A Place to Work and Learn (Employment) Working Group Brief

The Task: ‘Develop options to support a sustainable development strategy for the growth of good quality and well-paid employment in Liskeard:

Starting points (a): Liskeard as a vibrant business centre that employers and workers want to come and work/do business.

1. Identify the present and future needs of existing employers, and potential new ones with the aim of promoting and supporting employment and business opportunities in Liskeard (link to character of town and stated reasons why employers like to be in Liskeard)
2. Locate sites where new businesses could develop and existing ones expand and diversify.
3. Assess viability of a “new” business park/hub and propose two or more suitable sites.
4. Consider the sustainable infrastructure and transport/access links in all developments
5. Investigate ways to broaden the employment base, beyond service and retail, towards hi-tech, high-wage businesses, both small and large.

Starting points (b): Liskeard as a centre where young people can gain the skills to play a full role in the economic life of the town.

1. support young people/new employees through training schemes/apprenticeships
2. Establish stronger links between employers and Liskeard School and Community College (as well asother educational and training providers)

In all the above, make best use of superfast broadband to enhance connectivity with the rest of the country/world markets

The outcome should:

• Identify the Liskeard share of the Cornwall Local Plan employment targets for the Liskeard-Looe CNA to 2030;
• be based on an intelligent business and market analysis and the demand profile for the Town, including knowledge of land ownership;
• Maximise the benefits of Liskeard’s early adoption of Superfast Broadband;
• Support links between Liskeard Community School & Community College creative arts and maths academies with employers in Liskeard;
• Provide support for new business formation;
• Respond to the needs of existing businesses to expand;
• Take into account the condition and quality of existing sites and premises and proposes ways of improvement;
• Define the use-classes, range of unit sizes, plot-ratios required;
• Use employment growth to support the other NP thematic issues;
• Identify potential sites for new employment development

Delivery Activities:  

• What do we know?  Population statistics & projections – which age-groups will have greatest need in future? e.g. responses to business breakfast/consultation. Commuting/travel to work statistics
• What do we need to find out? – what do we already have in place?
• How do the NPPF and Local Plan affect on the process? Employment/business allocation for CNA/Liskeard
• What is the employment need – especially what type of employment is needed within the overall target set by the Cornwall Local Plan? Where are the gaps, and how should they be filled?
• Where should new businesses go?
• What criteria should be used to assess the viability/suitability of sites?
• For example – topography; water management; connectivity; landscape designation; minimizing environmental impact on what’s already there; infrastructure that’s already in place
• Who should provide new facilities? How should new businesses be integrated into the town and its surrounding area (CNA) (see housing group and town group)?
• What design standards should be applied to ensure quality, energy efficiency and sustainability (see energy and environment and design and heritage)?
• How can the desire for improved training (especially for young people) be accommodated?
• What role should Liskeard school and community college play, and can higher level skills training be provided for  (Universities/local colleges/company apprenticeships and training schemes)

As part of the work:

• Hold engagement sessions with community and industry stakeholders/liaise with neighbouring CNA partners
• Visit and take advice from expert sources and recognised good practice examples
• Prepare updates for report to the Neighbourhood Plan Team at its monthly meetings
• Prepare a report that makes recommendations on the options for policies and proposals that the NP Team and Town Council should consider taking forward [spring 2015].

Response categories from Community Engagement (number)

• Type of business – high tech/high wage/small/large (41)
• Support for young people/training/apprenticeships (40)
• Site/place/land/preferred position for business (32)
• Attract business/tax/incentives/rent/costs (30)
• Jobs before/in conjunction with house-building (21)
• More employment needed (21)
• Influence of Plymouth/commuting/Liskeard as a dormitory town (12)
• Infrastructure to support industry (11)
• Local jobs/employ local people (11)
• Pay level/wages (4)

N.B. Proposals must have regard to economic reality, they must have a planning purpose, and be achievable

Recommended policies or proposals can be either specific (a site allocation); controlling (in a specific area something will not be permitted; or enabling (developments will be permitted under certain conditions)

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