Regulation 19 Rutland Local Plan

Ends on 2 December 2024 (25 days remaining)

Employment and Skills

What will this policy do?

The policy will help to meet county-wide requirements for skill enhancement. by introducing the requirement for Employment and Skills Plans for major developments within the County in order to use the opportunities presented by development to improve local employment and training.

Policy E6 - Employment and skills Comment

The Council encourages development proposals that support the following:

  1. raise skills levels and increase employability;
  2. tackle skills shortages in existing and potential business sector clusters that are, or have the potential to be, strengths in the local economy;
  3. create high skilled employment opportunities to enable Rutland residents who currently commute outside the County to work locally;
  4. promote skills on strategic housing and employment sites particularly with regard to construction skills;
  5. address barriers to employment for economically inactive people (including those who have a disability, long term sickness or leaving education); and
  6. provide for the development of childcare facilities within or close proximity to employment sites.

Employment and Skills plans will be required as part of the submission of a planning application for:

  • the construction phases of residential development of more than 50 homes and commercial schemes of more than 1000 sq. m.; and
  • the occupancy phase of commercial schemes that are likely to provide more than 50 jobs.

Why is this policy needed?

The Council recognises that the skills and education of the labour force is crucial to the economic viability, flexibility and competitiveness of the local economy. The Council's Economic Strategy recognises the transition to net zero means changes for how we live and work. National issues, particularly the high cost of living and inflation, compound local challenges and accentuate the need for us to take a new approach to sustainable, inclusive economic growth.

This will help address employment shortages in Rutland particularly in hospitality, finance, data science and analysis. The lack of available workers locally intensifies competition for labour. Housing can be expensive which creates a challenge finding young professionals and people to fill junior roles and acts as a barrier to accessing work and supporting local enterprise.

Rutland County Council, as the local planning authority, can request contributions, either financial or in kind, through planning obligations for measures directly related to a development. This arrangement derives from Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

Employment and Skills Plans in the County will set out site-specific measures delivering jobs and training for local people. These measures will be negotiated on a site-by-site basis and will not be unduly onerous while still delivering real benefits on the ground. This is in line with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (25), which states that developments should not be subjected to a scale of obligations that would threaten their ability to be developed viably.

These plans will be required for the construction phases of residential development of more than 50 homes and all commercial schemes of more than 100 sq. m.

The main evidence to support the need for Employment and Skills Plans in Rutland are:

  • skills shortages within the County;
  • the changing demographic and inactivity have increased over the last 5 years - of the economically inactive, there are higher proportions of retirees and those looking after family/home;
  • workplace earnings are lower than resident earnings, indicating that higher jobs within Rutland are largely offering lower pay whilst highly educated Rutland residents out-commute to higher paid jobs.

This policy can be applied to new developments where there are opportunities to provide apprenticeships or training thus raising skills and attainment and supporting people into higher paid employment, potentially connecting employers and employment opportunities to local schools, colleges, training organisations and voluntary services. This will encourage local skills and employment development.

The Council's Economic Strategy recognises the transition to net zero means changes for how we live and work. National issues, particularly the high cost of living and inflation, compound local challenges and accentuate the need for us to take a new approach to sustainable, inclusive economic growth; including enabling well educated Rutland residents to work within the County thus reducing commuting.

Supporting Evidence

Rutland's Economic Strategy (May 2023)
Rutland Employment Needs & Economic Development Evidence (2023)

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