SEEDA and Urban Renaissance

1
SEEDA and Urban Renaissance

• Presentation on the Context and Issues
• to the SEERA Select Committee
• 14 September 2004

2
The Brief

• SQW was requested to provide a context and issues
  paper covering
• National policy context and the role of SEEDA
• Role and effectiveness of SEEDAs UR
  interventions in
• physical and economic regeneration
• Planning for sustainable communities
• Addressing skills gaps and urban design
• Supporting innovative actions and disseminating
  good practice

3
Our approach

• Our approach was to
• Consult with a range of stakeholders (guided by
  SEERA) to obtain a variety of views across the
  region
• Use available information provided by SEEDA
• Identify questions and recommendations that
  provide effective starting points for Select
  Committee discussion
• The study represents a snapshot of stakeholder
  perceptions, not a thorough evaluation.

4
Policy context

• The 2001 Urban White Paper (following the Report
  of the Urban Task Force) provides the main
  national policy context for Urban Renaissance
  (UR). It gave RDAs wide ranging and diverse
  roles.
• The Egan Report (2004) raised again the lack of
  key skills to deliver of both sustainable
  communities and UR
• SEEDA has made UR a priority (more so than some
  other RDAs) and has its own UR strategy
• but resources are limited, and there are other
  organisations with an important role in UR, such
  as CABE, English Partnerships, GO, local
  authorities and SEERA

5
Policy context key issues

• What is the role of SEEDA in the context of the
  sustainable communities plan, the skills
  dimension to the Egan Review and their
  application to UR?
• Are SEEDAs resources for UR sufficient, are they
  spread too thinly, and are they commensurate with
  Government expectations of UR delivery?
• What is the specific role of SEEDA relative to
  SEERA, EP, CABE, GOSE, LAs and others in
  implementing the national and regional policy
  agenda for UR?

6
Analysis of activities and projects

• UR is seen as a cross cutting theme by SEEDA.
  However, it has also identified some key actions
  to deliver UR
• Urban Renaissance in the Thames Gateway
• Growth in Ashford and Milton Keynes
• Promote sustainable forms of urban development
• Rural towns as a focus for sustainable
  development
• Raise standards of urban quality and design

7

Key issues concerning delivery

• SEEDA has achieved some notable successes, such
  as Chatham Maritime and Shoreham Harbour, but
• It is difficult to identify effectiveness without
  adequate data for monitoring and evaluation
• SEEDA is seen as effective in setting up
  partnerships, but there are concerns about its
  on-going support for delivery
• Equally, there was support for master planning
  and AIFs, but some concerns about their
  effectiveness in delivering UR
• There are questions about the extent to which
  SEEDAs UR activities should focus on deprived
  areas, including measures to ensure benefits
  reach those in need

8
Key issues concerning sustainable communities and
urban design

• SEEDA has played an important role in promoting
  sustainable development principles and good
  design, but
• There are concerns about the extent to which
  sustainability considerations are built into all
  of its UR activities, particularly direct
  development
• SEEDA has been particularly active in supporting
  improved design, but there are still worries
  about the quality of new development and the
  effectiveness of design initiatives.

9
Key issues concerning skills

• The availability of appropriate skills (from
  plumbers to urban designers) is a major issue for
  the delivery of UR. SEEDA is supporting the
  improvement of UR skills through a variety of
  initiatives, including the Architecture Centres,
  the Centre of Excellence and Construction
  Excellence projects, but
• There are concerns that progress appears slow,
  especially in relation to the Centre of
  Excellence
• The skills problem in the SE is recognised to be
  particularly acute, but are there sufficient
  resources to address it?

10
Long term cost effectiveness of SEEDA actions

• Difficult to review without availability of
  systematic monitoring information. Also need to
  recognise that UR is a long term objective
  there are few quick fixes
• Concern now is switching from planning to
  delivery. SEEDA has a key role in disseminating
  lessons learned. Need to balance PR with
  effective guidance and workshops on how to.
• Is SEEDAs UR team big enough, and do UR
  principles permeate all the activities of
  SEEDAs Development and Infrastructure Division
  and beyond?