Written evidence from Commission for Architecture
and the Built Environment (CABE)
This short paper sets out CABE's response to
the BIS Select Committee on the role of Local Enterprise Partnerships
(LEPs) and their implications for economic development and regeneration.
Before addressing the specific questions asked by the Committee,
we set out CABE's role and experience in this area.
— CABE was set up by the first Secretary
of State for Culture, Media and Sport in 1999 with the mission
to promote high quality architecture and design within the built
environment in England.
— CABE is now jointly funded by the Department
for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Communities
and Local Government (DCLG). The sponsorship arrangements are
with the DCMS.
— CABE has worked with all the RDAs and
the Regional Centres of Excellence they fund. In particular, CABE
has advocated funding to improve the quality of the built environment,
and has provided specific advice and support to enable this in
each region, through the use of Architecture Centres, and working
with the network of Design Review panels, supported by CABE among
others.
— CABE recently published online guidance
on Large Scale Urban Design for local decision makers seeking
to address issues which cross governance boundaries. In particular
it:
— Reinforces the rationale for adopting
a multi area approach to planning for and delivering the transformation
of places in England and to show it can be done (through literature
and case study review)
— Defines a methodology for preparation
of strategic urban design frameworks (through research, work with
expert panel and pilot projects) including publication of a practical
guide
1.0 SUMMARY
1.1 CABE believes emphasis on economic growth
should be placed alongside the need for place making and design
quality—both of which present opportunities to increase
prosperity through multi area approaches. For this reason we are
encouraged by the creation of Local Enterprise Partnerships to
encourage cross boundary working.
1.2 In the modern UK economy where capital
is highly mobile, places must take advantage of their unique assets
such as infrastructure, access to labour/materials, and the nature
of local consumer markets. Increasingly, such aspects are becoming
related to the physical assets of places, both natural and built.
1.3 However it will be important to ensure
that LEPs have access to localised resources and capacity such
as those provided by the network of Design Review panels to support
well designed places.
2.0 IMPORTANCE
OF MULTI
AREA DECISION
MAKING IN
THE MODERN
ECONOMY
2.1 A consequence of globalization has been
that small differences between places (towns, cities) are becoming
more readily exploited by highly mobile capital. Such differences
include access to materials, nature of and access to consumer
markets, distribution networks, access to skilled workforce, and
taxation regimes. These also include differences related to physical
assets of places, including natural and built assets.
2.2 Since small differences are now exploited
more readily, the distinctiveness of places, defined through a
unique combination of their social, economic and physical attributes,
has become more important in terms of their potential to prosper
in the global economy.
2.3 An evidence base has been gathering
over some years showing that well designed and planned communities
can see improved property values, and economic activity. One study
found improvements to the public realm could increase local trade
by up to 40%.[33]
Another study by NWDA/RENEW in 2007 also found good urban design
can lead to an increase of 15-20% in rental or capital value,
and accelerate property lettings and sales rates. While a 2007
CABE research study[34]
demonstrated that the quality of high street design and maintenance
could be responsible for 5%-15% of both retail rents and property
prices in London.
2.4 A recent report for the London Chambers
of Commerce also emphasised the need for cities such as London,
in developed countries, to maintain high quality places in retaining
a competitive advantage against other cities in the global economy.
"In an era of increasingly high returns to human capital
that is ever more mobile, contextual and environmental factors
take on a new found importance. Pleasant, safe, and comfortable
local environments will, naturally, become attractive to high
value workers who are ever more able to allow quality-of-life
(including environmental quality) factors to determine their place
of residency." [35]
3.0 FUNCTIONS
LEPS COULD
PERFORM
3.1 CABE's experience has been that when
decisions on housing, planning, transport and infrastructure have
been taken at a multi authority level this has tended to produce
better outcomes. Decisions taken in partnership by authorities
can be beneficial more than one local authority area either economically,
or directly where sites are on boundaries.
3.2 Such decisions should be informed by
an understanding of the spatial character of the area comprising
the local economy. This may well flow from plans created at local
authority and neighbourhood level as part of currently proposed
planning reforms. However the economic, spatial, physical and
social aspects of each place must be understood and set out allowing
for strategic themes to be developed and translated into a number
of key projects.
3.3 Ideally LEPs and authorities would make
information on their decisions available to the public by the
web or other means, ensuring they are easily understood, with
appropriate diagrams and illustrations. This would allow people
to hold their own local authority to account for decisions made
in the LEP affecting their local places and economy.
3.4 Considerations in discussions between
authorities in a LEP on housing, planning, transport or infrastructure
should include:
— Setting out a vision for what the place
is going to be like in the next 10-20 years, allowing professionals,
communities, and private sector investors, to see how their place
or project fits in.
— Integrating the spatial and physical
attributes of a place with economic and social data to help create
this vision and target local public investment more effectively.
— Communicating the benefits and timescales
of proposed changes, and a signal to investors of growth potential
in the local economy.
3.5 LEPs and authorities involved in them
should also support good design in their local areas. One way
to do this is making use of the national Design Review network,
supported by CABE among others. Such panels have been important
in bringing expertise beyond that normally available to Local
authorities and giving independent assessments of the design quality
of proposed schemes. There is potential to build on existing structures
since several RDA's have already set up succesful schemes including,
Places Matter! (North West), Ignite (North East), MADE (West Midlands)
and Integreat (Yorkshire & Humber).
4.0 LEPS AND
LOCAL AUTHORITIES
4.1 Because of the need for a focus on placemaking
across boundaries, it will be important that discussion and decision
making between authorities takes. Insincere co-operation could
exacerbate the negative aspects of existing competition between
neighbouring places. Meaningful negotiation and planning can help
prevent this.
4.2 There also needs to be careful consideration
of what means of co-operation will be available where local authorities
do not decide to form LEPs. There is a real danger that places,
and people, will suffer if there is competition between places
within the same functional economic area.
4.3 There should be clarification on what
skills and capacity will be made available to LEPs. For instance,
will they have their own staff, and what expertise will they be
required to bring on board. LEPs may find it difficult to consider
the spatial elements discussed above without employing the expertise
of experienced planners or architects. This may also be necessary
to ensure the spatial character of the area is not lost among
other considerations, such as housing numbers or economic factors.
How local authority officers can or should support the LEP might
also be clarified through guidance.
4.4 The network of Design Review panels,
supported by CABE, already have a good record in building strong
relationships with local authorities, since they already have
a good understanding of local conditions. Therefore such panels
could play an important role for both LEPs and authorities, supporting
them in ensuring proposals for strategic projects are appropriate
and well designed.
13 August 2010
33 "The Value of Public Space", DoE and
The Association of Town Centre Management (1997) Managing Urban
Spaces in Town Centres-Good Practice Guide, London, HMSO Back
34
"Paved with Gold: the real value of street design",
CABE (2007) Back
35
"The competitiveness of London-Future Challenges from Emerging
Cities", A report to the London Chambers of Commerce and
Industry by Europe Economics, April 2008, p3 Back
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