On behalf of the Federation of Small Businesses in Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull this paper responds to the consultation on Warwick District Councils Local Plan.

The FSB is the UK's largest business support organisation with 200,000 members nationally and 3,000 of those members in Coventry & Warwickshire.

FSB Warwickshire & Coventry response:
Despite the economy falling back into recession small business confidence levels remain positive, but we aren't out of the woods yet. Small firms still face challenges from weak demand and rising costs. In spite of these challenges, many small firms want to grow. Warwick District Council must put long-term measures in place to instil this optimism - in turn the economy can grow.

Planning:
The planning system is a constraint on small businesses. Unlike major infrastructure providers or large businesses, they often need only minor changes to their premises in order to diversify and grow. Almost half of our members have found the planning system complex and difficult to understand, while nearly 40 per cent said that it was a costly process. So, the planning process must be made much simpler, quicker and cheaper for small firms. This must be complemented by robust protections for businesses in existing town and commercial centres. We welcome Warwick District Council's commitment to a strong expression of 'Town Centre First' policy and recommend that;

* Planning policy must take into account the needs of small businesses.
* There should be a range of affordable local business premises available, both to encourage new enterprises and allow existing businesses to grow.
* Measures are needed that would allow planners to refuse any out of town application that would draw business activity away from the town centre.
* Planning permission should be designed to positively encourage development of appropriate business premises in town centres.
* Provide timely advice for businesses wanting to build or expand their premises. Obtaining planning permission is often a minefield.

Housing
The provision of affordable housing in order to help address skilled labour market concerns should be central to the council's local plan.

The costs of housing, transport and daily life are often higher in rural areas, and in some places the presence of a disproportionate number of retirees and properties used as second homes have exacerbated this situation, causing house prices in rural areas to rise. Yet this has not been met by corresponding rises in rural wages, which are often lower than in urban areas. This has led to a serious labour market imbalance in some areas, which needs to be addressed. Your housing policy must redress the balance and secure a bigger supply of affordable properties as a priority.

Broadband:
It shouldn't matter where a business is located. With the technology we have today all firms should be able to trade overseas, throughout the UK, and from town to village. However, our research shows that six in 10 (63%) of small firms are suffering with the speed of their broadband. Another 34 per cent are unhappy with the reliability of their connection and a quarter (24%) with the value for money. This blocks the growth of businesses. Rural firms and households have had even longer problems with accessing broadband and slow speeds. To close the digital gap between rural and urban firms, we feel 20Mbps superfast broadband should be available across the countryside. Warwick District Council must consider fast and reliable broadband within their development and growth plans for the District.

Rural Economies:
Our rural economies have the potential to make a huge contribution to economic growth, but only given the right conditions. The rural economy is dominated by small businesses but they struggle against the odds of poor communication, unreliable broadband services and patchy transport services. These exacerbate the distance they are from their markets. Rolling out broadband in all rural areas and looking strategically at transport will ensure that these businesses can grow and prosper home and abroad.

Market towns and village centres have also declined with the closure of anchor businesses such as the village pub and post office. Warwick District Council must consider the community infrastructure when developing new housing sites and how they will be integrated with the business community.

Transport & Parking:
The provision of suitable public transport links is crucial to helping small businesses access markets. Reliable and frequent public transport makes it practical for employees to seek work in the local community without having use of a car. Likewise, frequent rail and bus services bring customers and tourists to local businesses such as shops, hotels and B&Bs.

Those living and working in rural areas face a far greater challenge getting from A to B than their urban counterparts. Indeed, on average, people living in the most rural areas travelled 45 per cent further per year than those in England as a whole and 53 per cent further than those who are based in urban areas.

The need to travel greater distances means efficient transport links and infrastructure is essential to realising the potential of business economies. It is crucial that firms are served by a transport network that allows both individuals and small businesses too effectively and efficiently move goods and people, both within rural areas and, importantly, urban areas where larger, more diverse markets often lie. The added benefit of good transport services is that it will attract additional visitors and their spending power to local economies. Warwick District Council must consider suitable public transport links when developing new housing & business sites.

There is a clear correlation between short term revenue driven parking policies and the closure of businesses on the high street. Therefore parking should be seen as a vital service which is an integral part of transport policy not as a quick means of raising revenue. Parking policies are all too often a short-term revenue grab, to the detriment of business and the wider community, and ultimately lead to longer term decline in revenue generation for local authorities.