Jam was appointed to review the Sustainability Appraisal of the London Borough of Islington’s Local Plan in relation to the Tileyard Studios Site within the Vale Royal/Brewery Road Locally Significant Industrial Site (LSIS) and the failure to allocate the site within the Plan.

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The review of the SA process for the Islington Local Plan found that the SA was deficient, particularly in respect of the assessment of ‘reasonable alternatives’ available as well as substantial flaws in the application of the SA methodology itself.  Furthermore, the Council had failed to prepare or consult upon an SA for the Regulation 18 draft Local Plan, removing the opportunity for the authorities and public to have early or effective consultation on the impacts of the emerging Plan. 

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As a consequence, the Inspectors raised significant concerns regarding the legal compliance and robustness of the SA. In particular, the Inspectors considered that the inclusion of the co-location of uses within the LSIS should be considered as a reasonable option and that the SA should be reviewed in full to take on board their comments.

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Following the Examination in Public, the Inspectors found that the co-location of industrial uses with office and/ or research and development use within LSISs should be permitted where there would be an intensification of industrial use on the site and it can be demonstrated the continued industrial function of the LSIS would remain.  As a result the site was allocated within the Local Plan.