Agenda item

This report provides an update on the current position and next steps in relation to progressing the proposals for the expanded Bath & Somer Valley Enterprise Zone following the report to the Panel on the 1^st March 2016.

The Divisional Director for Community Regeneration introduced this item to the Panel. He informed them that negotiations were on-going with DCLG/HMT on the Government agreeing to fund the granting of Business Rates discounts for occupation of premises within the existing Enterprise Area fiscal boundary, which would effectively give the ability to grant the same reliefs as are available in an Enterprise Zone.

He gave a presentation to the Panel, a summary of this is set out below and a full version can be seen online as an appendix to these minutes.

Enterprise Zone Proposed Expansion

Business Case

·  Address market constraints & economic vulnerability

·  Promote employment provision in accessible development locations emerging from the WofE JSP

·  Enable improved broadband provision

·  Focus new investment through clustering & agglomeration benefits

Somer Valley

·  Consolidation of Old Mills, Paulton

·  Brownfield sites at Welton Bibby Baron / Welton Hollow

·  Completion of existing employment sites

o  Bath Business Park / Westfield / Midsomer Enterprise Park

Keynsham

·  Allocated sites at Somerdale & A4 East of Keynsham

·  Keynsham Peninsula employment land

Enterprise Zone Business Rate Uplift: £76,350.67 from 11 sites

Enterprise Zone Timeline

10^th November 2016: Council approval sought for extended Bath & Somer Valley Enterprise Zone. Delegated authority to enable proposals to be finalised, agreed with LEP and submitted to government by 9th December 2016.

23^rd November 2016: Autumn Statement – formal announcement on Enterprise Zone.

30^th November 2016: WoE Prog.Board – Agree final Implementation Plan.

Agree and sign MoU between LEP, Bristol City Council and Bath & North East Somerset (including agreed objectives and priorities for the Enterprise Zone as well as terms necessary to give effect to the Memorandum of Understanding with DCLG).

9^th December 2016: Deadline for Enterprise Zones commencing in April 2017 to provide final boundary maps and BR baselines for existing properties.

Councillor Barry Macrae stated that land allocated through this process for employment use should not be allowed to become housing if the initial employment project should fail. He also asked if there was any flexibility within the process to look at small sites if they become available for local jobs. He encouraged decisions regarding any of the sites to be announced locally so that the community are aware.

The Divisional Director for Community Regeneration replied that small sites are not within the Government policy on Enterprise Zones. He added though that development of the Old Mills site may make other schemes more attractive to developers.

Councillor Paul May asked about the connectivity of the sites in Welton and if any of the sites in Keynsham were within known flood areas.

The Divisional Director for Community Regeneration replied that site deliverability and scale had formed the proposals. He added that with regard to flooding some schemes may take 10 – 15 years to come to fruition.

The Business Support & Development Manager added that due to the recent Placemaking Examination the decision was taken to proceed with sites allocated within the Core Strategy.

Councillor Cherry Beath asked if Devolution would affect any of these plans.

The Divisional Director for Community Regeneration replied that Devolution was creating a number of opportunities to discuss these proposals.

Councillor Colin Blackburn asked why the sites of Pinesgate and Roseberry Place were not able to be included.

The Business Support & Development Manager replied that colleagues within the Resources Directorate were concerned over the delivery of the sites and the achievable uplift in rates.

The Panel RESOLVED to;

i)  Note the current position and proposed next steps in relation to the proposed expansion of the Bath & Somer Valley Enterprise Zone.

ii)  Note that a report is being taken to Council on the 10th November 2016 seeking approval for the proposed Enterprise Zone expansion.