Memorandum from Sir John Egan
1. Are the conclusions of the Barker Review
compatible with the general principles of sustainable development
and the Government's own sustainable development objectives?
It is possible to build an extra 125,000
houses each year within the Government's sustainable development
policies. However, the system will have to improve enormously.
The performance over the last 40 years has been so poor that large
improvements will be required in the planning system, building
performance and in the development industry's own performance.
2. In view of the Barker Review is there a
need for an overarching national strategy to ensure that the environment
is at the heart of any building programme?
The sustainable communities agenda is robust and
should ensure that the needs of both people and the environment
will be put at the heart of the building programme. The concept
of what has to be done is clear and the sustainable communities
agenda is compatible with the needs of the population. However,
much higher standards in the skills of leadership, vision for
the future, urban coding, infrastructure planning and much higher
standards for house building will be required to make this possible.
3. Is the current planning system robust enough
to ensure that the environmental implications of building projects
are fully taken into account? How can the planning system be used
to increase the building of more sustainable housing? Would the
proposed changes to the planning system in the Barker Review have
a positive or negative effect on the environment?
The current planning system is currently not
robust enough but planned changes will allow for improvements.
However improvements to the system will only take us so far, and
we will require skilled people to deliver sustainable communities.
My report on Sustainability Skills found there are currently not
enough people with the right skills to build sustainable communities.
It also pointed to the need for all people involved in building
communities to share a common goal and vision to deliver sustainable
communities.
4. Where will the proposed new housing be
built? What are the implications for land-use and flood risk of
the large-scale proposed building projects?
New communities can be rapidly created wherever
there is good transport infrastructure into Central London, otherwise
most of the increases will be achieved by adding to existing communities.
Most communities could be expanded in size if the population trusted
the planning system to deliver benefits.
The key issue in relation to flood risk is for
the Environment Agency, the Association of British Insurers, planners
and builders to work closely together.
5. Is it possible to ensure materials and
resources used, and waste produced, during building do not have
a harmful impact on the environment?
Yes it is possible. However, the supply systems
and building methods in place will have to change radically to
allow for that to happen. In "Rethinking Construction"
we set the target that productivity could be increased by at least
10% per annum and waste reduced by 10% per annum. We also proposed
that defects in projects should be reduced by 20% a year.
6. Are the building regulations as they stand
capable of ensuring that new housing is truly sustainable in the
long term? How could they be improved? Could greater use be made
of existing environmental standards for housing?
In my Skills report, I recommended the development
of a code for sustainable buildings. I invited the Sustainable
Buildings Task Group to take this up and I understand the Government
is now taking this forward.
7. How will it be possible to ensure a sustainable
infrastructure, including transport and water supply, which will
be necessary to support any extensive house building, is put in
place?
The ODPM Sustainable Communities plan sets the
core agenda. However, it is necessary to have joined up government
at national, regional and local level to enable the infrastructure
to be delivered at the right time.
8. Do those involved in housing supply, both
in the public and private sector, have the necessary skills and
training to ensure new housing meets environmental objectives?
If not, how can the knowledge base of those involved in the planning
and building process be improved?
My report found the need for new skills within
the industry, starting with leadership and vision for the future.
The new standards will need to be introduced gradually over time
in order to allow the industry to respond.
October 2004
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