3.9 The Government’s planning framework highlights the importance of taking a flexible approach to the management of employment land including the need to avoid the long-term protection of sites where there is no reasonable prospect of a site being used for that purpose[1] .  It also states that land allocations should be regularly reviewed.  This section therefore seeks to review the Strategic Employment Land designation included within the Replacement Elmbridge Local Plan 2000 and the Core Strategy (Policy CS23 – Employment Land). Employment land not designated as strategic will continue be protected under Policy CS23 unless redevelopment for other purposes provides wider benefits to the community.

3.10 All sites outside of town centres and included in the Employment Land Review[2]were assessed for their potential to be designated as Strategic Employment Land.  Full details of this assessment, including how we define ‘strategic’, are included within the Site Assessment Methodology documents.  The Council has identified the following options for the designation of Strategic Employment Land and selected a Preferred Option.

3.12 The only employment area outside of the town centre in Esher is the River Mole Business Park/ Sandown Industrial Estate in the north of the settlement area. The site is relatively small and there is limited scope for improvement or intensification as a result of the constrained nature of the access due to low bridges and the residential nature the area. It is therefore not considered appropriate to place a Strategic Employment Land designation on this site.