Draft Employment and Skills Supplementary Planning Document

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Have your say on new Draft Employment and Skills Supplementary Planning Document.

Dacorum Borough Council has launched a consultation on the new Employment and Skills Draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

In Dacorum, there is opportunity for new development to contribute towards delivering skills and employment opportunities in the Borough, directly benefiting its local residents and economy. The draft SPD aims to achieve this by requiring development above a set threshold to prepare and implement a Social Value Strategy.

The document aims to:

  • Increase employment opportunities by helping local businesses to improve, grow and take on more staff;
  • Help businesses to find suitable staff and suppliers, especially local ones;
  • Improve the skills of local people to enable them to take advantage of the resulting employment opportunities; and
  • Help businesses already located in Dacorum to grow and attract new businesses into the area.

By adopting the document as an SPD, the Council can create opportunities from new development, for employment, skills and apprenticeships, delivering on the priorities of the Dacorum Economic Recovery Plan (2021).

Following the consultation, the Council will consider the views raised and make any changes it feels are necessary to the document before returning this to Scrutiny, Cabinet and Full Council for approval to adopt the document. Once adopted the SPD will become a material consideration in determining planning applications.

Cllr Alan Anderson, Portfolio Holder for Place said: ‘This SPD will ensure that our residents directly benefit from the new jobs and training opportunities that will be created during the construction of new homes and commercial development within Dacorum, helping to grow a skilled local workforce and supporting our economy, suppliers and businesses.

‘I hope that residents and businesses will have their say on these important proposals and help us to secure investment from future development into our communities.’

The Draft Employment and Skills SPD consultation can be found at: www.dacorum.gov.uk/supplementary-planning-documents.

The consultation closes at 11.59pm on Monday 28 November 2022.