Chapter 6: Prosperity
6.1 The draft GESP vision emphasises the importance of providing economic opportunities to individuals and communities, but also the need to maintain an outward-facing and networked city region. The key focus is on increasing productivity, in line with the Local Enterprise Partnership’s Productivity Strategy and emerging Local Industrial Strategy.
6.2 Other economic policies are, and will continue to be, contained within national guidance and local plans. This includes town centre and retail matters. Findings from the 2019 Greater Exeter Town Centre and Retail Study (Part Two) showed only a limited general quantitative need for new retail floorspace across the Greater Exeter area in the early stages of GESP, when this evidence is most robust. As such, local plans will continue to identify town centre hierarchies and plan for retail need. GESP site allocation policies for planned new urban extensions/communities will consider retail where shops and food stores can help anchor new local or district centres and provide easily accessible retail provision. The draft policies of this chapter include:
- A target of 35,000 extra jobs
- The aim to double the size of the economy, mainly through increasing productivity, supporting an increase in the area’s earnings to above the national average
- Measures to encourage business growth, including, in particular, investment in the transformational sectors of data analytics, environmental futures, health innovation, smart transport and other digital futures businesses
- Support for digital exchanges, to foster growth in the key sectors
- The aim to deliver 150 hectares of employment land, which will be identified in the GESP
- Strategic guidance on the review and allocation of employment sites in local plans and with planning permission, currently totalling about 330 hectares
- Support for delivering economic and employment development
- Protection and support for key economic assets considered important to the continued success of the Greater Exeter economy
- Proposals to develop and enhance Exeter Airport
- Support for skills, education and training.