Consultation is open from 3 August 2026 9:00am to 25 September 2026 5:00pm
Policy J/PB: Protecting existing business space
1. Proposals for industrial and storage uses will be acceptable in principle on the Strategic Industrial Estates listed below. Development, including changes of use, which results in the loss of industrial and storage floorspace on Strategic Industrial Estates will be permitted only where there is compelling evidence that circumstances have changed to the extent that there is no reasonable prospect of floorspace, or land being used for these purposes by reference to:
a. Whether existing premises are being used productively, or if not, the viability of reusing vacant premises or developing allocated land suitable for industrial and storage uses;
b. The level of interest in existing premises following a marketing period of not less than 24 months, on reasonable terms, that reflect the lawful use and condition of the premises, during a sustained period of UK economic growth;
c. General market signals of demand across Greater Cambridge and in relation to the locality; and
d. The availability and quality of alternative premises.
2. There will be a presumption in favour of retaining employment sites and premises. Where planning permission is required, development (including change of use) outside Strategic Industrial Estates which results in the loss of employment floorspace will only be permitted where:
a. The site is allocated for an alternative use in the strategy section of this plan or in a neighbourhood plan;
b. It is demonstrated through documentary evidence that circumstances have changed such that the site or premises are inappropriate for any employment use to continue by reference to:
i. Whether the site or premises are being used productively, or if not, the viability of reusing the vacant premises or developing the land for employment use;
ii. the level of interest in existing premises following a marketing period of not less than twelve months on reasonable terms that reflect the lawful use and condition of the premises during a sustained period of UK economic growth;
iii. General signals of demand across Greater Cambridge and in relation to the area of the site or premise; and
iv. The availability and quality of alternative premises.
c. The loss of a small proportion of floorspace would facilitate the redevelopment and continuation of employment on the site and the proposed redevelopment will modernise buildings that are out of date and do not meet business needs;
d. The overall benefit to the community of the proposal outweighs any adverse effect on employment opportunities and the range of available employment land and premises; or
e. The existing use is generating environmental problems such as noise, pollution, or unacceptable levels of traffic and any alternative employment use would continue to generate similar environmental problems.
3. Applicants will also need to demonstrate that non-industrial or non-storage uses would not have an adverse impact on the sustainability of industrial and storage premises that remain around the site or would not act against the development of undeveloped areas for industrial uses.
4. Mid-tech premises will, in principle, be acceptable on Strategic Industrial Estates where it can be demonstrated that the industrial function of the land or premises would remain.
5. The following Strategic Industrial Estates are identified on the Policies Map:
a. Barnwell Business Park and Barnwell Drive, Cambridge
b. Beadle Industrial Estate, Ditton Walk, Cambridge
c. Brickyard Industrial Estate/Coldham’s Road, Cambridge
d. Cheddars Lane, Cambridge
e. Coldham's Lane Business Park, Cambridge
f. Cottage and Cave Industrial Estates, Fen Ditton
g. Hain Daniels Site, Histon
h. Henley Road, Cambridge
i .King’s Hedges Road – Kirkwood Road / Kilmaine Estate, Cambridge
j. Mercers Row Industrial Estate (including Swanns Road), Cambridge
k. North of Coldham's Lane, Cambridge (including Church End Industrial Estate and College Business Park)
l. Ronald Rolph Court, Wadloes Road, Cambridge
m. Winship Road, Norman Industrial Estate, Cambridge Road, Milton
6. Meanwhile uses that generate employment, skills and training opportunities and community benefits will be encouraged while the marketing of a vacant site takes place.
Supporting information
8.28. Employment uses are defined in Policy J/NE above. For the purposes of Local Plan policies, industrial and storage uses consist of:
a. E(g) iii Light industry;
b. B2: General Industry;
c. B8: Storage and distribution;
d. Any sui generis uses that share a significant number of characteristics with the uses above; and
e. Mid-tech, modern general industrial premises that have a greater emphasis on the office / R&D element alongside manufacturing and storage / distribution.
8.29. Employment sites and business premises in Greater Cambridge are under pressure for redevelopment from residential and other uses. The uncontrolled loss of employment floorspace can impact the sustainability of local communities and local economies. Fewer local employment opportunities could reduce the vibrancy of communities and mean that people must travel further for work, or to access local services. Fewer businesses, including those supporting Greater Cambridge’s key sectors could damage the local economic ecosystem.
8.30. In the urban development framework of Cambridge, there is a particular pressure on industrial land from other uses with reduced space and rising land values pushing industrial uses out of the city (or out of business). As available sites within more central areas have fallen, the demand for the redevelopment of existing industrial sites has begun to move out towards the periphery of the city and beyond. For existing industrial uses, new modern sites may not be suitable and it can be difficult to find new premises within their price point, particularly if their business model relies on a proximity to Cambridge. Protecting existing industrial sites is considered a vital part of developing a more inclusive Greater Cambridge economy. The designation of Strategic Industrial Estates, including the protection of several sites in villages close to Cambridge, seeks to mitigate these pressures.
8.31. The policy will operate within the limits of the Use Class uses and permitted development rights, which allow certain changes of use from office, R&D and light industrial use to take place without the need for planning permission. Where new light industrial or mid-tech uses are permitted, the Councils will seek to apply conditions limiting the ability to change use to other Use Class uses to ensure that the industrial use of the sites or premises is retained and that any future loss is assessed against Local Plan policies via a planning application.
8.32. Making best use of existing employment sites and premises reduces the pressure for the development of new sites, including new sites in the countryside. It also provides a greater range of employment opportunities and reduces the need to travel. Sites and premises should be retained to provide local employment, unless specific factors indicate otherwise.
8.33. It would be unreasonable to protect employment sites in perpetuity, but we can seek to ensure that alternative opportunities have been explored before sites are lost.
8.34. Any marketing exercise should include extensive advertising. Both freehold and leasehold options should be made available without restrictive covenants preventing reuse as an employment use. Subject to commercial sensitivity, the original details of all offers should be provided to the Council resulting from the marketing period together with full reasons as to why any offer has not been accepted. The facility should only be marketed at an appropriate value agreed by the Council and an independent assessor for its existing use. Further details of the Councils’ expectations of applicants for marketing exercises are set out in Appendix F of this Local Plan.
8.35. The Agent of Change principle should be applied to employment sites with the responsibility for mitigating impacts from existing noise and other nuisance-generating activities or uses on these sites applied to the proposed new noise-sensitive development. This is to ensure that any existing nuisance-generating uses are protected and prioritised, and do not have unreasonable restrictions placed on them through the introduction of new sensitive uses such as residential. The principle should also support the intensification of existing or emerging industrial areas.
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All comments must be received by 25 September 2026 at 5pm.