Planning for Rutland’s Future - Issues and Options Consultation

Issue 4: Enabling a prosperous and resilient economy

Objective 4: Supporting business investment and job creation in ways which are compatible with environmental considerations to maintain a prosperous and resilient economy in Rutland.

The NPPF sets out an economic role for the planning system to contribute to a strong and competitive economy, particularly by ensuring that sufficient land of the right type is available in the right places and at the right time to support growth and innovation. It supports a positive approach to all these matters stating that local plans should support a prosperous rural economy through policies that enable:

• the sustainable growth and expansion of all types of business in rural areas, both through conversion of existing buildings and well-designed new buildings;
• the development and diversification of agricultural and other land-based rural businesses;
• sustainable rural tourism and leisure developments which respect the character of the countryside; and
• the retention and development of accessible local services and community facilities.

National policy requires planning policies to encourage sustainable economic growth and should not act as an impediment to it. To help achieve economic growth, local planning authorities should plan proactively to meet the development needs of businesses and support an economy fit for the 21^st Century. Rutland is a partner of the Great Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and has a close alignment with this LEP in terms of its rural economy, its market towns and the importance of sectors such as agriculture, tourism and food and drink. Specific benefits to the local economy are delivered through the access to services and resources offered by the Greater Lincolnshire LEP and its Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub.

Employment growth has primarily been focused on the existing employment areas within Rutland. The adopted Local Plan Strategy identified a new employment allocation within Oakham and Uppingham and a further small-scale allocation identified within Ketton.

An update to the Employment study in May 2018 set out two scenarios which showed widely differing results. The short term take up scenario (which the consultants recommend as the evidence to support this is more robust) indicates an existing over-supply of employment land in Rutland.

However, the alternative long term take up scenario showed that there is a requirement to provide an additional 25 ha of employment land. The consultants also concluded that: "Rutland County Council should maintain a flexible employment land supply to meet the full range of needs to 2036, provide choice and flexibility in supply, allowing for likely further losses".

The AMR (Authority Monitoring Report) for 2020/21 has shown the adopted Local Plan target for additional employment land and ensuring a continuous supply of general employment land to provide local jobs for sustaining the local economy has been met.

The new Local Plan will enable the Council to consider whether a continuation of this strategy is appropriate or whether alternative options for the provision of employment land and supporting job creation should be considered. There is also a need to consider how planning policies can support the recovery of the local economy in Rutland following the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic.

A large part of Rutland is rural in nature, and the new Local plan will need to reflect national planning policies to support economic growth in rural areas to promote a strong rural economy. Agriculture remains an important industry in Rutland but there is trend that businesses have begun to diversify away from traditional rural activities through the re-use of buildings for commercial non-agricultural purposes or for tourist activities, such as glamping sites. The Council will need to consider how to encourage local economic growth in rural areas whilst ensuring sustainable development. It is looking to refresh its Economic Development Strategy for Rutland.

It will be necessary to undertake an Employment Land Review to look at employment land requirements and potential future locations but also take account of the work of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP and link up with their strategies and objectives. This will provide an opportunity to consider whether there are any emerging growth sectors for Rutland's economy and guide on the appropriate strategy for the county for the plan period and consider other options for growth such as the A1 corridor.

The Employment Land review will also need to take account of recent changes to the Use Classes system and permitted development.

The following sites have permission or are committed for employment uses (by allocation in the adopted local plan:

• Land at Uppingham Gate, Uppingham;
• Land off Hackamore Way & Panniers Way, Oakham;
• and Land at Pit Lane, Ketton.

Rutland's Rural Economy

Rutland hosts a wide range of rural enterprises that vary in size, usually operating in and around the villages. These rural businesses often have strong local connections in terms of origin and a local workforce, but also enjoy the attractive rural environment and the connections to a number of major centres.

A diversity of rural enterprise is essential for the future of Rutland's local economy. The Local Plan must guide development in a way which ensures that the natural and physical environment remains attractive and also that a local workforce can be provided to service business. In order to support the rural economy, where agricultural buildings are no longer needed for agriculture, they can be converted to provide employment opportunities. Conversions can bring environmental improvements through good sensitive design or general improvements to the wider visual appearance of the area. However, it is also important to consider whether development is appropriate in its location, so that those attracting significant numbers of visitors or employees are located where they can be accessed by means other than the car. Local Planning Policies are required to support farm diversification of agricultural and other land-based rural businesses. Farm diversification schemes such as farm shops, holiday accommodation, and farm-based processing and packaging can help maintain working farms. Enterprise relating to the keeping or breeding of equines are common in the rural areas and form an essential part of the rural economy.

Rutland's Visitor Economy

The visitor economy is an important and resilient part of Rutland's overall economy. There is scope for Rutland to develop its visitor offer to attract more short-stay and long-stay visitors from within the region as well as from national and international locations. Boosting visitor numbers and the amount of money and time they spend in the area will lead to a range of business opportunities as well as supporting investment in the area's natural and historic tourism assets and town centres.

Planning for tourism should ensure that in maximising Rutland's assets there is no harm to the very character, quality and beauty that make them attractive to residents and visitors. It is, therefore, essential that appropriately scaled facilities and infrastructure is in place that support the economic potential that tourism offers whilst protecting the wider environment itself.

Rutland Water

Rutland Water is an important reservoir providing water supplies to the East Midlands and areas to the south and east. It is an internationally important site for nature conservation with a major role as a recreational facility with importance for tourism and the local economy. The reservoir and its immediate surrounds have been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a RAMSAR site and Special Protection Area with national and international importance for passage and breeding waterfowl. As such, it receives statutory protection, and any development will be subject to strict controls to ensure that it does not adversely affect the integrity of the site.

It also plays a major role in providing recreational activities, of both a passive and active nature, such as sailing and water sports, walking, cycling, bird watching, fishing and picnicking and it is recognised that some limited development may be needed to support this role.

The NPPF requires that planning policies should recognise the hierarchy of international, national and locally designated sites of importance for nature conservation. It also seeks to promote a strong rural economy by supporting the sustainable growth and expansion of rural business. This includes supporting rural tourism and leisure developments that benefit businesses in rural areas, communities and visitors and which respect the character of the countryside.

The policy approach to the Rutland Water has been largely successful since the 1970's in protecting nature conservation interests of the reservoir and retaining the unspoilt and tranquil nature of the area, while accommodating recreation and tourism needs. A Landscape Review of the Rutland Water Area (2019) was undertaken to provide robust up-to-date evidence to underpin the identification of the Rutland Water Area and its boundaries, and the Recreation Areas inset within it, as required by the NPPF. The study provides the evidence and reasoned justification to support the identification of the Rutland Water Area in the Local Plan as a 'valued landscape'.

The current policy approach through the Rutland Water Area designation provides special protection for Rutland Water. Within the defined Rutland Water Area (RWA) around the reservoir and its immediate environs, strategic policy allows for carefully managed limited development of certain specified uses carefully designed and located to ensure that it respects the nature conservation features of this internationally important site and does not have an adverse impact on the landscape and wildlife interests and the general tranquil and undisturbed environment of Rutland Water. Small scale recreation, sport and tourist uses are permitted within five defined Recreation Areas (RAs) around the shores of the reservoir within the RWA where this is directly related to the use and enjoyment of Rutland Water or for operational uses (by Anglian Water) and appropriate in scale, form and design to its location.

This policy approach seeks to permit small scale development within the five defined recreation areas and the wider Rutland Water area for certain specified uses related to the enjoyment of Rutland Water or for operational uses. A wider "Rutland Water Area" has been defined comprising the reservoir and its immediate surroundings where small scale new recreation, sport and tourist facilities developments are limited to those essential for nature conservation or fishing or essential for operational requirements of existing facilities and subject to requirements in terms of location, scale, design and landscape impact.

Camping and caravanning activities are seen to be potentially damaging to the character and setting of Rutland Water and are not permitted in the wider Rutland Water Area nor in the defined Barnsdale or Whitwell Recreation Areas.