Prospects for the Thames
Gateway
Michael Ward
CEO Kent Thameside
LSE London Seminar Feb 19th 2007
1: Contents
Contents
1:
• Map
• Context
• The Thames Gateway Interim
Plan
• Delivery
• Kent Thameside
• Conclusions
2:
Gateway Map
1:Thames
Contents
3: Context I : Regional Policy
1: Contents
Despite the regional policies of successive
governments, London and the South East just
keep on growing…
• Barlow (1940)
• Distribution of Industry Act (1944)
• South East Study (1963)
• National Plan (1965)
But – increasingly difficult to operate anything like
old regional policies in service based economy
4:1:Context
II: London
Contents
“the London region has embarked on a huge
experiment of quite breathtaking audacity.
It is to become the financial and - in some
respects - the economic capital of the
world…It is driven entirely by market
forces, forces that can be resisted but
which if successfully accommodated will
bring vast benefits to these islands.”
Hamish McRae, “The Independent”, June 7th 2006
5:1:Context
III: London
Contents
Planned decentralisation:
• County of London Plan (1943)
• First wave New Towns
• Greater London Development Plan (1972/1976)
Importance of London Plan (2000 and subsequently)
• Explicit rejection of planned decentralisation
• Population and jobs growing – invest to cope with
growth
• Powers delegated to London
6:1:Context
IV: Housing
Contents
“…since London cannot accommodate its own natural
increase, the whole of the population growth of 3½
million will have to be found homes elsewhere – a
population increase of well over a third for the area
outside London.” (SE Study, 1963)
“In the Greater South East, many cannot afford to purchase
a home and there are very severe shortages of homes to
rent for those on low and moderate incomes… As the
largest growth area, the Gateway is now playing a prime
role in meeting needs in the Greater South East and will
continue to do so for the foreseeable future.” (Thames
Gateway Interim Plan, 2006)
7:1:Interim
Plan I: Purpose
Contents
• “ a strategic framework for the Gateway as
a distinctive social and economic unit,
there to shape and guide investment,
decisions and actions. A framework which
joins up development funding and
recurrent expenditure. A framework which
integrates economic, public service and
housing development.”
• David Miliband, 23 November 2005
8: Interim Plan II: Background
1: Contents
• Demand for economic rationale
• Comparison with Northern Way
• Despite commitment to sustainable
communities, concern that programme
driven by housing numbers
• Comprehensive Spending Review
• Olympics
• Need to move from aspirational targets to
hard forecasts
9:1:
Interim
Plan III: Economic
Contents
Four “Transformational Economic
Opportunities”:
• Canary Wharf – jobs to grow from 82000
to 200000;
• Gateway Port Cluster – Tilbury, Purfleet,
Thamesport and Sheppey + Shellhaven;
• Ebbsfleet Valley – new commercial centre;
• Stratford City & Olympics
10:
Plan IV: Economic Map
1:Interim
Contents
11:
Plan V: Commitments
1:Interim
Contents
• Skills: guarantee of progression from level
3 to level 4; new HE & FE;
• Ambitious green commitments: parklands;
low carbon development;
• 160,000 homes (2001-16) – up from
120,000 – increase mostly in London;
• Further transport investment.
12:1:Interim
Plan
VI:
Next
Steps
Contents
• Preparation of costed plan for April 2007;
• No firm commitments till spending review
– July 2007
13:
Delivery
I : Agencies
2: The
Delivery
Bodies
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
7 local regeneration partnerships/LDVs
2 urban development corporations
1 Olympic Delivery Agency
3 sub regional partnerships
3 regional development agencies
3 Government Offices
2 Regional Assemblies
1 Mayor of London/GLA
2 County Councils
London Borough/Unitary and Shire District Councils
The Department of Communities and Local Government
Other government departments, the Housing Corporation, English
Partnerships, the Highways Agency , the Environment Agency, the
Countryside Agency and Natural England
• And the Thames Gateway Strategic Partnership
14:The
Delivery
II: Map
3:
Delivery
Bodies: Map
16:5:Delivery
Why? structures?
Why theIII:different
Thames Gateway is asymmetric:
• Circumstances vary from place to place;
• Circumstances dictate nature and pace of
development
“One size fits all” model not appropriate
17: Delivery IV: Local Differences
Some examples:
• The nature of the development opportunity (e.g.
Olympics, CTRL, Port)
• Patterns of land ownership – is there a public
sector land assembly role?
• The structure of local government
3 different systems: - London
- 2 tier
- unitary
18:
Kent
Thameside
I:
Map
1: Contents
19: Kent Thameside II: The Golden Triangle
3 clusters of development:
• New community and office centre at
Ebbsfleet
• Renewal of historic centres of Dartford
and Gravesend
• 9 miles of Thames waterfront
….. And Bluewater
20: Kent Thameside III: The Opportunity
•
•
•
•
•
Channel Tunnel Rail Link;
Huge reserves of brownfield land;
Target of 30000 homes and 50000 jobs
Public Transport Oriented Development- Fastrack
Acknowledged in draft Strategic Framework as 1 of 4
key Thames Gateway economic transformers
Sustainability: if you want to build new homes in the
South East without concreting over the countryside,
this is the sort of place to do it.
21: Kent Thameside IV - Land Ownership
• Former quarries and cement works;
• Major sites in and beyond central area
in possession of Lafarge/Land
Securities
• No major public sector land assembly
role in Ebbsfleet ( though significant
SEEDA role in support of districts in
town centres and elsewhere)
22: Kent Thameside V: Local Government
Structure
2 tier, 2 districts, 2 local planning
authorities
3 local authorities:
• Kent County Council
• Dartford Borough Council
• Gravesham Borough Council
23: Kent Thameside VI: Homes and Roads
The Problem
1: Contents
• Planning process for Eastern Quarry and other major
sites stalled
• Highways Agency view that capacity of road network
inadequate to support level of planned new housing
development
• Article 14 - enables HA to intervene in planning process
to prevent approval
• Stalemate for over two years; risk of loss of investor and
developer confidence, loss of momentum, and loss of
credibility for gateway project
24: Kent Thameside VII: Homes and Roads
The Potential Solution
1: Contents
• Effective partnership working between
public sector partners, and with private
sector
• Package of measures – demand
management/public transport/roads;
• Funded by public & private sectors;
• Developer contribution via a tariff;
• Still a need for a major contribution from
Government
25: Kent Thameside VIII: prospects
• Fastrack buses started March 30 2006; passenger nos well
ahead of forecast; second route summer 2007; some evidence
of people moving from car to bus
• CTRL Ebbsfleet Station finished summer 2006
• International trains November 2007
• Domestic trains 2009 – 17 minutes to St Pancras
• Consent for 4.5m sq ft of offices
• Prospect of 16000 jobs at Ebbsfleet by 2016
• Administrative and business centre for Thames Gateway
• An office centre to compete in M25 ring
• First Ebbsfleet housing starts Feb 2007
26: Thames Gateway: The Challenges
1: Contents
• Can the Gateway make a major
contribution to increasing housing supply in
the South East?
• Can the area’s long-standing low growth
rates be increased?
• Can these aims be achieved while also
satisfying the environmental and social
aspirations of the Interim Plan?
27:
Gateway: The Prospects
1:Thames
Contents
Positive:
• Clear vision – with Interim Plan
• Improved structure – with appointment of
CEO
• Commitment to major infrastructure
investment – CTRL/A2/ Olympic Park
• Ambitious homes and jobs targets
But – all depends on CSR!