On the day the Royal Town Planning Institute launch their ‘Ambitions for the North’ report, Senior Strategy Officer Robin Miller-Stott outlines the importance of joining up housing and infrastructure.
Investment in transport can quite literally change lives. The decisions people and businesses make about where they establish themselves and grow are often dependent on the proximity and reliability of transport links.
Transport remains a major driver of choice in location and this symbiotic relationship between people, housing and transport is at the heart of spatial planning. There are currently around 6.5 million households in the North. Analysis by Homes for the North shows that at least 50,000 new homes are required every year for the next decade across our regions just to keep up with projected demand.
In 2016-17, only 32,650 new homes were completed in the North and the current shortfall makes up nearly a third (29%) of England’s entire projected housing need, the bulk of which is concentrated in the seven largest city regions. To meet the expected demand for new housing across the North, there will need to be a more diverse and affordable market to house the present population and that of the future.
The principle of joined-up planning for new homes and infrastructure has long been acknowledged at a national level and is mentioned as a key element of the Government’s Industrial Strategy. However, the projections for the North which underpin the Government’s housing need methodology are significantly short of the growth scenario set out in the Northern Powerhouse Independent Economic Review.
It is this evaluation which underpins the transport demand analysis and the interventions within our Investment Programme. Our evidence and joint working with Homes for the North has been crucial in ensuring the North has the right transport and housing foundations in place, foundations which look beyond administrative boundaries and take account of the opportunities of today and the future.
Part of the success of our Strategic Transport Plan will be how it contributes to the creation of inclusive, healthy and productive spaces and places. According to research from Together Money, four of the top 10 cities for first-time buyers in the UK are in the North, with Sheffield in first place followed by Newcastle in second place, Leeds in fifth place and Manchester in seventh place.
We want to encourage developers to ensure that all future developments, both residential and commercial, are designed with inclusivity and accessibility front of mind. In practice, this will better enable people to access sustainable modes of transport including public transport, walking and cycling.
We should also see all new developments, both residential and commercial, having electric vehicle infrastructure included, as well as adequate active travel provision, to support people having the choice to move to green and cleaner transport modes. Our Investment Programme has the capacity to be refreshed to factor in new developments which will be crucial for sustainable and inclusive growth. This will ensure the right investment, in the right place, at the right time, and that our interventions are linked to future demand.
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) is leading the debate around the development of a Great North Plan, a project which seeks to develop a set of shared ambitions to advance strategic planning and governance across the North. The aim is to promote co-operation beyond traditional boundaries; create a joined-up approach that helps Northern towns, cities and rural areas develop sustainably and ensure that prosperity generated by the Northern Powerhouse is shared as widely as possible, not just in the key cities.
When the RTPI hosted a Northern Summit in January 2016, they asked delegates the question ‘Do we need a Great North Plan?’. The response was an overwhelming ‘yes’ (93%). When asked about their more specific attitudes towards the Great North Plan, 58% of respondents said that, ‘We need to get on and do it’.
Today, the RTPI will publish their ‘Ambitions for the North’ report, looking at how spatial planning can ensure the Northern Powerhouse agenda delivers for all the North’s cities, towns and villages. The report also outlines RTPI’s plans for a transformative spatial planning framework with a focus on making places work better for people, with infrastructure investments that improve quality of life.
Emerging spatial plans around proposed HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail stations are incredibly exciting and demonstrate how transport is a catalyst for growth. Take Leeds for example, the arrival of HS2 is a facilitator of the regeneration of the South Bank, a 250-hectare regeneration project creating at least 8,000 new homes and generating 35,000 jobs, doubling the size and economic impact of Leeds city centre.
Co-ordinating the planning of strategic transport investment can also help support schemes seeking funding. Working with Homes England, local authorities and other housing organisations, transport investment should aim to be aligned to initiatives such as the Housing Infrastructure Fund, which seeks to provide infrastructure to unlock house building where the need is greatest.
Increasing the number and size of mixed-use developments around public transport hubs, such as the North’s 576 railway stations, will improve access to public transport alternatives across the North. On a smaller scale, improvements to station buildings with more commercial and non-commercial facilities, such as health and wellbeing services, could transform and revitalise the communities in which they are situated.
We will continue to work collaboratively with our partners and networks to ensure our vision and objectives are delivered. Together, with one voice, we can help deliver the transport network and the places that the people of the North need and deserve.