Economic statement and marketing report

An economic statement and marketing report is required for all applications where it is proposed to develop existing employment land/buildings within Use Classes: 

• E (Commercial, Business and Service)
• B2 (General industrial)
• B8 (Storage or distribution)

to a new use that is not within Use Classes E, B2 or B8.

Marketing guidelines

To show there is no market demand or public interest to use the space in question for employment purposes, as per above, you must also submit a marketing report with your economic statement. This is to prove you have marketed a premises without success. 

For a change of use proposal to be considered, a premises must be marketed for six months (for employment use), or 12 months (for new commercial development).

How you will be assessed

When assessing your marketing report, we will consider both:

• how a property has been marketed
• the action taken to spread information

In order to do this, you will need to provide us with evidence that you have actioned the following:

• provided contact information at the property, using an advertising board visible from the street
• registered the property with a commercial property agent
• given property details showing property type, address, size, location, description, services, planning and current uses, terms, leasehold rent or freehold sale price and viewing arrangements – details should be available on request
• marketed the property for other employment uses or redevelopment
• published office and industrial premises on the Invest Bristol and Bath property database and sent details to our economic development service (contact information below)
• shown us the number, type and dates of enquiries received – include proposed uses and floorspace need
• shown how many viewings have taken place
• given reasons why the property wasn’t selected
• shown how many offers have been made – include the value of any offers and reasons why any offer has been refused

For additional reading on economic statements and what they entail, please see the following guidelines: 

• National Planning Policy Framework - paragraphs 18 to 121
• North Somerset Council's Core Strategy - policy CS20
• Planning Portal website - use classes and change of use