5. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

5.1 Development Criteria

Industrial development could play an important role in stimulating the economy of a community through the generation of business activities and employment opportunities. Industrial development is however an activity which probably presents the greatest risk of conflict with other community uses through the generation of certain environmental nuisances. Careful attention must therefore be given to the location, planning, and development of individual industrial enterprises and industrial estates.

The primary concerns regarding industrial development are therefore to capture the potential economic benefits of this type of activity while ensuring harmonious integration into the wider environment. Key performance criteria for industrial development may be outlined as follows:

  1. Efficient and safe industrial operations through the provision of adequate site features and amenities, including:
    2.
  2. Protection of the health, safety, and amenity value of the wider community by preventing such nuisances as excessive noise, smoke, dust, offensive odours, heat, vibration, bright lights, waste, traffic, etc.
    3.
  3. Protection of the integrity of key features and processes of the natural environment from industrial effluent.

5.2 Forms Of Industrial Development

The main categories of industrial activity considered in this section are as follows: 

M1: Cottage Industry

M2: Warehousing and Light Industry

M3: Heavy Industry

M4: Agro-Industry


 5.2.1 Cottage Industry

Cottage industry involves certain types of small-scale, light manufacturing processes which would not adversely affect the health, safety, and amenity of an area.

Consideration may be given to the location of cottage industries or residential/cottage industry mixed use activities in areas where the type and scale of industry would not cause nuisance to residential development.  When an industry expands beyond the cottage industry stage, relocation to a more suitable industrial site would be required.

5.2.2 Warehousing and Light Industry

Light industry involves manufacturing processes which do not adversely affect the amenity of an area by way of the creation of noise, vibrations, fumes, dust, smoke, soot, ash, grit, offensive odours, traffic generation, etc.  Light industrial uses include printing and publishing and the manufacture of food, beverages, electronic equipment, optical equipment, watches, clocks, and jewelry.

Depending on the type of process, the materials to be used and stored on the site, and the scale of activity, these uses may be located on individual sites, in building complexes such as multi-producer units, or in industrial estates adjacent to residential areas.

5.2.3 Heavy Industry

Heavy industrial uses are incompatible with residential development due to the noise, vibrations, fumes, dust, smoke, soot, ash, grit, offensive odours, or excessive traffic which they may create.  Such uses will not be permitted within or near to residential areas and should only be located within areas allocated for such purposes in local area plans.

Heavy industry includes petroleum and chemical industries, paints and plastics, fertilizers, cement, brick and pottery, car assembly, aluminum smelting, metal manufacture, and leather manufacturing.

Also included are those industries in which the materials used, stored, or created may be potentially combustible or toxic. Manufacturing activities which involve the processing of animal skins, blood, bone, feather, oils, and fats may also be very offensive to residential activity and other industrial uses. Careful attention should be given to the location of such activities in order to avoid conflict with other uses.

The siting and performance standard for such heavy, hazardous, and offensive industries will be carefully evaluated and an Environmental Impact Assessment will be required to accompany any application for planning permission to establish such an industry.

An industrial estate designed for these activities should be located downwind and far from residential areas. Estates should also be screened from adjoining land uses by a wide landscape buffer strip.  Generally these activities will be located on large plots and buildings will be required to observe low floor area ratios and generous setbacks from property boundaries.  This is to permit sufficient space around buildings for on-site parking, loading and off-loading, access for fire fighting vehicles, and reducing the risk of the spread of fire to adjoining properties.

5.2.4  Agro-Industry

Agro-industry involves the processing of agricultural products such as vegetables, tree crops, and fish. Industries of this type may be considered for location within the agricultural area which produces the raw materials involved.

5.3 Planning the Industrial Layout

Basic principles and guidelines for the layout of industrial parks and estates may be outlined as follows:

  1. From a land planning perspective, sites selected for industrial development should be:
    2.
    • Reasonably level but well drained land with adequate load bearing capability for industrial structures and traffic.
      •
    • Accessible to transportation facilities such as highway, airport, seaport.
      •
    • Large enough to accommodate the proposed industrial operations and ancillary facilities.
      •
    • Served by all necessary public utilities and services including water supply, storm drainage and wastewater systems, solid waste disposal facilities, energy supply (electricity, gas, etc.), fire and police protection, accident and medical facilities, and communication services (mail, telephone, etc.).
  2. As a basic principle, layout plans for industrial areas should provide as much flexibility as possible in terms of the size and configuration of individual plots. This is necessary because of the uncertainty in projecting the site requirements of individual industries, as opposed to the case of residential developments in which a more uniform plot size may be employed.

     Flexibility can be achieved by varying the depths of blocks and providing for adjustable side plot boundaries.
  3. Streets in industrial areas should be designed to meet the following requirements:
    4.
    • Access to individual plots.
      •
    • Accommodation of heavy truck, trailer, and container traffic by providing generous road reservations and turning radii, acceptable gradients, and adequate load-bearing capacity and paving materials.
      •
    • Provision of sidewalks for convenient and safe pedestrian circulation.
      •
    •  
    • Provision for storm drainage and the establishment of utility corridors within road reserves.

      In order to maintain street capacity for safe and unobstructed circulation of trailer and container traffic, streets in industrial areas should not be used for parking and loading of vehicles.
  4. Adequate provision must be made for the following utilities within industrial estates:
    5.
    • Water supply of adequate pressure to meet the needs of industrial operations and fire protection.
      •
    • Wastewater system and other waste disposal facilities consistent with the needs of the projected industrial activities.
    • Storm drainage facilities, including water detention storage, to handle site generated runoff.
      •
    • Electricity supply of adequate voltage levels to service industrial activities.
      •
    • Reliable telecommunications system.

      It is to be noted that industrial areas would generally require higher level utility capacities than residential areas.
  5. An integrated landscape framework should be established in industrial parks with the specific objectives of enhancing the amenity value of the area, providing a visual buffer for neighbouring developments, and minimising such possible impacts as dust, noise, and bright lights.

    Landscaping of individual plots should be in harmony with the overall landscape framework. On-site parking, loading, and storage areas on individual plots should be properly screened or fenced in order to eliminate any adverse visual effects.
  6. In the case of large industrial estates, the developer may be required to provide sites for such amenities as commercial (convenience shop, restaurant), recreational (play field, hard courts), and bus shelter facilities to service the needs of workers.
    7.

5.4 Industrial Site Development Standards

Table 5.1 outlines development standards for industrial plots. Essentially, the standards are aimed at ensuring compatibility among individual industrial enterprises and between an industrial area and the wider host community.

The plot development standards for warehousing and light industrial development (M2) can be applied to the development of sites for small scale agro-industry (M4). Standards for these two categories of industrial development as well as for cottage industry (M1) are presented in Table 5.1.

Specific subdivision and plot development standards for heavy industry will be determined on the basis of the type and scale of industrial development and the size and location of the development site proposed.

 Table 5.1: Industrial Site Development Standards

DEVELOPMENT PARAMETERS

INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES

COTTAGE INDUSTRY

LIGHT INDUSTRY  WAREHOUSING

AGRO-INDUSTRY

M1

M2 M4
     

MAXIMUM FLOOR AREA RATIO

0.5

0.75
     

MINIMUM PLOT SIZE

450m2

1000m2
     

MAXIMUM PLOT COVERAGE

75%

80%
     

MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT

8.5m

10.0m
     

MINIMUM BUILDING SETBACK

    
     

Front

4.5m

7.5m
     

Side

3.5m

3.5m
     

Rear

3.5m

4.5m
     

MINIMUM PARKING PROVISION

1 space per 100m2 of gross floor space

1 space per 100m2 of gross floor space
     

MINIMUM LOADING PROVISION

1 bay

1 bay per 450m2  gross floor area
     

MINIMUM OPEN SPACE PROVISION

25% of plot area reserved for permanent landscaping

20% of plot area reserved for permanent landscaping
     

NOTE: This table is a guide only and should be used in conjunction with relevant local area plan.