Businesses are being encouraged to have their say on a 20-year vision set out for Stoke-on-Trent.
A six-week consultation on the city council’s draft Local Plan, which Daily Focus recently reported sets out the need for a minimum of 84 hectares of employment land being needed over the period from 2020 to 2040.
Twenty-one locations have been detailed in a list of sites allocated for development including land alongside the A500 in Cliffe Vale, the former Ravensdale sports field off Chemical Lane in Tunstall, and land off City Road in Fenton.
The Local Plan says a ‘continuous supply of land and full range of premises will be made available for all forms of employment development’ and an emphasis will be placed on ensuring sites are available to support sectors such as advanced manufacturing, the digital and technological sector, creative industries and uses for transport and storage which are all deemed as important to the city’s economic growth and development.
Councillor Chris Robinson, cabinet member for housing, planning and governance at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “The Local Plan is all about making sure our city is fit for the future – fit to house a growing population, both young and old, so that families can stay together, and to tap into the thousands of exciting job opportunities we are on target to create.
“It’s about making sure that people can be proud of the place where they live and know that any development will be sustainable, ensuring our very green city remains just that for generations to come.
“And it’s also about making sure that development isn’t piecemeal but fits into the bigger picture of a long-term vision for growth and prosperity, that benefits all of us.”
Declan Riddell, policy adviser at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce will be developing a response to the Draft Local Plan consultation and we urge all local businesses to share their views, before the consultation closes on Monday, 20 October.
“The business voice is crucial in offering insights about the supply of employment land in the city and can help to shape plans for future investment and job creation.”
The Local Plan document and a link to the consultation portal can be found here.
