Appendix 1 - Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA)

Equalities Impact Assessment Part 1: Quick Screening Tool

1.1 This tool is designed to offer a quick screening approach to your project, service or strategy. Please see guidance for further information.

Directorate: Regeneration, Homes and Communities

Service: Planning Policy

Lead Impact Assessor: Nichola Watters

Name of strategy, policy, project, service or "other": Employment Land Retention Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)

Person(s) or team(s) responsible for delivery of above: Planning Policy & Development Control

1. What is the purpose of the item? Please describe:

1.2 The SPD supports the Council’s planning policy E4 from the Hastings Local Plan 2004 relating to employment land and premises, both in terms of proposals to redevelop employment sites, as well as the need to ensure that there is a suitable supply of developable land for employment purposes. The SPD will be used by applicants wishing to apply for the change of use or redevelopment of employment land to an alternative use (outside of the B uses classes from the Use Classes Order 2005). For example, a planning application for the change of use from an office building to residential. As an SPD, this document will be treated as a material planning consideration in the determination of planning applications.

2. Who will benefit/ be affected and how? Please describe:

1.3 This SPD will provide certainty to tenants, landowners and prospective developers about the criteria which will need to be met in order to gain planning permission from employment land to alternative uses. This SPD adds additional detail to the existing policy E4 from the Local Plan 2004. Currently, there are no criteria in which to assess planning applications for the change of use from employment land to alternative uses. This SPD will therefore provide clarity to the material that needs to be submitted alongside a planning application.

1.4 The SPD will also benefit the town as a whole, by helping to ensure that there is no unnecessary loss of employment land within the Borough and therefore helping Hastings to maintain a vibrant local economy. This approach will complement the deprivation strand (Economic & Social Exclusion) of the Council’s Single Equalities Scheme.

3. Does the item fit with the Council’s priorities? Please describe:

1.5 The Council has five corporate priorities for 2009/10; however there are two which are particularly relevant:

1. Doing everything we can to soften the impact of the economic downturn on the town's economy and residents' lives
2. Promoting equality and an inclusive, supportive community

How?

• The SPDs aim is to provide clarity about the tests that need to be met in order to grant permission for the loss of employment land within the Borough. This will ensure that only necessary losses of employment land and premises are tolerated within the Borough. This will help the Borough to maintain a vibrant local economy, by retaining employment land/premises helping to address significant deprivation.
• By ensuring there is an adequate supply of employment land and premises within the Borough, it will help to maintain and create employment opportunities within the town.
• The SPD has been developed through consultation with local experts involved in employment related activities.
• The equalities theme is consistent throughout the document.

4. Does the item help to achieve the aims of the Equalities Scheme? Please describe:

1.6 The Hastings Borough Council Race, Gender & Discrimination equalities schemes are being combined into a Single Equalities Scheme. The findings of this impact assessment will contribute to the themes and priorities of the new single equalities scheme, which will be taken to Cabinet on 1st February 2010.

Equalities Relevance Testing Tool

When considering whether there would be a negative impact, you should consider the following:

• If the item could potentially discriminate unlawfully against any group
• If any group could be denied fair and equal treatment
• If the it could actively promote good relations between different groups
• If it could promote equality of opportunity
• If there have been any concerns or complaints expressed about the item (or similar items elsewhere) having a negative impact

Group	Likelihood of negative effect	Impact of one negative effect	Overall assessment rating	Describe potential and actual impacts (show your thought process)
Disability	Low	Low	Low	The SPD focuses on land use and whether an application for a change of use from employment land to a higher value use passes the tests detailed within the SPD. The tests relate to viability of the site in question to continue as an employment based concern and market interest (in terms of marketing evidence that the site is no longer suitable for re-use and/or redevelopment to alternative business uses). Concern could be made towards the potential loss of land/premises to other uses which have a good standard of access for disabled staff/visitors. However any new build premises/or new extension would be covered by ‘Part M’ of the Building Regulations which requires the inclusive provision of ease of access to and circulation within all buildings, together with requirements for facilities for disabled people. Any change of use subject to Building Regulations considers that changes should not make the building worse than its previous use in terms of ease of access. Therefore it is considered that the likelihood of negative effects on this group is low.
Gender	Low	Low	Low	The SPD focuses on land use and whether an application for a change of use from employment land to a higher value use passes the tests detailed within the SPD. The tests relate to viability of the site in question to continue as an employment based concern and market interest (in terms of marketing evidence that the site is no longer suitable for re-use and/or redevelopment to alternative business uses). Therefore it is considered that the likelihood of negative effects on this group is low.
Sexual Orientation	Low	Low	Low	The SPD focuses on land use and whether an application for a change of use from employment land to a higher value use passes the tests detailed within the SPD. The tests relate to viability of the site in question to continue as an employment based concern and market interest (in terms of marketing evidence that the site is no longer suitable for re-use and/or redevelopment to alternative business uses). Therefore it is considered that the likelihood of negative effects on this group is low.
Race	Low	Low	Low	The SPD focuses on land use and whether an application for a change of use from employment land to a higher value use passes the tests detailed within the SPD. The tests relate to viability of the site in question to continue as an employment based concern and market interest (in terms of marketing evidence that the site is no longer suitable for re-use and/or redevelopment to alternative business uses). Therefore it is considered that the likelihood of negative effects on this group is low.
Religion/ belief	Low	Low	Low	The SPD focuses on land use and whether an application for a change of use from employment land to a higher value use passes the tests detailed within the SPD. The tests relate to viability of the site in question to continue as an employment based concern and market interest (in terms of marketing evidence that the site is no longer suitable for re-use and/or redevelopment to alternative business uses). Therefore it is considered that the likelihood of negative effects on this group is low.
Age	Low	Low	Low	The SPD focuses on land use and whether an application for a change of use from employment land to a higher value use passes the tests detailed within the SPD. The tests relate to viability of the site in question to continue as an employment based concern and market interest (in terms of marketing evidence that the site is no longer suitable for re-use and/or redevelopment to alternative business uses). Therefore it is considered that the likelihood of negative effects on this group is low.
Social and economic exclusion	Low	Low	Low	The SPD focuses on land use and whether an application for a change of use from employment land to a higher value use passes the tests detailed within the SPD. The tests relate to viability of the site in question to continue as an employment based concern and market interest (in terms of marketing evidence that the site is no longer suitable for re-use and/or redevelopment to alternative business uses). The retention of employment land/premises (provided they are suitable and viable) should employ positive effects in terms of providing employment floorspace and therefore jobs, which should made a positive contribution towards reducing deprivation. Therefore it is considered that the likelihood of negative effects on this group is low.
Transgender	Low	Low	Low	The SPD focuses on land use and whether an application for a change of use from employment land to a higher value use passes the tests detailed within the SPD. The tests relate to viability of the site in question to continue as an employment based concern and market interest (in terms of marketing evidence that the site is no longer suitable for re-use and/or redevelopment to alternative business uses). Therefore it is considered that the likelihood of negative effects on this group is low.
Other	High Medium Low	High Medium Low	High Medium Low	N/A