Wilsden Neighbourhood Plan 2020-2038

5 BUSINESS AND EMPLOYMENT

5.0.1 Employment, businesses and economic growth are key to sustainable, vibrant and prosperous communities. The Parish is home to a wide range and growing number of businesses and levels of economic activity are high. Traditionally the main business activities in the Parish have been related to farming and the textile industry. It was a farming community until the growth of the textile industry in the early 19th century.

5.0.2 Whilst farming and, to a much lesser extent, the textile industry remain important, other types of business activity have come to the fore. The Parish is home to over 125 employers spanning a wide and diverse range of sectors, such as education, retail, farming, manufacturing and tourism. The vast majority of these are small, employing less than ten people. There are, however, some larger employers such as R Bunton Ltd, Caterleisure, Stephen H Smith's Garden Centre, Laurel Bank Nursing Home and Wilsden Primary School.

5.0.3 In recent years a number of small, specialised businesses who trade online have been established in Wilsden. The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in significant growth for many of these businesses. This plus the trend towards more home working has resulted in changes to employment in the area and if continued at the current rate could significantly change the employment opportunities. Its residents are more likely to be in employment and hold a higher-level qualification than the district and national norms according to the 2021 Census. The Parish is connected to major employment areas such as Bradford and Leeds, where many of its residents work.

5.0.4 Consultation reveals that residents do not consider that the Parish would be appropriate for significant new business or industrial development, especially as it would lead to more journeys by road and further congestion. This would have an adverse impact on the amenity and character of the Parish. They do give support to the retention and safeguarding of existing employment sites and buildings that meet the needs of modern business.

5.1 Protecting and supporting existing Employment Uses

5.1.1 These businesses are located across the Parish. There are, however, a few areas in the Parish where businesses are clustered. This includes those based in purpose built industrial estates such as Wilsden Business Park, or in former mills that have been converted into premises for small businesses e.g. Spring Mill and Well House Mill.

5.1.2 The historical development of Wilsden has meant that residential and employment areas have developed simultaneously, and many of the current businesses are situated within or adjacent to residential areas. This includes a growing and above average number of residents who work from home. The vast majority of such businesses can operate and prosper in residential areas without issue. There have been some concerns, such as noise, parking and traffic with a small number of businesses, especially where they are in sites and buildings that were not designed for, nor can be adapted to, modern business needs.

5.1.3 It is national and local planning policy that existing employment sites and buildings should be normally retained for this purpose a policy stance this Plan supports. It is recognised, however, that there may be some circumstances where alternative uses may be appropriate such as where the site does not meet the need of modern business or where there is no reasonable prospect for the site being used for employment purposes. The CBMDC Core Strategy in Policy EC4 gives detailed criteria that outline how economic and employment growth will be managed in a sustainable manner.

5.2 Supporting and nurturing Small Businesses

Many current businesses in the designated area are very small, and many operate from a home office or a small workshop. There is evidence that the number of businesses that operate from home is growing fast and at a rate higher than the national and district averages.

The consultation showed there was support for encouraging people to run businesses from home or a workshop. This could include the construction of extensions, conversion of outbuildings, or the development of new free-standing buildings from which such small-scale businesses can operate.

Generally, this should be within the built-up part of Wilsden but may include the conversion of existing buildings, for example for tourism, light industry and homeworking outside the built-up areas, especially where this would support the diversification of the local hard pressed farming community.

High speed broadband connection is currently available in the centre of the Village but not in some of the surrounding areas. The lack of high-speed broadband is an inhibitor of business growth in these areas.

While home working and other such small-scale business development do not necessarily need planning permission, where it is required the Plan is generally supportive of this type of development, where it is in a sustainable and appropriate location. Any such development, however, should respect the distinctive character of Wilsden and the amenity of the surrounding area.