Local Regeneration Must be Central to National Renewal, Urges Localis Study
The next government must prioritize giving local leaders greater economic powers and financial control over regeneration in order to boost housebuilding prospects and support long-term local economic growth, according to a report published by Localis, the independent think tank of place.
The report, titled “Design for Life – The Smart Regeneration Journey to 2030,” argues that best practices in regeneration have the potential to unlock place prosperity in the next parliament, while also improving community health and addressing climate change. However, the report urges that local leaders will need greater control over regeneration funds in order to achieve these goals.
The study examined five main pillars crucial to successful regeneration, including place leadership, financial capacity, net zero and climate change, the role of the private and third sectors, and the role of health and wellbeing.
According to Localis, successful regeneration in the next political cycle will require:
– A return to regional spatial planning and the establishment of regional planning offices to pool talent and resources to support local and sub-regional planning.
– An end to the revenue/capital funding split in local authorities, with a single budget for local authorities and a separate regeneration account, similar to the HRA, to more efficiently allocate capital for regeneration.
– The ability to use regeneration as a tool to leverage capital funds for retrofit and climate resilience measures, in order to invest in local energy-proofing of housing stock.
– Involvement of the private and third sectors to boost the capacity of community housing initiatives, allowing for greater small-scale, community-led development within regeneration projects.
– Central government to work with the health service and local government chiefs to drive a strategy for community-driven healthcare in urban centers, which can inform the development of local and sub-regional plans.
Localis chief executive, Jonathan Werran, stated, “In the next political cycle, the vexing problem of improving the public realm in a situation of parlous public finances will keep regeneration of our towns and cities as an economic and political imperative.”
Werran continued, “This report presents an analysis of local regeneration policy through the lens of five overarching strategic concerns, amounting to a best practice framework from which recommendations to local and central government can be drawn.”
The report also includes a statement from Norse Group CEO, Justin Galliford, who emphasized their commitment to regeneration and the positive impact it can have on communities. “At Norse Group, we believe that the effective management and transformation of local government asset portfolios are fundamental to shaping the future of our communities,” he said.
The report concludes with key recommendations for the government, including the need for regional planning offices and a single budget for local authorities, as well as the importance of integrating regeneration efforts with climate change measures. The report also highlights the need for sustained public-private partnerships and investing in community housing initiatives.
For press inquiries, please contact Jonathan Werran, chief executive of Localis, at 0870 448 1530 or jonathan.werran@localis.org.uk. An advance copy of the report is available for download at https://www.localis.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Localis-Design-for-Life-Report-April2024-180x230mm-PRF04-Interactive.pdf.
About Localis:
Localis is an independent think-tank dedicated to issues related to politics, public service reform, and localism. They conduct innovative research, hold events, and facilitate an ever-growing network of members to stimulate and challenge the current orthodoxy of the governance of the UK.
About Norse Group:
Norse Group delivers the spaces and services communities need to thrive. They combine breadth, expertise, and scale with the insight of a local partner and the values of the public sector, driven by the belief that there is always a better way to deliver for the public. Their mission is to offer an integrated approach to providing public sector services, generating sustainable long-term relationships and returns in a fair and ethical way, for the benefit of their clients, employees, and all other stakeholders.
Key Report Recommendations:
Sector Summary:
– Place Leadership: To facilitate effective long-term place leadership, central government should legislate for a return to strategic regional planning. Plans should be integrated with infrastructure strategies and local skills improvement plans, and local authorities should be allowed to hold a separate regeneration account.
– Financial Capability: The revenue/capital funding split in local authorities is an obstacle to delivering holistic regeneration projects and should ideally be abolished. In the absence of such reform, councils should be allowed to hold a separate regeneration account.
– Net Zero and Climate Change: Regeneration efforts should be tied in with the wider requirement for retrofit and climate resilience measures. Government must create a fund to leverage regeneration capital to invest in local energy-proofing and make whole life carbon assessments a mandatory requirement.
– Role of the Private and Third Sectors: The most prominent obstacle to sustained public-private partnership at the
