Memorandum by the Department of Planning
and Transportation—Leicestershire County Council (UWP 56)
PROPOSED URBAN WHITE PAPER
1. Which of the recommendations of the Report
of the Urban Task Force should be a priority for implementation:
The proposed Urban White Paper should translate
most of the Task Force objectives into policy but should stress
in particular:
(a) Production of dedicated Planning Policy
Guidance to support the drive for urban renaissance. This needs
to tackle national inconsistencies between regions to provide
a level playing field, so that an appropriate amount of support
is given to those areas of greatest need. It should be applied
to all development, not just housing.
(b) The increased use of density standards.
This should be reflected in emerging development plans.
(c) A greater emphasis on design.
(d) The sequential approach to the release
of land and buildings for housing and other development, complemented
by phasing policies.
(e) The joint production of urban capacity
studies.
(f) Emphasising expenditure on walking, cycling
and public transport provision and facilities.
(g) A national design framework, which respects
local distinctiveness.
2. How policies for employment, competitiveness,
housing, transport and public services should be integrated to
foster urban regeneration: and the role of other Government departments
and Government agencies and the Regional Development Agencies:
(a) Agree that urban regeneration should
concern other aspects of development including employment and
economy as well as housing.
(b) There needs to be a greater understanding
of linkages between areas so that renewal in one location does
not result in decline in adjacent areas.
(c) There should be an explicit reference
to viability and vitality of town centres. Because of decline
in shopping in many centres in face of competition from edge and
out of town shopping centres, and internet shopping there is a
need to encourage a greater mix of development to foster vitality.
In appropriate centres, there is the opportunity for major redevelopment,
such as the Bullring in Birmingham.
(d) Because there are very different types
of urban area with very different challenges, problems and opportunities,
different approaches may be needed. The White Paper should therefore
not be too prescriptive, but allow a variety of solutions to be
applied.
(e) Replacing the system of negotiation of
planning obligations with a standardised system of impact fees
will speed up smaller schemes, but could restrict the ability
of local planning authorities to take full account of the impact
of all new development on their communities in the most appropriate
way.
(f) It is crucial to establish national public/private
investment funds to attract additional private investment, and
review long term central government support to local government
to reflect the financial costs of improving the urban environment.
3. The future of urban areas suffering from
low demand for housing and social decline:
(a) The reasons for low demand for housing
will need to be investigated, as it may be related to factors
such as lack of employment opportunities, as well as the quality
of the environment.
(b) Special measures may be needed to ensure
such areas are given particular support. Many such as the Urban
Programme and Housing Action Trusts can provide examples of good
practice.
(c) Although the concept of a north-south
divide is open to question, many of these areas are to be found
in particular regions, and therefore should be tackled on a regional
or national scale.
4. The consequences for the urban renaissance
of housing and business development on greenfield sites:
(a) Many of the recommendations of the Task
Force depend on managing the land supply to bring about the Urban
Renaissance. There needs to be clear planning policy and fiscal
inducements to ensure that suitable brownfield sites are not left
undeveloped in favour of new greenfield sites.
5. How planning authorities should be encouraged
to bring about the speedy release of brownfield sites and foster
creative urban designs:
(a) A sequential approach to all development
is essential for managing the land supply, as is the obligation
on local planning authorities to carry out urban capacity studies,
but the requirement on local authorities to remove greenfield
allocations from development plans where the allocations are no
longer consistent with sustainable development objectives needs
to be clearly justified to avoid public misunderstanding.
(b) Better mechanisms are needed to facilitate
land acquisition and land assembly.
(c) Fiscal measures are required to subsidise
brownfield development, whilst penalising development on greenfield
sites, hence equalising costs for development on brownfield and
greenfield sites.
6. Policies relevant to towns and suburbs
as well as cities, including their boundaries:
(a) The relationships between urban and rural
areas should be drawn out in both Urban and Rural White Papers.
Any issues arising from such linkages need to be tackled at the
sub-regional level.
(b) All parts of an urban area are not the
same, and carry out different functions. The White Paper needs
to recognise these differences.
(c) The urban fringe is an area that needs
particular attention as it forms the transition between urban
and rural areas.
(d) Towns and suburbs should include market
towns and urban fringe areas within Leicestershire to assist in
the development of regeneration projects in such areas.
7. The role of historic parks and buildings
in urban regeneration:
(a) Whilst it is vital to protect and enhance
historic parks and buildings, it is equally important to foster
and protect other green areas and linkages. Street trees, for
example perform many positive roles, but are suffering neglect
and damage in many urban areas.
(b) Open space needs protection, as it provides
opportunities for leisure and recreation within easy reach of
a large population.
(c) Green wedges are important features which
help to shape urban form and allow open areas to penetrate into
built up areas and need national recognition.
8. What added value a Government White Paper
should provide in addition to other Government announcements on
urban policy:
(a) The White Paper should set out the context
for a programme of legislation to ensure the Task Force's recommendations
can be achieved.
(b) There is a need for tools and mechanisms
to help local authorities to implement the White Paper, for example,
guidelines for urban capacity studies.
9. Other matters which may arise in the
course of questioning.
(a) The involvement of the private sector
through investment and partnership needs to be addressed.
(b) The relationship between SRB and other
funding mechanisms needs to be set in context.
(c) If Urban Regeneration Companies are to
be set up, it is essential that they are properly accountable.
Ken Arkley
Director
January 2000
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