Economic Prosperity
The Local Plan applies macro-economic policies of the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) and the corporate economic priorities of the Economic Growth, Tourism and Regeneration Strategy 2017-2020 (May 2017) to allow these strategies to be effectively delivered through the planning system.
The strategic economic policies are supported by a district-level evidence base, informing policies for both non-town centre uses and the town centres, as defined by the NPPF (Annex 2).
Delivering new and protecting existing jobs
Both SEMLEP and this Council have published a range of policies and evidence base to inform and support economic growth across the district, with particular reference to priority sectors such as green energy. This is particularly pertinent given macroeconomic factors such as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit. These documents have informed the Local Plan.
- Background Paper 5: Jobs (January 2021)
- Background Paper 6: Protected employment areas (January 2021)
- North Northamptonshire Economic Prospectus (September 2020)
- Recovery through Enterprise - Making a difference in time of crisis (2020)
- South East Midlands Local Industrial Strategy (SEMLEP, July 2019)
- East Northamptonshire Employment Land Review (Aspinall Verdi, March 2019)
- Enterprise Centre (February 2019)
- Enterprising East Northants Strategy (2018)
- Enterprising East Northants - Business Charter (2018)
- Strategic Economic Plan (SEMLEP, November 2017)
- Growing People Skills Plan (SEMLEP, November 2017)
Town Centres
Town centre boundaries and primary shopping frontages for Higham Ferrers, Oundle, Raunds and Rushden are defined in the made and draft Neighbourhood Plans for these urban areas.
For Irthlingborough and Thrapston, these were reconsidered through the Local Plan workshops (2017-18) and shown in the 1st draft Local Plan Part 2, Appendix 2 (November 2018), based upon evidence collated during the workshops.
Other relevant themes regarding the town centres and development management for main town centre uses are set out in relevant background papers.