Representation by Greensand Holdings Limited (Greensand Holdings Limited)
- Date submitted
- 26 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Dear Sir/Madam Gatwick Airport Northern Runway Statutory Consultation Response from Greensand Holdings Limited 1. Please note that Greensand Holdings Limited, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Reigate and Banstead Council (“The Council”). Any points raised by Greensand Holdings Ltd are also the views of the Council. 2. Policy HOR9 of the Reigate and Banstead Local Plan Development Management plan (adopted in September 2019), is allocated for a strategic business park to provide up to 200,000 sqm of B1 floorspace and 10,500 sqm for community facilities. The Council via Greensand Holdings Limited owns 8.82ha of the allocated land (28%), 19.9 ha of the land (64%) is owned by Surrey County Council and the remainder, 2.5 ha (8%), is owned by Threadneedle, which has recently acquired its interest. 3. This recent acquisition by Threadneedle illustrates the potential interest from large investors in the employment opportunity on the allocated land. 4. The principal access to the proposed business park will be via a new Spur Road to the M23, giving direct access to the strategic road network and direct connectivity to the regional transport network. There is no alternative access to the site which provides this. The DCO Proposal 5. The Development Consent Order (DCO) has identified the land owned by Surrey Council, which will provided the M23 spur to the site for two purposes: (a) Parcel 4/470 - The construction of a flyover over the existing roundabout. The area identified comprises approximately 19,902 sq. m. (b) Parcel 4/468 - Use of part of the land as a works compound for the duration of the works. The area required is shown on 4/468 and comprises approximately 23,383 sqm. The duration of the works is anticipated to last for 10 years. Importance of the proposed business park to the Local Economy 6. Based on research undertaken by Nathanial Litchfield and Partners in 2014 into the scope and market demand for strategic employment provision in the south of Reigate and Banstead, Policy HOR9 of the Local Plan was adopted as the Council consider the development of a Strategic Employment site in this location would support the local economy by providing: • a highly visible centre for business and innovation in the local area • specialised modern property and facilities for businesses; and • the creation of flexible space to support new businesses to start and grow-on within the same facility. • Delivery of new jobs by 2027 7. Policy HOR9 was retained in the Local Plan Review. In recognition of the importance of its development, the Council acquired, via Greensand, a major interest in the site in 2019. Councils Objection for the use of the land as a Works Compound 8. The proposal to use the access land to the site as a works compound will effectively prevent the promotion, sale and development of the land for a strategic business park for a very considerable period. This will have a detrimental impact on the local economy by significantly delaying the development of this important piece of economic infrastructure. 9. It will be unacceptable on safety grounds to have the construction traffic of the airport and the business park both using the M23 spur. It will also be unacceptable for developers, investors and occupiers of the offices to be sharing this space with the airport construction traffic. 10. It is also considered unreasonable that Gatwick Airport Ltd delay the development of the business park whilst bringing forward competing new hotel and office space on land it already owns. 11. There has been no pre-application consultation with Greensand in respect of the use of the land as a works compound. Change to DCO Required 12. It is considered that the Compulsory Purchase Code will not provide sufficient compensation for the loss and harm to Greensand Holdings Limited and the local economy caused by the delay in the provision of the business park by the use of parcel 4/468 as a works compound. 13. Greensand Holdings Limited, therefore, requests that the DCO is modified to remove parcel 4/468.