Major proposals to expand Highbridge’s Isleport Business Park could create up to 1,000 new jobs in coming years, it has emerged this week.
Sedgemoor District Council’s Executive is considering the long-term expansion of the business park and has identified three potential development sites covering around 65 hectares of land.
The proposals are outlined in a council Supplementary Planning Document – and show the sites that are earmarked for the possible expansion.
“Following the success of the development of employment land at Isleport and Walrow, agents, landowners, developers and employers have all initiated discussions on the future potential expansion of facilities at Isleport,” explains the council.
“The Council and its partners have focused on the area for employment purposes with Isleport being an area of high employment growth potential and providing a significant economic impetus for the wider Sedgemoor district as a whole.”
It adds: “It should be stressed that the Supplementary Planning Document does not set out full details of how the sites will be developed, for example detailed building plans, road layouts and known end-users, but instead it sets out high level parameters against which detailed schemes submitted to the Council as planning applications will need to be assessed. It should therefore be seen as a high-level planning tool that sets out the important requirements and considerations that should be borne in mind when preparing planning applications.”
The potential new ‘Isleport 2’ employment sites are located directly adjacent to the existing business park on fields to the east and north, as shown on the map above in dark green.
The council adds: “Employment proposals that encourage local employment opportunities, promote higher skilled jobs and/or allow for existing businesses to expand will be supported. In addition, the Council will encourage the enhancement, redevelopment and refurbishment of existing employment areas. For Highbridge, land adjacent to Isleport Business Park is identified as a preferred greenfield location to facilitate an extension to provide additional employment land (B1, B2 and B8) to accommodate approximately 1,000 jobs.”
“The Isleport 2 sites offer a unique opportunity to deliver new employment opportunities of both local and regional significance that will complement the development strategies for the district and deliver a new and sustainable future.”
The proposals are set to be issued for public consultation to allow feedback from residents across the area.
