Marcus Plaw

New planning initiatives could give tourism in North Somerset a much needed shot in the arm, according to property consultants Colliers International.

Planning specialist Marcus Plaw said the National Planning Policy Framework plus the recently adopted North Somerset Core Strategy could deliver positive results for businesses involved in the region’s tourist trade.

He said: “The NPPF advises local planning authorities to back sustainable tourism and leisure developments in appropriate locations – and where needs are not met by existing facilities.

“At local level, North Somerset Council’s new planning policy for tourism supports the principle of new, improved and replacement visitor and tourist facilities and accommodation right across the district.

“Businesses and groups should embrace this and engage with the local planning authority in presenting their ideas and opportunities for building upon existing attractions and delivering new facilities.”

He went on: “North Somerset has some sensational countryside and heritage attractions and places of interest that are not just accessible by car. And not all are in the district’s main towns.”

Marcus Plaw urged businesses and groups to present their ideas and opportunities for building on existing attractions and delivering new facilities to the council.

He said: “It will still be important to demonstrate the proposals support the local and wider economy, do not adversely affect the environment and are sustainable.

“Where improvements are planned, it is important to engage with the council’s planning department with an understanding of what the new proposals will achieve locally and how they fit into the council’s wider tourism strategy.”

Colliers International has worked with a number of landowners and developers to help them amend planning permissions, sell off parcels of land or find partners with whom they can take forward developments.

Commercial property experts at Colliers International’s Bristol office have backed TV retailing guru Mary Portas’ plans to set up ’Town Teams’ in a bid to halt the decline of Britain’s High Streets.

The government has accepted a set of recommendations from Mary Portas covering the creation of Town Teams, the need to put town centres first when considering planning issues and the importance of affordable parking.

Planning specialist James Edwards said a dynamic Town Team could play a crucial role in reinvigorating struggling High Streets.

He said: “It is essential that the composition of the Town Teams proposed by Mary Portas is reflective of the specific town centre needs and the direction that the town wishes to go.

“It is also important that property and planning professionals are fully utilised within the Town Teams alongside the local councillors, landlords and business owners who would bring in-depth knowledge of their particular patch.”

James Edwards’ comments follow the Government’s announcement that it had accepted “virtually all” the recommendations contained in Mary Portas’ report on how to enhance High Streets.

Among schemes to be adopted is a new £10m innovation fund, a national Markets Day to be held on Saturday June 23 to encourage visitors to town centres, a £1m future High Street fund and a further £500,000 fund to help towns access loans.

A high-powered meeting organised by Colliers International at the Grand Connaught Rooms in Holborn was given an encouraging report by financial guru Anatole Kaletsky, whose forecasts were rather more optimistic than most of the 300-strong audience had anticipated.

Head of Colliers International Bristol office Tim Davies said Anatole Kaletsky’s positive take on business prospects for 2012 coincided with several financial forecasts predicting a modest upturn in confidence.

He said: “Along with many commentators Anatole is convinced that London will continue to dominate the UK property market supporting enviable rental levels across all property sectors from residential to industrial, retail and offices.

“We believe Bristol, as the financial hub of the South West, is best placed to take advantage of the inevitable ripple effect from London.”

Tim Davies said ease of access to the M4 and M5 motorways plus the increasing importance of the dock facilities at Avonmouth and Portbury would encourage businesses into the Bristol area.

“Anatole believes London property will remain attractive over the long term as it retains its position as a global financial hub.

”The fact that Bristol is the UK’s financial second city will help ensure the region takes full advantage of the anticipated economic recovery.”

James Edwards of Colliers International

More than five thousand homes across the West are standing empty while pressure mounts on local authorities to locate suitable sites for new development.

Now property specialists Colliers International has welcomed moves by councils, including North Somerset, across the region to ensure redundant sites including empty homes are fully utilised before further green field sites are swallowed up for development.

James Edwards, a planning specialist with Colliers International’s Bristol office welcomed the West of England Property Initiative – run jointly between North Somerset, Bristol City South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset Councils.

He said: “The initiative aims to get more empty private housing back into general supply on the open market by providing a base for advertising empty properties to prospective sellers, purchasers and tenants whilst also providing advice on buying, selling and renting out such properties.”

Across the country as a whole there are one million empty homes set against a perceived housing requirement of 100,000 new homes required per year. Locally, there are 5,000 empty homes across the initiative area with 1,500 in Bristol alone.

The initiative also serves commercial premises and land.

James said: “There is an ever increasing demand for housing and local authorities are being challenged to find suitable land to provide thousands of new houses.

“Although the level of empty houses in any one area may not fully meet a perceived housing shortfall for the area it will go some way to addressing it – which will help relieve pressure on previously undeveloped land on the edges of our cities, towns and villages.”

He said it was madness to leave properties empty only to have to build a new one somewhere else – consuming valuable open space and further raw materials.

He said: “A fundamental problem historically has been the lack of collaborative thinking, which has meant that there has not been a centralised service for identifying and promoting empty homes.

“The West of England Property Initiative and its associated website: www.no-use-emptywest.co.uk, provides this essential facility and gives all interested parties all the information required to reintegrate these properties into the main supply chain,” concludes James.

Industrial property landlords SEGRO has welcomed national bakery chain Greggs to the Beeches Industrial Estate in Yate, near Bristol.

The move is part of a nationwide programme launched by Greggs that will see it open outlets in places other than on High Street locations.

Greggs has taken a unit from which it provides a range of hot and cold food for people who work on the Beeches Estate. The bakery has already opened units in similar non-retail locations in Avonmouth, Bridgwater, Exeter, Swansea and Cardiff.

Chris Davies, leasing manager at SEGRO, Europe’s leading provider of flexible business space, said: “We are delighted to welcome Greggs to the Beeches. This is part of a growing trend across our estates of providing good quality food outlets within easy access of our customers. SEGRO already works with Greggs at our estates in Slough, Heywood and Trafford Park, Manchester.

“Having a good quality bakery on the site will improve choice and make life easier for people who work at the Beeches.

“The philosophy at SEGRO is one of encouraging businesses to flourish and succeed and attracting major chains like Greggs to open an outlet on one of our sites is a clear benefit to all involved.”

Jonathan Allen from Colliers International – which markets the Beeches on behalf of SEGRO – said: “We see the move as part of a developing trend. On many industrial parks around the country you will see an impromptu food outlet on a piece of scrubland nearby trying to meet the needs of the people who work there with breakfast baps and burgers. Greggs have recognised that need and are clearly responding to it.”

The Beeches Industrial estate is part of the Bristolworks cluster of industrial parks operated by SEGRO. The Beeches, which is 95 per cent occupied, has also been used by the BBC to film interior shots of their TV hit Lark Rise to Candleford and continues to attract interest from prospective occupiers.

Savills acted on behalf of Greggs.