Employment Land and Economic Impact Assessment

Viable Placemaking recently supported with a "groundbreaking" ‘Employment Land and Economic Impact Assessment’ – reframing the way employment land reviews and economic impact assessment may be considered, combined, and evaluated as part of development proposals.

In early 2025, Viable Placemaking were approached by a solicitor, seeking an expert in development economics in the planning system to prepare an economic assessment of an existing business as part of both planning applications and at appeal.

Following review of the case, business' outputs, and Local Council's employment, a new ‘Employment Land and Economic Impact Assessment’ was provided, which connected multiple strands of economic development analysis to provide an overarching assessment of the development. The report offers a data-driven, policy aware assessment of how the development affects local economies and employment in the local area.

Initially, the Assessment reviews and establishes national and local policy, then set the scene under which the economic impacts will be considered. This includes a comprehensive review of the Local Planning Authority’s evidence base and, in this case, found that – although the plan was justified at the time of adoption – the evidence was dated and no longer reflected the local employment land scene, particularly with regard to storage and distribution centres.

Analysis of the functional economic market area implications, local economic baseline, and market performance, found a significant demand for Use Class B8 land in the LPA and wider economic market area.

Additionally, a sequential test approach of alternative sites found that none were suitable – highlighting the strategic importance of the existing site and why this ought to be given significant weight in an appeal decision.

The next step was to conduct an economic impact assessment of a typical development/use at the site, against which the existing site could be benchmarked. This found that the existing business was performing well in excess of what might typically be expected of a similar use at the site. This was given substantial weight within the planning balance.

Rather than relying on theoretical models or standard economic analysis methods, this assessment combined real business data, market trends, regional economic context, and planning policy expertise to amalgamate a robust case assessment.

Following thorough review of the employment land supply, planning policy, and wider economic market context, the assessment recommended supporting and intensifying existing use to support economic growth and align with national growth goals.

This assessment has been recognised by the Institute of Economic Development and supported a business in continuing to operate, having been allowed at appeal!

For more information on the Employment Land and Economic Impact Assessment, or to find out more about how Viable Placemaking can support with the economic factors relating to your development, please don't hesitate to get in touch!