Supplementary memorandum by One NorthEast
(COA 54(c))
Annex C
ONE NORTHEAST
ACTIVITY TO
REGENERATE COALFIELD
COMMUNITITES
Purpose
This report provides additional information
from One NorthEast, on the Select Committee Coalfield Communities
Inquiry initiatives to aid regeneration in the coalfield communities.
It supplements the joint English Partnerships and Regional Development
Agencies' response, to which we fully subscribe, by offering more
detail on the position in the North East. The response explains
One NorthEast's activity under the four key headings of the inquiry.
Background
The North East of England has a predominantly
industrial background and a significant amount of its industry
was concentrated in the mining sector. The density of those coalfield
sites and the industrial dependence upon them resulted in widespread
economic decline following the pit closures of the 1980s and 1990s.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has acknowledged the extent
of this devastation and in the Updating Coalfield Areas
research paper, highlights Tyne and Wear, Durham and South East
Northumberland as amongst the worst affected areas in the country.
The research emphasised the fact that the prosperity of the North
East was not only affected by the closure of the mining industry,
but that the long-term consequences of coal mining-related illness
had left a lasting impact.
Policies to create employment opportunities
The experience of unemployment in coalfield
areas is different to that in other parts of the country. In acknowledgement
of these specific requirements, One NorthEast has implemented
a series of initiatives designed to not only maximise employment
opportunities in the coalfield communities but to link those communities
with surrounding areas.
In order to meet the targets defined in the
English Partnerships and Regional Development Agencies' Joint
Response, the following initiatives have been developed:
— The South East Northumberland/North
Tyneside Regeneration Initiative (SENNTRi) was, at the invitation
of ministers, developed by One NorthEast and local partners to
respond to significant job losses in the area. It has also been
recognised as a strategic area in relation to the allocation of
Objective 2 Priority 3.1 European Funding by Government Office
North East. The initiative aims to connect the former coalfield
communities in Northumberland to opportunities in North Tyneside
and beyond. The SENNTRi Delivery Plan addresses the prominent
employment difficulties in the coalfield areas of Northumberland
and North Tyneside and outlines a set of targets in which unemployment
in the area can be reduced. The Labour Force Survey (2001) stated
that total employment in the South East Northumberland/North Tyneside
area was 206,000, a total of 75.7% of its eligible workforce.
In response to these figures, SENNTRi aims to raise economic activity
by 1% and increase total employment to 76.7%. By broadening occupational
profiles and increasing the diversity of the region's employment
sectors, the unemployed residents of the coalfield communities
of South East Northumberland/North Tyneside will be able to gain
further access to employment and offer a valuable contribution
to the economic activity of the region. This activity is extended
into the rural coalfield lying to the north of Ashington by the
East Northumberland Regeneration Initiative (ENRGI), which is
concerned with the sustainable regeneration of the smaller communities
in the rural coalfield.
— Specific coalfield sites have been
targeted in the region as potential areas of regeneration and
employment opportunity. The Weetslade site in Wideopen, for example,
is part of the coalfield reclamation plan for North Tyneside and
includes the provision for a country park and future business
park. This development will create temporary opportunities for
the construction industry as well as more long-term opportunities
for new businesses and their employees. These developments will
also help to secure major environmental improvements in the area.
— Plans to regenerate old coalfield
transport links have been developed. The Ashington, Blyth and
Tyne railway has been noted for its potential and reopening the
site is being considered. SENNTRi has also identified areas in
which better public transport is required and have outlined proposals
for an overall increase in travel facilities by 2007.
— The new link road between Washington
and Fence Houses, across the Lambton Cokeworks site, provides
will provide important access to employment opportunities for
the coalfield community.
The reclamation and regeneration of sites
The Agency, in partnership with English Partnerships,
manages a range of reclamation projects and is involved in numerous
regeneration proposals. There are fourteen North East coalfield
sites listed by English Partnerships. While these areas have undergone
or will undergo regeneration, there are a number of other sites
where reclamation projects have been developed. Lambton Cokeworks,
Sunderland and Fenwick Eccles, North Tyneside are both additional
sites that have recently been added to the National Coalfields
Programme at the request of One NorthEast. Additional regeneration
and reclamation plans are as follows:
— One NorthEast have outlined specific
targets regarding the reclamation of brownfield land in North
East coalfield communities. One NorthEast aims to reclaim 5% of
brownfield land in the region while SENNTRi, for example, has
submitted plans to increase housing development on brownfield
land by 65% by 2007.
— The Vane Tempest and Seaham Colliery,
Seaham and the Westoe Colliery, South Shields, are areas in which
housing construction is progressing on already reclaimed sites.
The Westoe Urban Village proposal also includes the construction
of a new school, due to open in September 2004, a community resource
centre as well as local shopping facilities and workspace. These
are to be developed and managed by a Community Development Trust
on behalf of the new community on the site as it develops over
the next five years.
— Greening for Growth has been developed
by SENNTRi to deliver a range of environmental improvements across
the coalfield areas of South East Northumberland. The programme
aims to raise tree cover in the area to 9.5% by 2007 and it is
hoped that such environmental improvements will attract new investment
in the area and improve conditions for local residents.
— The Fenwick Eccles coalfield site
in North Tyneside is undergoing proposals for vast environmental
improvement. The site comprises of 38 hectares of derelict land
and reclamation plans for the area include public open space,
regeneration trails and the creation of a country park, as well
as the treatment of mineshafts, excavation and the regarding of
spoil heaps. Again it is hoped that such development proposals
will regenerate the area, making it more accessible to new investment
and current residents.
— Rainton Bridge Business Park is subject
to an extensive development scheme, The 37 hectares site has been
partly serviced, providing 11,148 square metres of floorspace
and 315 jobs. A second phase of infrastructure is under construction
and a preferred developer is about to be appointed to develop
54,221 square metres of floorspace and 4,000 jobs within the coalfield
area of Sunderland. This will be linked to other training and
workforce development initiatives and will be delivered via the
Tyne and Wear Partnership with ONE Single Pot.
The reclamation and regeneration of coalfield
sites in the North East region is an ongoing process. One NorthEast
is involved in numerous reclamation projects, including those
at Seaham, Lynemouth, Dawdon and Foxcover collieries, and hopes
to contribute to the national aspirations for land reclamation
as outlined in the English Partnerships and Regional Development
Agencies' Joint Response.
Links with health, welfare, education and other
social issues
Following the mid point review of progress of
the coalfields programme undertaken by English Partnerships and
the Regional Development Agencies, One NorthEast has developed
a series of initiatives designed to implement improvements to
health, welfare, education and other social issues, as well as
maximising the effective integration of the coalfields programme
in the region.
The following initiatives illustrate how One
NorthEast is attempting to improve the social insufficiencies
in the region:
— SENNTRi have acknowledged the number
of deprived wards in their area and intend to decrease the number
of residents living in those areas by 10%. Plans to improve housing
conditions and lifestyle groupings are also intended to narrow
the gap in prosperity between individual areas in the region and
between the region and the country as a whole.
— One NorthEast, working directly with
SENNTRi, have established a set of targets that aim to raise the
GCSE and A Level attainment level of its residents, as well as
increasing the qualifications of people of working age to at least
NVQ Level 3. Ashington's E Learning Foundation, partly funded
by the Coalfield Regeneration Trust, has been specifically developed
to meet these targets and connect its residents with the means
with which to gain further qualifications.
— Various projects have been developed
to raise community involvement in the coalfields programme. As
outlined in the Joint Response, One NorthEast is encouraging local
interaction in regeneration plans. The Monkton Cokeworks site
has provided artistic integration with the community by employing
an artist to work with local schools and colleges to promote the
visual history of the coalfields. A Community Liaison Group has
been established in Lambton, Sunderland so that residents can
work with local partners and authorities and have a direct influence
upon the regeneration of their area. The Westoe Colliery site
is also providing a new community primary school as part of its
urban village development and will offer places for 600 pupils.
By effectively utilising the resources of English
Partnerships with their own proposals, One NorthEast has been
able to provide a range of developments that aspire to improve
the social conditions of the coalfield communities in the North
East.
The roles and responsibilities of the various
agencies involved
Working in partnership with English Partnerships,
One NorthEast is responsible for implementing the Select Committee's
objectives and accepts its role as regeneration agent for the
coalfield communities of the North East. As identified in the
Joint Response, One NorthEast intends to focus its efforts on
local action, including improving economic viability, supporting
development and working on a sub-regional framework of action.
In line with these objectives, One NorthEast
has developed the following initiatives:
— The Tier 3 output targets have been
established in order to provide a set of output measures through
which investment in the region can be measured. The core outputs
include the number of jobs created and safeguarded, the amount
of business attracted to the area, learning opportunities created
and the amount of coalfield land reclaimed. One NorthEast intends
to use these factors as a measure of investment and a means with
which to continually monitor the progress of the coalfield communities.
— The South East Northumberland/North
Tyneside Regeneration Initiative (SENNTRi) was developed by One
NorthEast and local partners to address significant job losses
in the area and has particular focus on linking former coalfield
communities with new opportunities and employment.
— One NorthEast has invested £10
million to reclaim the former Wearmouth Colliery under the Sunderland
ARC Urban Regeneration Company. This investment was made outside
of the National Coalfield Programme and is now the site of the
Stadium of Light, Sunderland AFC's football ground. The Sunderland
ARC Urban Regeneration Company seek to link physical regeneration
to social and economic objectives for the residents of the coalfield
communities.
Funding
Funding has been raised from various sources
and One NorthEast aims to strategically target these funds into
projects that will offer the greatest benefit to the coalfield
communities. As defined in the Joint Response, the Agency is committed
to maximising the benefit of public funds in the coalfield areas
and has investigated ways in which those funds can be effectively
channelled into the areas of most need.
Funds will be targeted in coalfield communities
through a range of mediums including:
— Public and private investment: SENNTRi
has provided figures for anticipated investment and states that
a total of £228 million will be invested in the area, including
£171 million from private sector leverage. 75% (£171
million) of this investment will be targeted in the worst 20%
of wards in the SEN/NT area and will hopefully prove of direct
benefit to numerous coalfield communities.
— The Coalfield Regeneration Trust:
As stated in the Joint Response, One NorthEast is utilising the
funds and expertise of the Coalfield Regeneration Trust in order
to aid regeneration in the coalfield areas. Funds have been used
to develop various projects including East Durham Community Transport
(which received a £3,000 investment) and Ashington's E Learning
Foundation (which received a £30,000 investment).
— SENNTRI Strategic Area in relation
to the allocation of Objective 2 Priority 3.1 European Funding.
CONCLUSION
As acknowledged in the Joint Response from English
Partnerships and the Regional Development Agencies, the success
of the National Coalfields Programme is a direct result of the
effective combination of resources.
One NorthEast aims to fulfil its obligations
to the Select Committee and the coalfield communities by developing
a range of projects that aspire to regenerate the coalfield areas
and create a sustainable environment for their residents.
By targeting insufficiencies in employment,
transport, education and property, One NorthEast has achieved
significant regeneration of the former coalfield areas of the
North East.
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