sqm/650,000 sqft of floorspace. Surprisingly, given the built profile of the site, in the 1980s it was included in the West Midlands Green Belt. Related planning policy seeks to keep land open and free of development but obviously the site is already heavily developed. Green Belt policy generally seeks to restrict inappropriate development. The element of the scheme relating to the replacement of existing buildings as it is by similarly sized and profiled buildings for the same use would not be regarded as inappropriate development. The proposed new development would be regarded as inappropriate development. For this to succeed very special circumstances need to be demonstrated. Very special circumstances can be demonstrated by reference to several facets of the overall proposed development including the many benefits the proposed development will deliver.
Socio Economic Benefits
The proposed development will deliver a wide range of valuable socio-economic benefits. Construction employment will create a combined total of 659 direct, indirect and induced jobs. Combined value for construction employment is £23.45 million over the 6-year construction period or £3.9 million per annum. The overall proposed development has the potential to create 1,400 permanent jobs. In addition, there will be 471 indirect and induced jobs created within support services/sectors. £70 million combined value for construction and employment investment over the next six years. Looked at in the context of the first 10 years of the operation of the development, assuming fully let units, the development would support the local economy to the tune of £286 million. The combined benefits are very significant to the local economy and great weight should be afforded to this benefit in the planning balance. It will total at £100m gross development value.
Welcome
Drayton Manor Business Park (DMBP) is owned and managed by FI Real Estate Management Ltd. Made up of over 46,000 sqm of floor space, accommodating 17 tenants and over 350 employees.
Proposed Development
Proposed development comprises of both detailed and outline elements (hybrid application). The detailed element covers the provision of a significant ecology-zone along with tree planting and landscaping with 3 new blocks of employment development each with dedicated service yards, car and HGV parking and new circulation roads. The outline element relates to the existing industrial units which are planned for redevelopment or remodelling to provide new units with internal offices and service yards etc. but only up to the amount of floorspace currently existing at the site. The proposals also include Improvements to the site’s existing access off Coleshill Road/A4091, additional tree planting and landscaping plus flood mitigation assets which will form part of the significant ecology zone. Overall, the proposed development will improve, extend and reprofile the old and in need of modernisation industrial estate into an attractive and fully functional modern employment park.
Planning Framework
The existing business park was formed out of a training depot that was built during WWII. Initially and for many years it was operated as a large manufacturing complex by a single user. At its height, in the 1990s, the site accommodated more than 60,000 sqm/650,000 sqft of floorspace. Surprisingly, given the built profile of the site, in the 1980s it was included in the West Midlands Green Belt. Related planning policy seeks to keep land open and free of development but obviously the site is already heavily developed. Green Belt policy generally seeks to restrict inappropriate development. The element of the scheme relating to the replacement of existing buildings as it is by similarly sized and profiled buildings for the same use would not be regarded as inappropriate development. The proposed new development would be regarded as inappropriate development. For this to succeed very special circumstances need to be demonstrated. Very special circumstances can be demonstrated by reference to several facets of the overall proposed development including the many benefits the proposed development will deliver.
Socio Economic Benefits
The proposed development will deliver a wide range of valuable socio-economic benefits. Construction employment will create a combined total of 979 direct, indirect and induced jobs. Combined value for construction employment is £23.45 million over the 6-year construction period or £3.9 million per annum. The overall proposed development has the potential to create 785 permanent jobs. In addition, there will be 471 indirect and induced jobs created within support services/sectors. Combined value of all of these jobs will be £28.6 million per annum. Looked at in the context of the first 10 years of the operation of the development, assuming fully let units, the development would support the local economy to the tune of £286 million. The combined benefits are very significant to the local economy and great weight should be afforded to this benefit in the planning balance.
Design proposals
The refurbishment element is an area of part-developed land to the north and east of the existing buildings.
The new build proposal will provide sustainable industrial accommodation that will increase the range of premises on offer at DMBP.
FI Real Estate Management’s has committed to high standards for sustainability, including an ‘Excellent Rating’ under BREEAM, monitored by Energy Counsel Ltd. Further commitments include improving the flora and fauna within the estate by the creation of a species-rich wetland and new tree planting.
Design
The design of the detailed element provides four new-builds, terraced blocks A to C and a detached unit D, creating a total of 7 units.
The layout provides service yards and car parking. All units will include a mezzanine floor and changing/shower facilities at ground level.
The facing materials of the elevations are a combination of green cladding and glazing to the entrances. Light grey profiled cladding with feature dark green trim sits above the blocks of green cladding and glazing to articulate the elevations.
Landscape and Ecology
An Ecological Appraisal, Arboricultural Impact Assessment, Environmental Statement, Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Assessment have been undertaken.
These have informed the proposed wetland, retention of existing tree groups and soft landscape design that will create a diverse habitat.
An outdoor amenity area is proposed, and a combination of tree planting creating a new wetland wood, together with specimen trees along the estate road will screen the foreground of the industrial units as seen from the canal tow path.
Highways
There are no significant highway safety issues at the proposed development and no evidence it will exacerbate accident frequency.
Existing site access remains the default for all modes of transport.
A new foot/cycleway improves movement entering the site and to the new industrial units, including defined crossing points.
The traffic generation review shows the road network has ample capacity for the level of traffic generated by the proposed development.
The proposed development would not unacceptably impact highway safety or capacity of the highway network.
Design
proposals
The refurbishment element is an area of part-developed land to the north and east of the existing buildings.
The new build proposal will provide sustainable industrial accommodation that will increase the range of premises on offer at DMBP.
FI Real Estate Management’s has committed to high standards for sustainability, including an ‘Excellent Rating’ under BREEAM, monitored by Energy Counsel Ltd. Further commitments include improving the flora and fauna within the estate by the creation of a species-rich wetland and new tree planting.
Design
The design of the detailed element provides four new-builds, terraced blocks A to C and a detached unit D, creating a total of 7 units.
The layout provides service yards and car parking. All units will include a mezzanine floor and changing/shower facilities at ground level.
The facing materials of the elevations are a combination of green cladding and glazing to the entrances. Light grey profiled cladding with feature dark green trim sits above the blocks of green cladding and glazing to articulate the elevations.
Landscape
and Ecology
An Ecological Appraisal, Arboricultural Impact Assessment, Environmental Statement, Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Assessment have been undertaken.
These have informed the proposed wetland, retention of existing tree groups and soft landscape design that will create a diverse habitat.
An outdoor amenity area is proposed, and a combination of tree planting creating a new wetland wood, together with specimen trees along the estate road will screen the foreground of the industrial units as seen from the canal tow path.
Highways
There are no significant highway safety issues at the proposed development and no evidence it will exacerbate accident frequency.
Existing site access remains the default for all modes of transport.
A new foot/cycleway improves movement entering the site and to the new industrial units, including defined crossing points.
The traffic generation review shows the road network has ample capacity for the level of traffic generated by the proposed development.
The proposed development would not unacceptably impact highway safety or capacity of the highway network.
Comments
Comments