Proposed Submission: Gravesham Local Plan Core Strategy

4.2.20 The distribution and amount of land to provide additional employmentfloorspace and jobs is shown in Table 6. The greatest capacity for newemployment development is identified in the four opportunity areas within theurban area, then the rest of Gravesend and Northfleet and with no newemployment development identified in the rural settlements. This is consistentwith the presumption in favour of sustainable development and focusingdevelopment primarily on settlements with the widest range of facilities.4.2.21 This table excludes jobs generated from non-B Class employment useclasses, such as the retail development, but this is estimated to equate toapproximately 1,400 additional jobs.4.2.22 The rural economy of the Borough has traditionally been dependent onagriculture, and to a lesser extent forestry, but has increasingly diversified asthe agricultural industry has changed in response to modern requirements.This has resulted in the re-use of existing buildings and the development ofnew enterprises that do not necessarily relate to traditional farm uses. TheGreen Belt designation has protected the long term potential of best and mostversatile agricultural land and conserved soil resources and this will continue.At the same time, the support for rural diversification needs to recognise thenature of the business and its potential traffic generation and other impacts.Retail Development4.2.23 The Retail Study Update 2012 identifies the future retail needs of theBorough as set out in Table 4 below (see glossary for explanation ofterminology). It does not take into account the commitments at Ebbsfleet,Northfleet Embankment West and Canal Basin because of the uncertainty ofscale and timing of delivery. The Study Update concludes that future retailneeds should be met primarily in Gravesend town centre, with a smallallowance to meet localised needs elsewhere in the Borough.48