Innovative approach to business park leads to planning excellence award recognition

Braintree District Council, together with development and planning specialists Strutt & Parker, has been shortlisted by The Royal Town Planning Institute for an East of England Awards for Planning Excellence for the planning approach it adopted for its new business and innovation park.

Horizon 120 Business & Innovation Park is set to become a major new employment park which aims to set the standard for a modern business environment.

In April 2020 the council approved a Local Development Order (LDO) for the Horizon 120 Business and Innovation Park at Great Notley. This type of planning framework gives clarity and certainty to developers and streamlines the planning process making it easier for businesses to invest and relocate from elsewhere.

The Horizon 120 Business & Innovation Park project is one of eight which made the shortlist for the Awards for Planning Excellence.

The shortlist recognises the innovation in using a LDO to encourage new businesses into the district and to create thousands of jobs for its residents.

Horizon 120 Business & Innovation Park will offer flexible business accommodation, state-of-the-art energy efficient buildings, best-in-class fibre-optic connectivity and electric vehicle charging points. A ‘central hub’ area to the north could be home to a new enterprise centre, café or restaurant and a facility which offers childcare provision. Proposals also include the creation of a green environment where roads and paths are tree-lined with green buffers and wildlife corridors.

Cllr Gabrielle Spray, Cabinet Member for Planning at Braintree District Council, said: “We’re really keen to make sure that development in our district is well designed and results in the creation of high quality places. Horizon 120 is an exciting project for us and our district and it needed a more flexible approach to planning. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes to advocate for quality design in our area. I am proud of the work we have done with this Local Development Order which means the park will be built to a very high design standard while also being flexible enough to encourage innovative businesses to move onto the site. I look forward to the project going from strength to strength.”

Richard Clews, Senior Associate Director at Strutt & Parker, said: “Braintree District Council has the ambition to do things differently and Horizon 120 is testament to that. Local Development Orders are powerful planning tools but are under-used in Essex. The delivery of the site is going well already, with early investors encouraged by the certainty of a predictable, quick decision under the LDO. Braintree’s clear vision, supported by their investment and planning teams, has delivered what we feel is a superb result.”

The East of England Awards for Planning Excellence celebrate projects and people who have helped create exceptional places and improved the lives of those who live and work there; highlighting how planning and planners work to create a safe, healthy and sustainable future. The winners will be revealed on Thursday 19th November 2020 at a virtual awards ceremony.

Two of the eight projects shortlisted in this year’s awards are in the Braintree District – Straits Mill and Horizon 120. Read more about all eight shortlisted projects here.

Businesses interested in being part of Horizon 120 should visit www.horizon120.com

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