Archived decisions

Contact: Amanda Gregory, ext 6738

1. Summary

1.1 The Civic Trust has recently published the findings of the Sustainable Suburbs Studies which were undertaken jointly with the County Council, Gosport Borough Council and Rushmoor Borough Council in two pilot study areas in Lee-on-the-Solent, Gosport and North Camp, Farnborough over a period of 18 months. The studies recommend actions to help regenerate the suburban areas of Lee-on-the-Solent and North Camp and for supporting more sustainable lifestyles in these areas. They also provide a framework for implementing actions in other suburban and urban areas in Hampshire. The studies are set out in a summary document which will be available at the meeting. Copies of the full reports are available in the Planning and Surveyor's Library.

1.2 This report considers the main findings of the studies and suggests how the matters might be taken forward. It also sets out the decision to be sought from the Executive Member for Environment on 12 February 2002.

2. Background

2.1 Revitalising Hampshire's urban and suburban areas is at the heart of the County Council's Corporate Urban Living Strategy (July 2001). The Strategy sets out the County Council's commitment to improve the well-being of urban Hampshire and echoes many of the issues raised in the Government's Urban White Paper, `Our Towns and Cities: the Future' (2000), which identifies a long-term strategy to breathe new life into cities, towns and suburbs.

2.2 To address these issues, the County Council has been pursuing a number of interrelated activities to improve the well-being of Hampshire's towns, suburbs, district and neighbourhood centres. One of those initiatives where the County Council and Rushmoor and Gosport Borough Councils have been working jointly with the Civic Trust as part of its Sustainable Suburbs Study is the subject of this report.

3. Sustainable Suburbs Studies

3.1 Suburban areas make up a significant part of Hampshire's urban fabric; they are home to the majority of Hampshire's urban population, make an essential contribution to the local economy and as such have a central role to play in helping to improve the quality of life in urban Hampshire.

3.2 Suburban areas are, however, largely ignored in current regeneration policies and funding programmes, despite a significant number of them experiencing problems such as:

(i) declining shopping centres;

(ii) poor public transport links;

(iii) low levels of investment in the public realm; and

(iv) a lack of community cohesion.

3.3 The Urban White Paper acknowledges that suburbs should play a key role in achieving an urban renaissance, yet it fails to recognise the distinctiveness of suburbs and small towns and the need for different policy approaches to those required for larger towns and cities.

3.4 In April 2000 the County Council, in partnership with Gosport Borough Council and Rushmoor Borough Council, commissioned the Civic Trust to assist it in taking action to improve the well-being of its suburbs. The studies focused on `prevention, rather than cure': that is identifying early signs of the problem and devising measures to address the causes of decline before they become entrenched and difficult to overcome. Without such action and support, the problems in suburban areas are likely to escalate and require substantial regeneration funding to address the decline in a few years' time.

3.5 The Sustainable Suburbs Studies were undertaken in two pilot study areas at Lee-on-the-Solent, Gosport and North Camp, Farnborough. The aim of the studies was to work with the local community to identify opportunities for the regeneration of Lee-on-the-Solent and North Camp and to support more sustainable lifestyles in these areas.

3.6 The studies of Lee-on-the-Solent and North Camp have recently been published by the Civic Trust. They include a number of recommendations to help regenerate and improve the areas, specifically focusing upon action to improve the local environment, community life, economy, transport and access. These recommendations will help to provide a framework for the implementation of future programmes, policies and investment in these two areas.

3.7 As well as assisting the renewal of the two pilot areas, the studies also establish an approach which can be used to help identify other towns, suburbs and district centres in Hampshire that are demonstrating signs of decline and help target action to revitalise these areas.

3.8 The studies will also play a key role in raising the profile and the plight of suburban areas among all levels of Government, and help promote the activities of the County Council by demonstrating its ability to work in partnership, engage the local community and deliver action on the ground.

3.9 To this end, officers from the County Planning Department have met with representatives of the Urban Policy Unit at the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR), the Local Government Association (LGA) and the South East of England Regional Assembly (SEERA) to highlight the issues facing suburban areas and promote the work that the County Council is undertaking in Hampshire's urban and suburban areas.

3.10 The two pilot studies also complement the Civic Trust's national research to improve the vitality and viability of suburban places. Lee-on-the-Solent and North Camp have been selected as two out of eight pilot projects in England to test a toolkit that is being developed by the Civic Trust to help local authorities and local communities identify problems of decline in their suburbs. The Civic Trust aims to complete this research by autumn 2002.

4. Way Ahead

4.1 The next stage in the process will focus upon:

(i) implementing the Civic Trust's recommendations in Lee-on-the-Solent and North Camp;

(ii) identifying new areas in Hampshire for action; and

(iii) raising the profile of suburban areas with all levels of Government.

Implementing the Civic Trust's Recommendations in Lee-on-the-Solent and North Camp

4.2 In Lee-on-the-Solent and North Camp action will focus upon the preparation of joint action plans by the local authorities and local community to help implement the Civic Trust's recommendations.

4.3 North Camp has been specifically identified in the Regeneration of Older Urban Areas (ROUA) Programme for 2001-2003, to assist with the implementation of environmental improvements identified in the pilot study for this area. It is suggested that ROUA programme funding be utilised on the following priority actions, as set out in the attached summary document:

(i) local Environment - improvements to Lynchford Road (from St Albans Roundabout to the junction with Camp Road) and the adjacent open space, raising the visual quality of the shopping centre and providing `gateways'/vistas into North Camp; and

(ii) local Transport and Access - improvements to the layout and appearance of pedestrian linkages, taking car parking and traffic calming issues into consideration. Proposals to be developed in conjunction with the Local Transport Plan (LTP) programme for North Camp.

Project Appraisals for detailed schemes will be taken forward to the Executive Member for Environment at a later date.

4.4 The LTP also identifies the need for transport schemes to improve movement and access within Lee-on-the-Solent and North Camp. However, there is a need to investigate the availability of funding for Lee-on-the-Solent to address the environmental problems identified through the study.

4.5 The County Planning Department is also working closely with other County Council Departments, such as County Surveyor's, Arts, Countryside and Community and Hampshire Youth Service to help implement actions in Lee-on-the-Solent and North Camp.

4.6 Newsletters will be distributed to all households, community groups and traders in Lee-on-the-Solent and North Camp to update them on progress.

4.7 A partnership approach is being established among the local community, local authorities and other key stakeholders to agree the actions required in each area.

Identifying New Areas in Hampshire for Action

4.8 One of the aims of the Sustainable Suburbs Studies was to establish an approach which could be used to identify potential problems of decline and help target action in other suburban areas, towns and neighbourhood and district centres in Hampshire. An initial meeting has been held with Test Valley Borough Council to discuss the problems associated with the high levels of deprivation experienced in a number of wards in Andover. Further work is required to identify and prioritise new areas for study. Any such work will need to build upon the good practice and lessons learned from the two pilot studies, complement the County Council's Public Service Agreement and existing initiatives, eg ROUA and Country Towns, and link into the development of community strategies and Local Strategic Partnerships in Hampshire.

Raising the Profile of Suburban Areas

4.9 Officers from the County Planning Department have met with a representative of the Urban Policy Unit at the DTLR to promote the importance of suburban areas and to develop an understanding of the issues facing urban areas in places such as Hampshire. The Urban Policy Unit has welcomed the studies and supported the innovative approach that the County Council is promoting. A further meeting to discuss progress is scheduled for this spring.

4.10 Officers are also working closely with the LGA and recently hosted a meeting of the LGA's Urban Implementation and Policy Group at North Camp to promote the work that the County Council is undertaking in Hampshire's suburbs. The North Camp study will also be discussed at the LGA's Urban Commission Meeting on 29-30 January 2002. The LGA will use such studies to lobby the DTLR on the need for greater recognition of suburbs and small towns in Government policy and funding programmes. The aim is to ensure that suburban areas and small towns are considered at next autumn's Urban Summit to disseminate good practice and the progress being made across England on implementing the Urban White Paper. The County Council is also liaising with SEERA through the Urban Renaissance Advisory Group on the issues facing urban Hampshire.

Recommendation

That it be a RECOMMEDATION to the Executive Member for Environment to consider the issues raised in the `Sustainable Suburbs Studies' and to agree to take these matters forward by:

(i) investigating the availability of funding for environmental improvements in Lee-on-the-Solent;

(ii) implementing priority actions identified in the summary of the Sustainable Suburbs Studies document for North Camp utilising funds set aside in the 2001/2003 Regeneration of Older Urban Areas Programme;

(iii) identifying new areas that require action in Hampshire; and

(iv) raising the profile of suburban issues and the work that the County Council is undertaking in these areas with all levels of Government and other interest groups.

6900/AG