2.5 Analysis of supply and demand for employment land in the North East over the past four years confirms (see Report of Survey and its Addendum) that companies are experiencing difficulties in finding expansion or relocation land and in identifying suitable land for inward investment. The shortage of employment land is not just confined to Aberdeen and the principal Aberdeenshire towns. In many of the smaller towns and settlements in Aberdeenshire there is demand for industrial and business land and premises, which is not being catered for.

2.6 NPPG 2 "Business and Industry" states that structure plans should allocate land to provide for a marketable supply of general industrial and business class land throughout the plan period. The need for a ready supply of land is therefore seen as being vital. This normally equates to a seven-year supply of marketable land being available at any one time, based on development trends over a ten-year period and taking account of other significant economic factors. Local plans will have an important role to play in the identification of a range of quality industrial and business sites in a choice of deliverable and sustainable locations.

2.7 Encouragement is given to the retention and environmental improvement of existing brownfield sites. Consideration should also be given to reallocating existing industrial and business sites constrained by ownership or infrastructure difficulties, if there seems little likelihood that they will be developed.

2.8 Partnerships such as the North East Scotland Economic Development Partnership (NESEDP) and agencies such as Scottish Enterprise Grampian can support the plan in delivering marketable sites in key areas through a range of initiatives. The supply of employment land will be monitored on an annual basis to ensure that there is sufficient land available for development.