IAMP Planning Guidance in the Spotlight

South Tyneside Council's Cabinet will be asked to endorse a review of planning guidance which supports the automotive and advanced manufacturing industries in the borough.

The IAMP is a nationally significant joint venture between South Tyneside and Sunderland City councils, providing a world-class environment for automotive, energy, low carbon, logistics and offshore manufacturing businesses that will create over 7,000 jobs.

The IAMP Area Action Plan (AAP) was formally adopted by both councils in 2017 and establishes the broad planning framework and land use policies for the 150-hectare site.

However, to ensure that local planning policies remain effective and up to date, policies within Local Plans must be reviewed, and where necessary updated, at least every five years. The review has been carried out to determine whether the policies remain effective and consistent with national policy.

To date the IAMP has supported significant levels of economic growth, with 45,326.8sqm of floorspace and necessary supporting infrastructure having been completed on the site and construction underway on Envision AESC UK Ltd's new gigafactory. Once the battery plant is completed, it will bring the overall development delivered as part of IAMP ONE to 166,518sqm.

Cllr Margaret Meling, Lead Member for Economic Growth, Skills and Climate Change, said: "IAMP is a hugely significant development which is going from strength to strength.

"The AAP is a planning framework for development within the IAMP boundary, and it is important that it remains effective and up to date to ensure that development is comprehensive and coordinated, and that the necessary infrastructure is delivered at the appropriate time.

"It has been very successful in managing applications brought forward to date, with continuing demand for floorspace.

"It has also ensured that the supporting infrastructure, such as the Downhilll Lane junction improvement works, has been delivered effectively and in a timely manner."

Cabinet will be asked to approve the findings of the review and agree that it continues to be up to date for the purposes of managing development within the IAMP area.

For the plan to be approved, it would also need to be approved by Sunderland City Council's Cabinet process.