Winning residents support for spatial change in local areas by persuading local communities to become willing hosts of new homes is one of, and probably the most important step to the delivery of lots of new homes. The government is committed to this huge shift in local attitudes being achieved. They think it is essential, and they are correct. Until now they have said nothing about the ways and means for winning local support, nor put forward a policy setting out the steps they will follow. This omission is one reason why their worthy hopes for tripling the size of Cambridge are seen by many as unrealistic. Where is the local support? How will it be secured?
But at last they have made a start! This step is welcome. Will it suffice? Is it too fuzzy? Is it naive? In a speech at MIPIM ON Wednesday, 13 March the housing and planning Minister Lee Rowley expanded on recent calls from Michael Gove to deliver beautiful places. Rowley said:
“It’s the job of politicians to go and sell that (beautiful development), to make the case to people that we represent, so that you, the people who are actually designing it, delivering it and ensuring it works, can do that. ……………….. So we’ve got to make sure we make the case for development, make sure we make the case for falling back in love with the future , and then when we do have that space to do it, we have to make sure what we ‘re designing , what we’re developing, is beautiful.”. .
What does Rowley mean? Is this the way to turn local communities who instinctively fear spatial change in their areas into willing host locations? My reaction is one of doubt. But Planning Resource, (Alex King & Samantha; 14 March 2024) also quote a remark by Lee Rowley for which he deserves full credit, saying at the UK Cities and Partners forum that
When I used to live in Manchester 20:years ago as a student, going back there now as a minister I have seen just the change that has come, thanks to a very progressive, forward-thinking council over a very long period of time which has absolutely transformed the Manchester that I knew in the late 1990’s”.
This candour and honest recognition of success by another political party (Manchester is a Labour-led city council) is a refreshing change. And welcome, as it is this attitude that will be essential in the housing debate ahead between politicians across the political divide that must happen to solve the deficit and supply the infrastructure with local support.
I shall listen to his next remarks with renewed interest and hope. But my hope is frail. After decades of exploitive, haphazardly located and mundane house building who believes the housing leopard can change its proverbial spots? Not I. Nor, I am certain will local residents. Do local politicians have in their gift control of local sentiment and local fears? Or the wish to make a case for housing development to their constituents? They will fear that another party will exploit the opening such a rare window will offer. Without the government in power having the courage and integrity to first start the cross party debate in Westminster, asking local politicians to first take on this bridge building task seems optimistic and misguided. It will be very interesting to see which members of Lee Rowley’s party heed his call in the weeks before the general election.
Ian Campbell
17 March 2024
