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VERSION 10, 22nd OCTOBER 2003
TRANSFORM South Yorkshire
Executive Summary
1. Introduction
The Sub-regional Economy
The Role Of A Supportive Fully Functioning Housing Market
The Case For Intervention
Strategic Partnership Linkages
Transformational Change -The Vision For South Yorkshire
Criteria For Strategic Investment
Conclusion
2. The South Yorkshire HMRF Area
The Place Its History And Culture Its Vision For The Future
The Sub-Regional Economy In A UK And Regional Context
Social And Demographic Appraisal
3. National, Regional And Sub-Regional Policy Context
To be completed
4. The Housing Market
Summary And Key Issues
Analysis
Drivers
5. Key Challenges
To be completed
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6. Strategic Framework
Strategic Aim
Strategic Objectives
Policy Objectives
Interventions
Framework And Hierarchy
To be completed
7. Strategic Development Strategy
Strategic Spatial Development Framework
8. Area Development Frameworks
To Follow
9. Delivery
To Be Further Developed
10. Finance(On Completion Of Adfs) Justification 2004-2006 2006-2009 Indicative 2009- 2014 Indicative By ADF By Intervention To Follow
11. Monitoring and Evaluating the Success of the Pathfinder Programme
To be completed
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12. Management, Governance And Scrutiny The Partnership Vision And Values Terms Of Reference Board Structure And Membership Governance Arrangements Pathfinder Team Structure And Terms Of Reference ADF And Project Appraisals, Approvals And Monitoring And Schemes Of Delegations Financial Management Programme Management Funding Audit Monitoring
To be completed
13. Consultation
Stakeholders
Consultation Framework (National) Regional, Pathfinder Area, City And Towns, Adf, Neighbourhoods
To follow
14. Risk Assessment And Management
Context – Scale Of Investment
Type Of Risk
Analysis Of Risk (High Medium Low)
Risk Register
Monitoring
Risk Management Table Risk Type Likelihood Impact Management And Response
To Follow
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1. Introduction
The health of our national economy is dependent on the success of regional and, in turn, sub-regional economies, which in themselves are largely inseparable from the health of their relevant housing markets. [Reference ?? – possibly Communities Plan] Consequently, the fulfilment of the Government’s vision of sustainable communities is inextricably linked to the prospects for regional and national prosperity. In Yorkshire and the Humber, the growth of the sub-regional economy of South Yorkshire is key to the long- term objectives and priorities set out in the Regional Economic Strategy, and to the targets set by Government for regional economic growth and competitiveness. [References ?? – Possibly RES and Gov.] The EU non-capital cities project highlights the significance of the economic health of major urban centres to their regions making links and drawing distinctions between urban competitiveness and urban renaissance. The regional economy is growing but at a rate far below that of more competitive and productive urban centres. The study1 sets out to identify and test the definitions and characteristics of urban competitiveness. It highlights, among other factors, the need for a wide range of high quality residential choices in competitive urban centres. These centres hold the key to inclusion and community cohesion, it suggests, by creating jobs, which are an essential component to sharing wealth.
The role of housing in a changing economy Following the decline of the coal and steel industries in the 1970s and 1980s and the massive reduction in employment opportunities that resulted, the regional economy has experienced a slow but marked recovery. Since 1993 the growth has been more in line with the national economy and the profile of the economy has more closely mirrored the national picture. There have been fewer jobs in production and more in the service sector: primarily centred upon retail and leisure.
[Insert here employment trends for the sub-region since 1991 in comparison with the region. Also give GDP share.]
The wider regional strategic priorities depend entirely upon the continued transformation and restructuring of the sub-regional economy. Sheffield will be a key driver of economic growth but the South Yorkshire Cluster Development Plans will be largely achieved by investment in the four urban centres and the three strategic economic zones (M1,M18 and Dearne Valley). Development in the urban centres will be taken forward by Sheffield One (the URC) and the renaissance towns activity being undertaken in Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster which has the potential for growth based on its transport hub role [more here on partnerships taking forward development in Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster. Also role of Renaissance South
1 EU Non-Capital Cities Project : Progress, Emerging Findings, Trends and Implications, Michael Parkinson, Mary Hutchins, James Smithie Liverpool John Moores University
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Yorkshire]. The Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) for these areas aim to create distinctive business investment districts through the development of new retail and commercial floor-space together with new leisure and culture facilities and transport improvements including strategic rail links to London and Europe, the development of a new airport at Finningley and the extension of South Yorkshire Supertram into Rotherham.
Growth is set to continue. The implementation of the Cluster Development Plans for South Yorkshire will create or further expand activity in:
new creative and digital industries
advanced manufacturing and metal production
environmental and energy technologies
bioscience and food technologies; and
tourism.
The growth of these industries will expand skills and develop the workforce, build supply chain relationships, encourage collaborative industries and increase market development. Flagship projects include the Advanced Manufacturing Park, located on a 100 acre former coalfield site at Waverley in Rotherham, which will have created 1500 new jobs within the first three years of its operation.
The integration of the planning framework with the Regional Economic Strategy and the new Regional Housing Strategy indicates the role that housing will play in the economy. Housing contributes to the image of the sub-region. Investment in house building and refurbishment creates various economic benefits: it improves the image of a sub-region and makes it an attractive place to live and invest, it contributes to regeneration and improves standards of health. It is also a significant economic activity, in its own right: boosting the construction industry and leading to housing market renewal.
The Regional Housing Strategy recognises that the Pathfinder is the single most important priority for the economic health of the region as it will create the conditions that enable residents to exercise their economic rights, draw residents in and encourage them to remain within the renewal areas. This activity is therefore key to the creation of successful and sustainable neighbourhoods. It will provide a choice of high quality housing that will attract investment and a skilled workforce into the region
The case for intervention Although the sub-regional economy is undergoing transformation, the housing market within the Pathfinder has lagged behind. The economic and demographic drivers are fuelling changes in people’s aspirations which simply cannot be met. Very little of the housing in the Pathfinder areas can meet
Version 10 6 these aspirations. Consequently, large numbers of economically active residents have moving out, creating overheating in the housing market of south and west Sheffield and west Barnsley and further polarising the gaps between the most and least successful neighbourhoods. Of the 30 wards in the Pathfinder, 20 are in the countries 10% most deprived.
The Pathfinder areas have made little contribution to the economic renaissance of the sub-region. On the contrary the Pathfinder areas appear to undermine the potential for the types of productivity and competitiveness that are hallmarks of successful urban centres. The role of the Pathfinder is therefore to reverse the decline and renew the housing market through strategic intervention so that the drive for economic growth and stability is complemented and enhanced.
This will require long-term action and commitment: not just “tinkering round the edges” but quite a radical intervention on a grand scale. The investment and intervention in the housing market needs to be set within the context of change in the quality of public services and in the transport and infrastructure that supports South Yorkshire.
Strategic partnership linkages The Pathfinder is working closely the four Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs). They are represented on the Pathfinder board and close collaboration is encouraged through regular contact. The LSPs are making major improvements in the quality of key public services; for example education with X ?? (6in Rotherham , 3 in Sheffield) new schools being delivered in the Pathfinder area using the private finance initiative. [Add in details form the four LSPs and material about improved access and attainment through to skills and lifelong learning.]
Key partnerships set out here ………………….
Transform South Yorkshire The South Yorkshire Housing Market Renewal Partnership, Transform, aims to transform the housing market by embracing a strategic systematic philosophy which links economic priorities with spatial and investment strategies. IT is anticipated that this will bring transformational change to neighbourhoods and produce successful vibrant places where people can live, learn and work.
This prospectus articulates the long-term vision for the Pathfinder area and sets out how the available resources will be used in a complementary and integrated way in order that the potential in our settlements and neighbourhoods are captured and galvanised and this transformational change realised.
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Also set out in this prospectus is the strategy for delivery. This involves building capacity through existing and new partnerships with strong private sector support. The four urban centres have an established track record of working strategically with private sector partners and will use this experience to guide partnerships in the management of programmes and risk.
The case for investment The partnership, Transform, has at its core very clearly developed criteria that will determine where investment will be directed to deliver sustainable and transformational change. The Pathfinder will invest in areas only where it can be demonstrated that:
The intervention will contribute to a clear strategy for achieving the sustainability of settlements and neighbourhoods.
There is a clear economic case for investment supported by empirical evidence that demand for different types and higher quality housing is soundly linked to employment and economic growth.
There is a fully integrated forward strategy for the development of sites in areas where demolition or clearance is brought forward, supported by a plan for site assembly that will attract private sector investment and address market failure.
The intervention is understood and supported by the community; there is strong desire and support for transformational change in the neighbourhood and a clear understanding of the objective, benefits, implications and risks associated with the intervention.
The intervention is rooted in a market led approach that will make a significant contribution towards one or more of the strategic objectives.
The intervention is set within a broader strategic framework that will support the wider involvement of partners linked to health, education community safety, transport and economic growth.
The intervention has the support and confidence of the private sector and that their willingness to invest significant sums can be demonstrated.
There is evidence that the interventions can be delivered.
The outputs and outcomes arising from the intervention, such as its the impact on the housing market and wider regeneration, will be monitored and evaluated
There is good value for money
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Confidence to deliver South Yorkshire has been at the forefront of market renewal and restructuring. Its pioneering and radical programmes have been enormously successful. In Sheffield, the housing market in the North West Inner City has been completely transformed providing a mix of housing types and tenures to support the University quarter and the promotion of a vibrant city centre. With community involvement at the forefront, the Norfolk Park and Manor estates are emerging as places with successful and distinctive housing choices. Inward migration has increased and property values have increased [evidence – reference??]. In Doncaster, the Lakeside development has successfully combined growth in commerce and new IT industries with the provision of high quality housing while remaining sensitive to the natural environment. In Rotherham, the Eastwood gateway is an example of strong partnership which is delivering quality, choice and sustainability into an area of mixed tenure housing while supporting and protecting the rich diversity of its community. In Barnsley,the Kendray Initiative has started to turn round the prospects of its most deprived area by working with the community to influence service delivery and implement redevelopment plans for the area.
South Yorkshire has a long and successful track record of delivery and is therefore well set to bring about the transformational change that is required.
Conclusion A fully functioning housing market for South Yorkshire is fundamental to the competitiveness and economic success of the Yorkshire and Humberside region. The economy is undergoing transformational change but currently the housing market is constraining rather than fuelling growth. There is a strong partnership ethos in South Yorkshire with four LSPs working to deliver step changes in the quality of public services. Alongside, there are examples of public and private partnerships now working effectively to bring about transformational change. The partnership is confident in it’s ability to deliver the critical link between the aspiration for economic growth and a housing market which will support this.
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2. THE SOUTH YORKSHIRE HMRF AREA
South Yorkshire is located within the middle of the country 160 miles from London and 65 miles from the Humber covering an area of 1,559 square kilometres. The sub-region contains the four urban centres of Barnsley Doncaster Rotherham and Sheffield and in 2001 had a population of 1.27 million people. Population density varies across the sub-region with the most sparsely populated areas being in Doncaster and Barnsley while Sheffield has the highest levels of population density.
Many people perceive South Yorkshire as being mainly an urban area however there are significant contrasts within the sub-region. Two thirds of the area is rural with parts of western Sheffield and Barnsley being within the Peak District National Park. Outside the four urban centres there is a range of settlement patterns and neighbourhoods across the sub-region. Much of western Barnsley is rural with small towns and village. To the east the Dearne Valley connects Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham and contains a number of larger towns such as Bolton upon Dearne, Swinton and Mexborough. The River Don cuts across the sub-region connecting Doncaster with Rotherham and parts of central Sheffield linking a number of settlements.
Much of the spatial pattern of the sub-region is the function of the industrial heritage of the area. South Yorkshire was traditionally seen as the industrial South of the Yorkshire and Humberside region with significant concentrations of heavy industry particularly centred around Coal and Steel. Within South Yorkshire it has been the development of these two key industries that shaped much of the modern day landscape with many settlements and neighbourhoods owing much of their existence to the mining of coal and the production of steel.
South Yorkshire has had an industrial base for over 200 years. By the late 1960’s and early 1970’s the economy of the sub-region was seen as healthy and prosperous. Unemployment was well below the national average with relatively high male earnings from large employers in the steel and coal industries and associated manufacturing businesses. In 1971 the coal and steel industries provided direct employment for 121, 000 people a figure that equated to nearly a quarter of all jobs in South Yorkshire.
However the subsequent decline of these two industries had a fundamental effect on the economy of South Yorkshire. Demand for coal and steel expanded during the 1940’s and 1950’s as Europe recovered after the war. The 1951 European Coal and Steel Community Treaty looked to try and restructure the industries, control trade, and subsidies as this high level of demand began to fall. However the attempt to control widespread state subsidies across Europe largely failed. The UK was however one of the few countries that did not provide subsidies to prop up the struggling coal and steel industries and this meant that UK companies could not compete against their state aid supported rivals in this shrinking European and global market.
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The impact on South Yorkshire was an enormous loss of jobs. The decline in the steel industry in the region culminated in the recession of the early 1980s. Steel plants closed with the loss of 3000-4000 jobs at a time. The pits also began to close and the coal closure programme of 1992 all but removed one of the main coal mining areas of the UK. The cumulative result of this decline was the loss of 187,000 industrial jobs in South Yorkshire (60% of all its industry) in a period between 1971 and 1995. Over the same period the service sector increased by 95,000 jobs but there was still an overall net loss of 92,000 jobs: a figure that equated to nearly one-fifth of total employment. Although both industries do survive today the once dominant coal and steel industries only employ a fraction of what they used to, with the total number of jobs falling to less than 15,000 from the high of 121,000.
The significant decline in this industrial base in the region has had profound effects on the wider South Yorkshire economy. Gross domestic product (GDP) is the overall measure of the competitiveness of the economy. The reduction in the traditional industries of the sub-region has resulted in an increase of the gap between South Yorkshire’s GDP and that of the rest of the country, and Europe. South Yorkshire continued to fall further behind the European average between 1979 and 1995. By 1996 the Sub-region’s GDP was less than 75% of the European average and this meant that South Yorkshire qualified for financial assistance as an Objective One region for the first time.
Analysis of the sub-regional economy as part of the Objective One programme estimated that the economy was 68,000 jobs down on the national average, and that the types of jobs in South Yorkshire only provide income comparable to 87% of national earnings. In terms of the companies operating in the sub-region the analysis highlighted that there were 13,000 VAT registered firms short of the UK average and that the profit margins of these companies were lower than the UK average. This was because of the over representation of economically vulnerable companies, and an under representation of companies in growth sectors.
Since 1993 the sub-regional economy has been growing more in line with the national economy. The profile of the local economy is also closer to the national average with fewer jobs in production industries and more in the service sector. However it is felt that the changes in the industrial base of the South Yorkshire economy happened so quickly that it has been difficult for the economy to adjust. Recent data has shown the economy improving but GDP figures, average earnings and unemployment levels still lagging behind regional and national averages.
The widespread job losses of the 1980s and the early 1990s have had a knock on effect on the population of the sub-region. Population numbers fell consistently during the 1980s and 1990s with an estimated drop in the population between mid 1981 and 2001 of 51,000 people compared with a rise of 46,000 in the Yorkshire and Humberside region as a whole.
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Pathfinder Area Profile
The Pathfinder intervention area covers 150 square kilometres taking in 30 wards or parts of wards of the sub-region. The map on the following page outlines the intervention area. The area covered by the Pathfinder characterises much of what has been happening in the wider sub-region with communities having grown up around and next to the coal and steel industries. The Dearne Valley for example has been dominated by the coal mining industry for generations. At one time the area contained 12 working collieries employing over 11, 000 people and far greater numbers in associated support and service industries. It now has none. The Don Valley was the home to a large number of steel and associated industries many of which have now closed. Many of the neighbourhoods of North and East Sheffield, and East and West Rotherham were developed to house workers from the nearby steel industries.
Version 10 12 South Yorkshire Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder Area
Darfield Dearne Thurnscoe DONCASTER BARNSLEY Dearne South
Wath Mexborough
Conisbrough Swinton Brampton, Melton & Edlington & Wentworth Rawmarsh st Warmsworth West er Rawmarsh b o gh East , R r n n be Thorpe otl ot yr a o h Hesley D o T Greasbrough H & Herring -thorpe Kimberworth Nether Central Park Shire Southey Owlerton Green Brightside Broom Boston SHEFFIELD Firth Park
Darnall Burngreave ROTHERHAM
Castle Manor
Park
Produced by Research Analysis & Evaluation Division using the Ordnance Survey Boundary Line local authority and ward date 1991 with the sanction of the controller of HM Stationery Office, Licence no. GD272671 Crown Copyright 2002
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Over 306,000 people, almost one in four of the population of South Yorkshire, live in the Pathfinder Area (Table []). The population of the area has fallen by about 14,000 or 4.4% since 1991, compared to growth of 2.4% in the remainder of South Yorkshire. This masks some more significant changes with a decline in population of 35% in the Doncaster ADF, 11% in South Sheffield, 9% in Eastern Rotherham and 7% in Western Rotherham ADFs. However there was an increase of 43% in the Barnsley ADF area and also a small increase in North East Sheffield.
Table [] Population and households by ADF, 1991 and 2001 % change Population Area Population Population 1991- density Private Household (hectares) 1991 2001 2001 (pph) householdsspaces North Sheffield 1749 71976 69084 -4.0 39.74 29512 30536 North East Quadrant 1973 31443 32479 3.3 15.93 12306 13353 South Sheffield 996 37500 33254 -11.3 34.40 15628 16515 Western 1976 36482 34013 -6.8 17.68 14712 15398 Town Centre 91 NA 806 NA 8.88 395 421 Eastern 835 25603 23294 -9.0 29.11 9823 10232 Parkgate Rawmarsh 1047 18323 18268 -0.3 17.40 7582 7863 Wath Swinton 1892 32053 30890 -3.6 16.46 13049 13649 Doncaster 2502 38444 24949 -35.1 9.97 10343 10863 Barnsley 2024 25341 36186 42.8 18.15 15327 16188 Pathfinder 15085 317165 303223 -4.4 20.30 128677 135018 SY outside Pathfinder 140066 940856 963115 2.4 6.85 402019 415296 South Yorkshire 155151 1258021 1266338 0.7 8.16 530696 550314
NB As 1991 Census Enumeration districts and 2001 Census Outout areas are not consistent, comparisons between 1991 and 2001 populations should be treated with caution. This is most evident for the Rotherham Town Centre ADF, all of whose 1991 population is assigned to other ADFs. Sources: ONS, 1991 Census Local Base Statistics, 2001 Census, Key Statistics for Output Areas.
The Pathfinder as a whole has proportionately more children and slightly more people aged 75+ than the rest of South Yorkshire, with proportionately fewer people in the 16-24, 25-44 and 45-59 age groups (Table []). The shortfall in the working age group of 25-59 is particularly marked (around two percentage points), reflecting the impact of differential outward migration from the Pathfinder Area by those in this age group.
The shortfall in the main working age groups is most severe in the North East and South Sheffield areas and Eastern Rotherham and Rotherham Town Centre. Only Wath Swinton has a higher proportion of working age people than the rest of South Yorkshire (outside the Pathfinder Area). The North East Sheffield and East Rotherham areas account for much of the over-
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representation of children, which is explained by the high proportion of minority ethnic groups in these areas (see below). These areas also have high proportions of people aged 75+, although the age structure of the BME population suggests that these are more likely to be White.
Table [] Population by age group by ADF, 2001 Percentage All people 0-15 16-24 25-44 45-59 60-74 75+ North Sheffield 69489 20.3 34.4 21.3 5.1 14.1 4.8 North East Quadrant 31465 23.2 35.5 19.0 4.5 12.5 5.3 South Sheffield 34288 20.4 36.4 19.9 4.8 14.0 4.5 Western 34923 20.0 33.8 22.3 5.1 14.2 4.6 Town Centre 809 19.3 38.3 19.2 4.6 14.8 3.8 Eastern 24314 23.0 35.8 20.7 4.2 11.3 5.0 Parkgate Rawmarsh 18206 19.5 35.5 21.9 4.7 13.8 4.6 Wath Swinton 31165 19.0 33.0 23.4 5.3 14.8 4.5 Doncaster 24967 20.7 33.5 22.4 4.8 13.8 4.8 Barnsley 36704 20.1 33.7 21.9 5.2 14.5 4.6 Pathfinder 306330 20.6 34.5 21.4 4.9 13.8 4.7 SY outside Pathfinder 960078 18.1 34.9 22.9 5.1 14.5 4.4 South Yorkshire 1266408 18.7 34.8 22.5 5.1 14.4 4.5 Source: ONS, 2001 Census, Key Statistics, Census Output Areas
Compared to other Pathfinders, South Yorkshire does not have particularly large minority ethnic population. However, the Area has a substantially higher proportion of non-White people (8.7%) than the rest of South Yorkshire (3.6%) (Table []). People of Pakistani origin form the largest minority ethnic group (4.2% of the population), followed by Black people (1.5%). There are substantial variations with the Pathfinder reflecting the concentration of minority ethnic groups in particular areas. Some 53% of the non-White population of the Pathfinder live in North East Sheffield and a further 28% live in the other two Sheffield ADFs. Only 4% are found in the four northern ADFs of Parkgate Rawmarsh, Wath Swinton, and the Doncaster and Barnsley Pathfinder areas.
Across the ADFs, North East Sheffield has proportionately the highest non- White population (44.8%), followed by Rotherham Town Centre (32.4%, but small numbers) and Eastern Rotherham (9.7%). In all three areas people of Pakistani origin form by far the largest minority ethnic group. There are also significant proportions of people of Black, Bangladeshi and other Asian origin in North East Sheffield.
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Table [] Population by ethnic origin by ADF, 2001
Percentage Pakistan Bangla- Other White Mixed Black i deshi Asian Chinese North Sheffield 93.6 2.0 1.4 2.0 0.1 0.6 0.3 North East Quadrant 55.2 3.7 7.5 25.0 3.3 3.5 1.9 South Sheffield 91.2 2.8 2.7 1.4 0.2 0.9 0.7 Western 95.7 0.6 0.1 3.0 0.0 0.2 0.3 Town Centre 67.6 1.6 0.0 24.4 0.0 2.0 4.4 Eastern 90.3 1.0 0.3 7.3 0.0 0.6 0.5 Parkgate Rawmarsh 98.6 0.6 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.2 Wath Swinton 99.0 0.4 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.2 Doncaster 99.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 Barnsley 99.2 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.1 Pathfinder 91.3 1.4 1.5 4.2 0.4 0.7 0.5 SY outside Pathfinder 96.4 0.8 0.7 1.0 0.1 0.6 0.5 South Yorkshire 95.1 1.0 0.9 1.8 0.2 0.7 0.5 Source: ONS, 2001 Census, Key Statistics, Census Output Areas
The Pathfinder area has a markedly lower level of economic activity (58%) than the rest of South Yorkshire (64%) (Table []). In the North East Sheffield and Doncaster ADFs the economic activity rate barely exceeds 50%, and is also lower than the Pathfinder average in South Sheffield and Rotherham Town Centre. Likewise only 50% of people aged between 16 and 74 are employed in the Pathfinder, compared to 58% in the rest of South Yorkshire. North East and South Sheffield and Rotherham Town Centre stand out with less than 45% employed. The Pathfinder has a noticeably higher proportion of people aged 16-74 who are permanently sick or disabled than the rest of the sub-region with Doncaster, Barnsley, Rotherham Town Centre and South Sheffield having higher levels than the Pathfinder average. Higher proportions of the unemployed are young people under 25 in the Pathfinder but fewer are older people over 50. However the proportion of unemployed people who are long term unemployed is higher.
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Table [] Population aged 16-74 by economic activity Percentage of Percentage of all 16-74 unemployed Long All Perm Unem term aged Econ Empl- Unem- sick Stude p 16- Unem unem 16-74 active oyed ployed disab nt 24 p 50+ p North Sheffield 48328 60.51 53.08 5.80 9.49 5.01 26.18 15.48 37.13 North East Quadrant 21359 51.65 41.55 7.42 9.17 10.97 27.90 13.64 36.62 South Sheffield 24337 55.35 44.67 7.72 10.67 10.08 27.87 14.47 38.51 Western 24682 61.13 54.53 4.77 9.39 4.74 31.61 15.04 31.95 Town Centre 608 55.92 43.26 9.70 12.34 9.05 28.81 15.25 32.20 Eastern 16514 56.70 48.18 6.65 11.58 5.46 35.21 11.19 31.85 Parkgate Rawmarsh 12946 63.68 56.98 5.01 8.55 4.26 30.56 16.67 30.56 Wath Swinton 22403 61.63 55.55 4.35 9.28 4.91 29.16 19.20 33.88 Doncaster 17454 51.95 46.19 4.52 16.50 4.25 35.61 10.65 34.98 Barnsley 25881 57.37 50.94 4.91 11.37 4.71 31.97 11.02 33.07 Pathfinder 21451 2 58.04 50.42 5.73 10.47 6.04 29.67 14.25 35.12 SY outside 70143 Pathfinder 5 63.95 57.84 3.60 6.91 7.94 27.05 17.73 33.04 South Yorkshire 91594 7 62.56 56.10 4.10 7.74 7.50 27.91 16.59 33.72 Source: ONS, 2001 Census, Key Statistics, Census Output Areas
Consistent data on incomes at local level is difficult to obtain and each source has disadvantages associated with it. Figure [] below shows average incomes for 2001 for the Pathfinder Area and its environs, but is best treated as a measure of relative rather than absolute incomes. The figure shows areas around the Pathfinder to illustrate the extent to which the area, together with other parts of eastern Sheffield, eastern Barnsley, and central Doncaster, form a clear zone of low incomes, with the central core of the South Yorkshire sub-region ‘hollowed out’ in terms of higher income levels.
Figure []Average income 2001, South Yorkshire Pathfinder and environs
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Source: GBPaycheck, Experian Business Services
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The economic and associated social legacy left by the declining coal and steel industries is clearly illustrated by the ODPM’s index of multiple deprivation. The index calculated from a whole range of economic and social indicators is a way of ranking the relative deprivation of wards.
With the exception of the Broom ward (which only has a small proportion of its area in the Pathfinder – see Map on p. 13 ??) all of the Pathfinder wards are within the top 25% deprived wards in England. In addition 20, out of the 30 wards are within the top 10% and 3 wards are within the top 1%.
These high levels of deprivation linked to shifting patterns of employment and population decline have also had an impact on the sub-region’s housing market. The changes described earlier in the chapter have largely destroyed the close geographical links between places of employment and home that characterised traditional industries, and weakened the rationale for the existence of many settlements and estates.
As a result, in much of the Pathfinder area, a legacy has been left of housing settlements in a poor physical environment located next to redundant or inappropriate industrial sites. Equally, there are settlements whose main purpose is changing as the coal industry has disappeared. There are also neighbourhoods with large monolithic estates where much stock is in need of improvement and there is a lack of aspirational housing choice. Often overriding all of these there is also the problem of image. Many people outside the Pathfinder area perceive the area as unattractive: an area dominated by its industrial past. These images reinforce the problems that already exist and do nothing to help the area to break the cycle of decline that is facing many communities.
These specific issues in the housing market will be further investigated in the following chapters.
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3. National Regional and Local Policy Context
Introduction
This prospectus is placed within a framework of national, regional and local policies, that guide and inform its development. Similarly, a programme, which delivers the successful transformation of the housing market within the sub-region, will make a significant contribution towards medium and long- term regional and national targets for economic growth and sustainability. Housing market renewal activity will not occur in isolation from the wider regeneration activities. At the local level, interventions will complement and bolster the neighbourhood renewal and community partnership strategies being delivered through the LSPs. At the regional and national levels the Pathfinder will be fundamental to securing the economic well being targeted through the joint public service agreement (PSA2) to improve regional economic performance. The Pathfinder aims to coordinate environmental, social and economic actions through targeted interventions that will influence the sustainability of neighbourhoods. It will therefore link and promote the co-alignment of strategies at the local, regional and national levels. The success of the Pathfinder will depend upon local programmes, but this must be underpinned by the freedom and flexibility in the planning framework that are enshrined in the Communities Plan [not sure what this sentence is saying?? – Perhaps substitute - ].
The National Perspective
The Urban White Paper 2000 – Our Towns and Cities: the Future clearly indicated the key factors that make towns and cities places where people want to live. It further sets out the challenges that are faced by those aiming to tackle the problems and issues outlined in chapters 2 and 3:(check numbers – this refers to the housing market and the pen picture of south Yorks [appears to be referring to Chapters 2 and 4 – perhaps this needs moving ??])
Encouraging people to reside in, and move back into, our urban centres Tackling the poor quality of life and lack of opportunity in certain urban areas; and Addressing the weak economic performance of some parts of our towns and cities and enabling all areas to compete successfully for jobs and investment.
In “working towards urban renaissance” the White Paper expressed the desire to make all urban areas places for people by:
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Getting the design and quality of the urban fabric right;
Enabling all towns and cities to create and share economic prosperity;
Providing the quality services people need; and
Equipping people to participate in developing their communities.
This overarching policy framework for urban renaissance provides a context in which the national, regional and local drivers for change play their part in sustaining communities that can attract and hold the socially and economically active. In the South Yorkshire Pathfinder area this will involve supporting growth and reversing the population decline experienced in several urban centres and coalfield communities over the last 30 years. In fact, the creation of wealth across the regions of the UK now lies at the heart of Government Policy [I have simplified this sentence but it now seems to state the obvious or something which has always been the case ??].
Building on the regional policy framework outlined by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in Productivity in the UK: 3 – the regional dimension, the Treasury, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department of Trade & Industry have committed themselves through a joint Public Service Agreement (PSA2) to improving regional economic performance. This agreement commits the Government to make sustainable improvements in the economic performance of all English regions and, over the long term, reduce the persistent gap in growth rates between the regions. It is significant that the Regional Housing Strategy starts with the premise that "long term success depends on closing the gap between the most and least prosperous parts of the region" [Ref].
It is widely recognised that the Pathfinder has a significant part to play in the establishment of a “world class” economy in Yorkshire and the Humber. Support for the Pathfinder is demonstrated through the clear alignment of targets in the sub-regional action plan and the prioritisation of the Pathfinder within the Regional Housing Strategy. [Para re-written for clarity – check meaning??]
The national objective for regional social and economic sustainability is complemented at a local level by the New Commitment to Neighbourhood Renewal - the National Strategy/Action Plan. This outlines the Government’s long-term vision for narrowing the gap between the most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of the country. As discussed in the previous chapter the indices of deprivation highlight the multiple problems that are facing communities in the Pathfinder area with all but one ward being in the top 25% most deprived in England.
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The national strategy focuses on a comprehensive approach to the renewal of poor neighbourhoods and addresses the physical environment along with issues such as worklessness, crime and poor public services. To produce better outcomes in the most deprived areas and contribute to sustainable development, the national strategy recognises that Government, local authorities and other service providers need to work together to reallocate resources, and bend their mainstream programmes to tackle deprivation more effectively.
To deliver this challenging agenda the national strategy recognises the need to develop joint working at local level that meets the needs of local people to deliver sustainable economic, social and physical regeneration along with improved public services.
The National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal has been reinforced by the preparation and implementation of Community Strategies by each local authority in England (as required by the Local Government Act 2000). The aim of these strategies is to improve economic, social and environmental well- being. Community Strategies will be drawn up by Local Strategic Partnerships LSPs that give communities a greater say in the running and delivery of public services. LSPs will draw key service providers into a single partnership with which the community is actively engaged. [LSPs are presented as already established in earlier chapters??]
Local Neighbourhood Renewal Strategies (LNRS) will be developed in a similar manner and focus on improving conditions in the most deprived neighbourhoods. An LNRS can theoretically be a 'stand-alone document', but with clear links through to the Community Strategy. For those areas where the majority of wards are in the top 10% of worst wards in England, the Community Strategy and LNRS could be one and the same. This will of course depend on local circumstances. [Perhaps explain what has happened/will be happening here??]
It was recognised, at an early stage, that the Pathfinder programme should be integrated with the development of community strategies and local neigbourhood renewal strategies. This is supported in the SYHMR by LSP representation on the Pathfinder Board.
Finally, the Deputy Prime Minister’s Communities Plan published in February 2003 takes forward the national agenda on urban renaissance by providing the resources and impetus to revitalise communities suffering low housing demand in the North and the Midlands. The plan draws attention to the fact that about one million homes in the social and private sector across England are affected by low demand. About one half of these are covered by the nine Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders, and nearly one fifth of non-decent social homes in England are located within the Pathfinder local authority boundaries. The plan brings additional investment to ensure decent social housing is supported through resources for Arms Length Management
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Organisations (ALMOs). Further credits were announced for refurbishment with Private Finance schemes and partial stock transfer. Partial transfer is now a more accessible model following the removal of the barriers that inhibited its use and potential impact. [unsure what the barriers were ??]
The Communities Plan lays the way for the nine Pathfinders, with key stakeholders, to develop strategic plans for their housing markets. The document further stresses that the plans would entail "radical and sustainable action to replace obsolete housing with modern sustainable accommodation through demolition and new building or refurbishment. This will mean a better mix of homes and sometimes fewer homes." Finally, it emphasised the need to connect treatment of the housing stock with activities such as environmental enhancement, education or personal security, in order to ensure sustainable communities.
The Communities Plan foresaw a series of integrated policy developments contributing to the elimination of the problems of low demand. It mentions in particular improving the system of compulsory acquisition, gap funding to facilitate private housing investment, licensing private sector landlords and working with key players such as Local Authorities, private developers and the Regional Development Agencies, to maximise their contribution to the policy. These principles are recognised and have been embodied in the strategic framework of this prospectus.
The problems of low demand cannot be tackled by housing and related spending alone, however well implemented. The Communities Plan drew attention to the fact that, in much of the North of England and increasingly in the Midlands, the supply of housing is exceeding demand. It stressed that the causes are complex and are generally not part of a general migration to the south of England. Rather they are due to movement from the outdated and unpopular older housing, that is sometimes found in obsolete places, to more attractive homes in nearby suburban and rural areas. This has been encouraged by large-scale house building on Greenfield sites. In Yorkshire and the Humber nearly 50% of all new housing built between 1997 and 2000 was on Greenfield sites. As a result the Communities Plan promised, "We will review planning policies in the regions affected (by low demand) to ensure that they support the objective of tackling low demand." (we need an urgent an informed debate to determine the implications of and response to the new PPG3) [NB wants required here is reference to the mismatch between RPG and the number of planning applications acceptable to ensure sustainability within the pathfinder, and a brave statement about density. i.e. The communities plan heralds a return to high-density development. In urban centers this may be appropriate however in former coalfield communities, land is not at a premium and therefore more generous space standards are key to providing quality housing. (Comments please) ??]
The Regional Policy Context
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The Communities Plan also signalled a new regional approach to housing policy with the establishment of Regional Housing Boards together with a new form of regional plans, Regional Spatial Strategies, already in place to realise the visions for both growth and low demand areas, and Regional Housing Strategies produced to inform housing investment decisions. The Plan also established a new role for English Partnerships - assembling land for uses that support the work of the nine Pathfinder areas. They will also have a key role in the management of publicly owned land.
Combined with the additional resources outlined in the Plan, the detailed policy framework presents significant opportunities for South Yorkshire to bring about the transformation of the ten areas that are the focus of the Pathfinder.
In Yorkshire and the Humber region, as in others, the challenge is to align the strategies of the various bodies that impinge on the well being of the population in the region. Of particular importance in the context of housing market renewal are the Regional Housing Strategy, Regional Planning Guidance, the Regional Economic Strategy and the work of the Yorkshire Forward (the RDA for Yorkshire and the Humber). These strategic approaches are, to an extent, already being brought together in the Regional Spatial Strategy but it is primarily in the draft [surely no longer a draft?] Regional Housing Strategy that the ethos of our pathfinder is most clearly reflected. The Strategy says, "We will work in partnership to provide good quality homes and successful neighbourhoods that meet the aspirations of current and future residents." In order to achieve this it identifies five key themes that also straddle the Regional Planning Guidance and the Regional Economic Strategy.
Supporting economic regeneration and growth Promoting social cohesion and diversity Helping urban and rural communities to adapt and prosper Achieving environmental sustainability and enhancement Working in partnership
These themes have been incorporated into the strategic objectives outlined in this prospectus [see ?? - indicate where set out].
The draft [ditto ??] Regional Housing Strategy identifies the major restructuring and improvement of the housing stock, especially through private investment, as a priority, particularly where this complements existing or new regeneration initiatives. The HMR Pathfinders are presented as the first priority as the success of these ventures is considered to be crucial to the wider economic prospects of the region.
The incorporation of resources into a single regional housing pot directed towards priorities determined by a new Regional Housing Board, now provides close alignment of the region’s long term housing investment plans
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with the transformational agenda of the Regional Economic Strategy. The South Yorkshire Housing and Regeneration Partnership will act as the commissioning body for transformational projects within the sub-region. SYHARP has set out the criteria for supporting Pathfinder plus [??] projects for 2004/5 and 2005/6, ensuring that compliment closely the SRHP resource investment flowing from this prospectus.
The table on the following page summarises the linkages between the main regional policies.
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ADVANCING TOGETHER
VISION
An Advanced Excellent High Quality Educated and First Class Quality Economy Infrastructure Environment Skilled people Of Life
Regional Strategies
Regional Planning Regional Regional Housing Guidance Economic Strategy Strategy
Sub Regional & Local Strategies And Plans
Spatial strategy Pathfinder Strategy Sub regional Housing Strategy
Urban Local Housing Neighbourhood Renaisance Strategies Renewal and Community Plans
[This needs refining ?? – add in community strategy, LSPs, LDFs, Community groups, private sector etc.]
The Sub-Regional and Local Policy Context
Over the last thirty years, the South Yorkshire Councils in their public and private sector [??] have worked together to provide high quality public services and to promote the economy of the sub region. The local authorities [check consistency of capitals ??] have worked in partnership through Single Regeneration Budget and Objective One programmes and are now collaborating on the development of new industries centred on the clusters and urban centres of the sub-region. What is most striking about the South Yorkshire area is the number of regeneration initiatives and the strength of the connection between its economic viability and the sustainability of settlements within the pathfinder area.
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Chapter 7 provides a summary of the sub-regional spatial strategy which reflects the distinctiveness of the South Yorkshire Pathfinder area’s spatial characteristics. Currently a spatial strategy for the distribution of activity is being developed by the four Local Authorities which make up the sub-region.
Success in delivering this prospectus will be marked out by the successful integration of the programme into a much broader framework including the spatial strategy [specify regional or sub-regional ??] which will guide the alignment of other strategies and investment. This will require the respective LSPs to take account of the regional and sub-regional policy framework [what’s this ??], ensure that the strategies are aligned and that the investment complements and supports the objectives of the Pathfinder.
Other regeneration experience demonstrates that a holistic approach, which ensures that service improvements and physical changes happen through careful planning and coordination, is needed to improve the quality of life of existing residents and inspire confidence in investors. The Community Plans [perhaps need to explain role of Community Plans earlier ??] and Neighbourhood Renewal Strategies for the four authorities are the key strategic frameworks that promote this approach. They set out goals and priorities for:
Co-ordinating and improving service delivery
Improving the quality of services and their accessibility
Simplifying decision-making structures
Promoting delivery and accountability through partner organisations
[tense of the bullets altered??]
The South Yorkshire Neighbourhood Renewal Strategies set out social, economic and environmental drivers [??] that provide the strategic focus for service improvements to create sustainable neighbourhoods, and ensure that the priorities and targets set out by the LSPs are reflected in partners’ business and corporate plans. Although there are significant local variations between the four parts of the sub-region, there is a strategic fit between the respective Community Plans. Key drivers [??] across the sub region are:
A focus on the sustainability of neighbourhoods
Economic competitiveness
The quality of housing
Community cohesion, social inclusion
Community safety
Health, well-being and social care
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An integrated transport infrastructure
All of these themes [??] influence the drivers of demand for housing and will contribute significantly to the re-structuring of the housing market.
Delivering a renewed housing market in the Pathfinder programme is not solely dependent on the success or otherwise of Housing Market Renewal resources. The co-alignment of other public and private sector investment programmes is critical to achieving a renewed housing market.
Sub-regional and Local Housing Strategies
The respective sub-regional and local Housing Strategies provide the framework and rationale for transforming South Yorkshire’s housing market. The respective strategies support the strategic objectives of this prospectus by:
Encouraging the development of a sub-regional decent homes plan by using a mix of options set out in the Communities plan.
Ensuring that the delivery of intervention programmes for both private and public sector housing are integrated together within the context of the Pathfinder programme;
Promoting effective [??] long-term planning and development agendas for housing across the sub region in conjunction with private sector partners, linking key funding agencies such as English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation to deliver innovative quality housing for the twenty-first century;
Rationalise and improve the quality of Registered Social Landlord (RSL) housing stock;
Facilitate the most effective management and targeting of all the various financial instruments that will support Housing Market Renewal. The integration of key funding streams such as Single Housing Capital Pot, ACG, Major Repairs Allowance, ADP etc. alongside public and private sector inputs, will underpin our comprehensive approach to neighbourhood renewal and secure its delivery.
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4. THE HOUSING MARKET
Key Issues And Summary [For all the analysis below there are some gaps as Rotherham TC ADF because it is so small, but I haven’t changed this] Throughout the South Yorkshire Pathfinder, housing markets are under stress. Demand for much of the housing offer across all tenures is weakening. with rising aspirations and incomes for some, increased housing choice, and a growing willingness to move out of the area to secure better housing and living conditions.
The Pathfinder is fortunate that it does not yet have the large scale and perhaps intractable problems of high vacancy rates and abandonment that some other areas face. But there are pockets with serious problems which need urgent action to turn them round before they spread. And without action to create sustainable and vibrant areas where people will choose to live, much of the rest of the Pathfinder may face more serious problems in the future.
Overall the Pathfinder Area is characterised by: NB {*} below means point is evidenced by table/chart/map later, {} means still to be evidenced
limited housing choice with an oversupply of social rented housing {*} and a shortage of properties in middle and higher value market sectors {*};
an oversupply of older, smaller terraced properties {*}, smaller semi-detached houses {*}, and flatted accommodation {*};
declining values relative to the sub-region and other areas to the south and west {*}, leaving owners on the fringe of sustainability;
many owners trapped by negative equity especially in the lowest price areas where it will be hardest for prices to recover{*};
many without the means to fund repairs and improvements as a result of low incomes {*};
poor housing quality in the council sector {} and amongst privately owned housing which fails to meet current aspirations {};
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poor standards of management and maintenance among some private landlords especially in areas where low property values make it easy to secure a quick return on investment {};
a shortage of mid- and higher priced housing for sale or rent with no real housing ladder in the Pathfinder area to meet aspirations {*}[repeats point above?];
a narrow range of housing options for BME communities {}; and housing/care options for the elderly {};
poor environments and a continuing legacy of industrial uses and pollution in some neighbourhoods {};
too many examples of unsuccessful neighbourhoods with limited settlement character and diversity;
strong evidence of high crime {}, low incomes {*}, high benefit take up {}, poor access to employment {} and services {} acting as a disincentive to residents to stay;
factors which broaden the gap between the pathfinder area and the sub region [?].
Hence the principal reasons for the failure of the housing market in South Yorkshire are: [to be revised still] The poor condition of social and private rented housing The failure of some neighbourhoods to sustain the quality of services, the environment and infrastructure A failure to support owner-occupiers to sustain value and equity in areas of older terraced housing. A lack of sufficient new and replacement housing to attract first time or subsequent buyers Sustaining overall supply levels in the face of falling demand. The failure to sustain communities in areas close primary centres of employment and to retain or attract people to these communities.
Analysis Of The Pathfinder Housing Market
The Pathfinder Board commissioned the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of Birmingham (CURS) to provide the evidence base for the strategy. CURS drew on substantial previous experience with studies of housing markets across the north of England, including
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o The ‘M62 corridor study’2 which was influential in raising awareness of the need for housing market restructuring o A follow-up regional study of Yorkshire and Humberside completed in 2002 which made the case for a Housing Market Renewal Area in South Yorkshire3 o Sub regional/local housing market studies in Liverpool4, North Staffordshire5, and North West Birmingham6.
Dwellings at risk of low or changing demand
In the regional study of Yorkshire and Humberside, CURS developed a methodology for the identification of areas at risk of experiencing low or changing demand for housing across all tenures using data from the 1991 Census and the Land Registry. Although this analysis covered the whole of the North of England and the Midlands, it provided estimates at a very fine grain7. This analysis highlighted parts of South Yorkshire as being at risk of experiencing low or changing demand (Table []).
Table [] Dwellings at risk of experiencing low or changing demand DISTRICT DWELLINGS AT RISK % AT RISK BARNSLEY 90,880 57,281 63.0 DONCASTER 117,065 64,255 54.9 ROTHERHAM 100,852 47,520 47.1 SHEFFIELD 221,483 107,789 48.7 ALL 530,280 276,845 52.2 Source: CURS risk index of changing demand
2 Changing Housing Markets and Urban Regeneration in the M62 Corridor by Brendan Nevin, Peter Lee, Lisa Goodson, Alan Murie and Jenny Phillimore (October 2001). 3 Yorkshire and Humberside: changing housing markets and urban regeneration by Peter Lee, Philip Leather, Alan Murie, Jenny Phillimore and Lisa Goodson (April 2002). 4 Measuring the sustainability of neighbourhoods in Liverpool, by Brendan Nevin, Peter Lee and Jenny Phillimore (April 2001). 5Developing a sub-regional housing investment strategy for North Staffordshire, by Peter Lee, Philip Leather Lisa Goodson, Jenny Phillimore and Alan Murie with Brendan Nevin (May 2002). 6 Housing Market change and urban regeneration: achieving sustainable neighbourhoods in North West Birmingham, by Brendan Nevin, Peter Lee and Jenny Phillimore (July 2001) 71991 Census Enumeration District areas containing approximately [] households)
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When this data is analysed at pathfinder level table [] the figures are even more marked with 86% of all pathfinder stock at risk of low demand
Table [] Pathfinder Dwellings at risk of experiencing low or changing demand PATHFINDER DWELLINGS % OF AT RISK % AT RISK PATHFINDER STOCK BARNSLEY 10,531 7.8 9,879 93.8 DONCASTER 15,649 11.6 14,291 91.3 ROTHERHAM 46,254 34.2 33,649 72.7 SHEFFIELD 62,922 46.5 58,900 93.6 ALL 135,356 100 116,719 86.2 Source: CURS risk index of changing demand
The index of dwellings at risk was an indirect indicator which relied on proxy measures or factors associated with low and changing demand rather than measuring these problems directly. At regional level this was unavoidable because consistent data on more direct housing market indicators was not available at neighbourhood level.
For this analysis covering only South Yorkshire, a major database has been assembled covering all four local authorities. This has assembled data at a very fine grain on a wider range of indicators including:
[full list to be supplied by CURS] [population change, housing vacancies, housing turnover, CORE data on RSL lettings, local incomes, receipt of benefits, educational performance, crime patterns and accessibility indicators.]
The level of analysis varies by indicator. In some cases data has been obtained at household or address level, whilst in others it was aggregated to unit postcode, 2001 Census Output area, or postcode sector level. The data has then been re-aggregated to a range of scales for analysis including 2001 Census Output areas and Pathfinder Area Development Frameworks.
Profile of the Pathfinder Housing Market
The defining feature of the South Yorkshire Pathfinder housing market is the high proportion of households which are tenants of a local authority or housing association and the relatively low level of home ownership. Only Newcastle-Gateshead has a high level of social renting (Table []). South Yorkshire also has a relatively small private rented sector, despite some increase since 1991.
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Table [] Tenure by Pathfinder 2001 Number Percentages Owners Ownin With LA with All house- g out- mort- All tenan HA Private mortgag holds right gage owning ts tenants tenants e Birmingham-Sandwell 57,160 24.5 24.2 48.7 22.6 13.6 15.1 49.7 North Staffordshire 64,100 24.2 29.0 53.2 25.4 8.0 13.4 54.6 Merseyside 109,647 16.7 25.0 41.7 17.0 21.8 19.5 60.0 Manchester-Salford 102,085 15.0 21.0 36.0 31.3 12.0 20.7 58.3 Oldham-Rochdale 72,593 21.6 31.5 53.1 28.0 7.5 11.3 59.3 East Lancashire 81,754 31.1 33.5 64.6 10.9 8.8 15.8 51.9 South Yorkshire 125,132 19.6 28.6 48.2 38.1 5.0 8.8 59.4 Humberside 103,078 17.6 34.4 52.0 28.1 5.3 14.6 66.1 Newcastle-Gateshead 68,716 14.5 25.4 39.9 39.4 7.7 13.0 63.6 All Pathfinders 784,265 20.0 28.1 48.1 27.1 10.0 14.8 58.4 Not in Pathfinder 20,873,751 29.8 39.8 69.6 12.7 5.8 11.8 57.2 England and Wales 21,658,016 29.5 39.4 68.9 13.2 5.9 11.9 57.2 Source:CURS, Home Ownership solutions in low demand areas, draft report, Sept 2003
The level of social renting in the Pathfinder (43%) is more than double that in the rest of South Yorkshire (21%) (Table []). It is highest in North and South Sheffield and central and eastern Rotherham, while the proportion of home owners increases to around 60% (though still well below the level outside the Pathfinder ) in the four northern ADFs. Private renting is highest in North East Sheffield and Eastern Rotherham, and in Rotherham Town Centre (although the numbers here are very small).
Table [] Tenure by ADF area, 2001 Percentages Occupied Local Housing household Owning Buying All auth assoc Privately spaces outright with mort owning rented rented rented North Sheffield 29,512 16 27 44 48 3 5 North East Quadrant 12,306 23 24 48 29 9 14 South Sheffield 15,628 11 17 28 53 10 8 Western 14,712 20 31 51 36 5 8 Town Centre 395 18 13 32 34 11 22 Eastern 9,823 15 25 41 40 8 12 Parkgate Rawmarsh 7,582 22 36 58 30 3 9 Wath Swinton 13,049 26 35 62 29 2 7 Doncaster 10,343 27 32 59 23 5 13 Barnsley 15,327 24 33 57 31 2 10 Pathfinder 128,677 20 28 49 38 5 9 SY outside Pathfinder 402,019 29 40 69 19 2 10 South Yorkshire 530,696 27 37 64 24 3 9 Source: ONS, 2001 Census, Key Statistics, Census Output Areas
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The overall level of vacant household spaces in the Pathfinder in 2001 (4.6%) was much higher than in the rest of South Yorkshire (3.1%) (Table []). Vacancies were notably higher in North East Sheffield (7.4%), Rotherham Town Centre (7.1% but small numbers), South Sheffield, and the Doncaster and Barnsley parts of the Pathfinder.
Table [] also shows the composition of the dwelling stock. The notable feature of South Yorkshire compared to the other Pathfinders is the high proportion of semi-detached housing (43%, compared to an average of only 27% across all the Pathfinders). As a result there are fewer flats and terraced dwellings in South Yorkshire than the other Pathfinder areas. [why? – must be to do with age profile of stock?]
In comparison to the rest of South Yorkshire, however, the Pathfinder area is notably under-provided in terms of detached houses (only 9% compared to 22% for the rest of the sub-region) and substantially over-provided with terraces and flats. This is clear evidence of the lack of aspirational housing in the Pathfinder area. Within the Pathfinder, the four northern ADFs again stand out with fewer flats and more detached dwellings, with the reverse position in the Sheffield and the remaining Rotherham ADFs. North and especially North East Sheffield have the highest concentrations of older terraced housing.
Table [] Vacant household spaces and type of household space by ADF area, 2001 Percentage All household Semi- spaces Occupied Vacant Detached detached Terraced Flats North Sheffield 30,536 96.4 3.5 6 45 36 13 North East Quadrant 13,353 92.2 7.4 5 30 40 25 South Sheffield 16,515 94.6 5.3 3 31 37 28 Western 15,398 95.4 4.5 9 40 31 19 Town Centre 421 93.1 7.1 7 9 26 58 Eastern 10,232 96.1 4.0 5 49 28 17 Parkgate Rawmarsh 7,863 96.3 3.6 13 54 23 11 Wath Swinton 13,649 95.7 4.2 20 48 23 9 Doncaster 10,863 95.0 5.0 12 49 33 6 Barnsley 16,188 94.9 4.9 12 45 35 8 Pathfinder 135,018 95.3 4.6 9 43 33 15 SY outside Pathfinder 415,296 96.8 3.1 22 43 24 11 South Yorkshire 550,314 96.4 3.4 18 43 26 12 Source: ONS, 2001 Census, Key Statistics, Census Output Areas
Figure [] shows the pattern of average dwelling prices for 2002 for the Pathfinder and its environs. This parallels the pattern for incomes, with the Pathfinder (and other parts of Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster forming a
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hollow centre to the sub-region and its surrounding markets. The significance of south west Sheffield, western Barnsley and the Peak district as the main area of higher value housing is clear, although areas to the east of Doncaster also emerge as higher value zones. But the Pathfinder itself forms a large core area of low values.
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Figure [] Average dwelling sale price 2002, South Yorkshire Pathfinder and environs
Source: HM Land Registry, bespoke report
Figure [] provides more detail on the distribution of prices. Although there has been some decline in the proportion of sales under £30,000, the majority
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of sales remain at under £40,000. Only a tiny proportion of sales exceed £100,000 in value. Although it is essential to have a supply of low value affordable housing, the figure demonstrates clearly how strongly the Pathfinder market is skewed towards this sector and the absence of higher value or even mid-value markets.
Table [] compares prices within and outside the Pathfinder and shows variations within it. In 2002, the average sale price within the Pathfinder was under £45,000 but in the rest of the sub-region the average exceeded £75,000. On the one hand this shows that South Yorkshire remains a low price area in comparison to much of the rest of the country. But the Pathfinder falls far short of even the relatively low sub-regional prices. Although housing is clearly affordable in the Pathfinder, there is little prospect of price appreciation comparable to surrounding areas, with prices over the 1996-2002 period rising by only 38% compared to 60% for the rest of the sub-region.
Within the Pathfinder, Wath Swinton and Western Rotherham stand out but not substantially, confirming that the whole Pathfinder represents a uniform low value market.
Table [] Estimated average dwelling price 1996-2002 Estimated average dwelling price % increase ADF area 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 1996-2002 North Sheffield 32899 35027 35088 35153 37478 38275 46380 41 North East Quadrant 24963 25778 28615 28618 31715 30592 35931 44 South Sheffield 30129 33266 32819 36003 35054 39498 47463 58 Western 38032 38761 36841 45259 43475 46770 51290 35 Town Centre Estimate not reliable due to small size of area Eastern 29481 30793 30637 36085 36965 36827 41730 42 Parkgate Rawmarsh 32766 34425 41283 44229 41991 45145 47109 44 Wath Swinton 39841 42673 43794 49278 51594 48485 54215 36 Doncaster 27653 29405 33019 35157 34394 32134 35971 30 Barnsley 31428 35694 36068 41750 38243 35580 41466 32 Pathfinder 32278 34372 35440 39085 39182 39179 44704 38 Outside Pathfinder 47043 50343 54872 57640 59861 64742 75362 60 South Yorkshire 44453 47661 51721 54776 56269 60126 69426 56 Source: HM Land Registry special purchase
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Figure [] Distribution of sale prices by year of sale, South Yorkshire Pathfinder 1996-2002. Source: CURS, Home Ownership solutions in low demand areas, draft report, Sept 2003
35.0
1996 1997
30.0 1998 1999
2000 2001
2002 25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0 Under £20k £20-29K £30-39K £40-49K £50-59K £60-99K £100k or more Table [] Estimated negative equity, mid 2003 Percentage of all with loans Estimate Current loan as percentage of estimated current value d 100% or number more of borrower s with Under 100- 110% or negative 70% 70-79% 80-89% 90-99% 110% more rquity South Yorkshire 61.7 9.8 8.7 6.8 4.2 8.8 13.0 4,650 Source: CURS, Home Ownership solutions in low demand areas, draft report, Sept 2003
Typology of housing market areas
This overview gives a broad picture of the key features of the Pathfinder Housing Market. However, it is more difficult to pick out a clear indication of the pattern of demand across the Pathfinder, or to highlight the areas where problems are most serious or where there is the potential for problems to emerge in the future. To achieve this, statistical techniques were used to produce a detailed classification of neighbourhoods in terms of the level and type of housing market weakness which they are experiencing. The methodology used is described fully in Appendix [].
The first stage of the analysis created ‘scores’ for neighbourhoods on each of four ‘domains’. These domains covered:
o Housing market weakness
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o Social cohesion o Social exclusion o Accessibility and environment
Each domain score was obtained by standardising and combining scores on a number of relevant indicators. The detailed indicators used for each domain are shown in Table [] below. The approach does not attempt to include all possible indicators as this would be impractical, difficult to interpret, and duplicative. The indicators included were selected partly to reflect the key issues which [] but the analysis was also of course restricted by the data which was available on a consistent basis across all the four authorities. Further work in the future will seek to fill in gaps and refine the analysis.
Table [] Housing market analysis: data domains and indicators Domain Weakness measure Housing market weakness Sales volumes and price changes Vacant property rates Council sector transfer requests HA sector abandonment Derelict Social cohesion Burglary Robbery Arson Population decline Social exclusion Council tax benefit take up Incomes Educational attainment BME population Accessibility Buses per hour Drive time to key economic areas
The domains go beyond housing to take account of demography, economic activity, crime, the environment, service quality and other factors.
Figure [] shows scores on each domain across South Yorkshire. The Pathfinder area is outlined in yellow. Dark red scores show areas with the highest scores on each domain.
The domain measuring housing market weakness shows high scores across most parts of the Pathfinder area but especially in Sheffield, central Rotherham and []. The main concentrations outside the Pathfinder occur in the central parts of Doncaster and Barnsley, in south and West Sheffield, and in other parts of the Dearne Valley. Larger rural areas should be discounted.
The main concentration of scores on the social cohesion domain, which measures population decline and problems associated with crime, is found in the Don Valley in Sheffiled, with fewer problems of this kind elsewhere in the
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Pathfinder. The social exclusion domain, which measures deprivation, low incomes and identifies concentrations of households affected by exclusion, highlights Rotherham and the Don Valley within Sheffield. Finally, the accessibility indicator identifies rural areas outside the Pathfinder, but in addition highlights to northern part of the Pathfinder where access to major centres of employment is more difficult.
Figure [] Domain scores
Taken together, the domain analysis shows that the Pathfinder area forms a consistent and coherent area of housing market weakness within South Yorkshire, although it is not of course the only concentration of such problems within the sub-region. But the Pathfinder is far from uniform, with neighbourhoods within Sheffield and parts of Rotherham experiencing a wide- ranging set of additional problems relating to crime, services, the environment, and a highly deprived population and areas in the Dearne Valley in the north experiencing problems linked more to distance from employment and access to services.
To categorise these problems further, cluster analysis was applied to the domain scores of each neighbourhood in the Pathfinder. Cluster analysis is a statistical technique which progressively groups together areas with
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similarities on a range of indicators (in this case domain scores). This technique identified four main types of neighbourhood within the Pathfinder area:
Core areas which exhibit intense housing market weakness, high levels of social exclusion and low social cohesion Areas with some housing market weakness and high levels of social exclusion and low social cohesion Areas with some housing market weakness, together with problems of access to employment More sustainable areas where housing market weakness is not compounded by additional problems
The pattern of neighbourhoods in each ‘cluster’ produced a typology of 21 zones. Although the data shows that there is housing market weakness across the pathfinder when these other domains are combined a number of core areas showing intense housing market weakness are identified. These are in
Attercliffe/Darnall Holmes Manor Core Pitsmoor/Fir Vale Rotherham Central Tinsley [NB the naming of areas here, on the map, and in the table needs to be made consistent]
To highlight the key characteristics of each neighbourhood, Table [] shows scores for each indicator in the housing market weakness domain together with scores for the Pathfinder as a whole, the sub-region outside the Pathfinder, and all of South Yorkshire. On all measures apart from the percentage of tenants on the transfer list the Pathfinder shows a higher degree of market weakness than the rest of the sub region. However average figures for the pathfinder are not substantially worse than the rest of South Yorkshire [why not – they should be].
Within the pathfinder there are major variations. Areas such as Holmes and Pitsmoor Fir Vale have seen average house price rises of 40% less than the average for the pathfinder. Vacancy rates also vary across the pathfinder, with the Barnsley Dearne Towns having a void rate which is twice the average for areas outside the pathfinder. The central area of Rotherham has twice the proportion of local authority tenants on the transfer list as the average for the Pathfinder. Incidences of RSL tenancy abandonment in the Doncaster Dearne Towns are over twice those outside the pathfinder area.
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Overall, the data suggests that there is as yet an absence of large areas in crisis. The void rates of 10-15% experienced in some Northern cities are not evident within the South Yorkshire Pathfinder. The situation is more complex with more localised factors in place. There is therefore the need for a local forensic analysis to understand the diversity across the Pathfinder and to define the less popular, and outright unpopular, estates and neighbourhoods.
There is also no simple correlation between housing tenure and the characteristics of the area: concentrations of housing market weakness and other factors affecting sustainability are found in areas dominated by both private and social rented housing. The central areas of Rotherham for example have over 20% higher levels of owner occupation than Pitsmoor Fir Vale but both exhibit high levels of housing market weakness.
Work needed to make table consistent with earlier house price table.
NB Make dec pts consistent Housing Market Weakness Indicators % RSL lets % LA % change Absolute tenants abandone % of area in house price on d of prices 95- change % vacant transfer 1998- derelict POLICYZONE 02 95-02 Jan 03 list 2002 land Attercliffe/Darnall 35.70 9688 2.54 17 29.41 0.126 Barnsley Dearne Towns 49.81 14048 5.30 8 7.45 1.659 Holmes 19.29 6027 8.26 22 5.47 0.000 Dalton 97.73 44472 2.93 11 0.00 0.126 Darnall East 35.34 11614 4.71 200 0.00 8.544 Doncaster Dearne Towns 59.53 18624 5.36 9 18.80 0.474 Edlington 46.96 11335 8.97 10 5.26 1.612 Greasbrough/Rawmarch 42.35 16139 2.19 14 6.19 0.000 Kimberworth 43.38 17563 2.04 18 2.44 0.228 Kimberworth Park 43.42 15468 1.60 12 0.00 0.000 Manor Core 37.63 12408 2.53 23 7.81 26.935 North Sheffield 42.82 13591 1.80 13 17.13 0.761 Pitsmoor/Fir Vale 24.30 7145 7.00 17 25.62 0.654 Rotherham Central 56.03 15066 12.28 33 13.02 0.528 Rotherham Dearne Towns 57.08 22045 3.86 19 16.54 0.829 Rotherham East Periphery 39.31 13185 1.99 19 10.43 0.427 Rotherham North-Central 43.80 11232 7.49 13 10.00 10.939 Sheffield Birley Carr 103.94 39622 1.40 14 19.35 0.936 South Sheffield 47.80 15663 2.17 16 11.40 3.267 Tinsley 55.43 15100 7.47 46 23.81 2.222 Wincobank 55.43 15100 2.46 11 22.22 0.000 PATHFINDER 64.52 28315 3.72 15 14.52 2.670 SY OUTSIDE PATHFINDER 66.32 30895 2.31 18 8.18 0.772 SY SUB-REGION 62.05 27339 2.64 16 10.77 0.873
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Key Drivers Of Housing Market Change in South Yorkshire
It is essential to understand the processes that have acted to bring about housing market weakness if action to deal with the problem is to be effective. Low and changing demand undermine many of the assumptions on which housing policies have been based in the past and require a complete reconsideration of these policies. In most markets, a decline in demand leads to a contraction of supply, but the fixed nature of housing makes this difficult, except through organised action by local authorities or private developers. The alternative market response to over-supply is a fall in prices. But most owner occupiers invest in housing to secure an appreciating asset so falling prices tend not to generate new demand. Indeed they further discourage it as purchasers will seek to avoid buying a property whose value may fall yet further in the future.
Problems of low and changing demand and housing market weakness have a number of causes. Research evidence suggests that there are two stages to the process of decline:
Initially, underlying drivers of change create the situation where there is a local excess of supply over demand. This leads to high vacancies or turnover in social rented housing and falling house prices(absolutely, or relative to sub-regional averages) in the private sector. These features lead to a downward spiral of decline. In the social rented sector, even with strong management, high void levels and turnover make it increasingly difficult to attract tenants who will contribute to the restoration of stability to the area. In the private sector, where ‘management’ is more difficult, owner occupiers concerned about property values or living conditions in the area seek to leave, property ownership shifts to private landlords, and a more transient group of residents with little connection to the area moves in.
In South Yorkshire, relatively few areas have entered the downward spiral of decline, but as the market analysis above showed, there are widespread problems of low demand in the social rented sector and relative falls in house prices in the private sector. The factors which are driving these changes to the housing market in South Yorkshire are complex and intertwined. The main factors are now discussed in turn.
Economic Change
Recent decades have seen major changes in the economic structure of many cities and conurbations in the North and Midlands. South Yorkshire has been affected more than most areas, through the decline of coal mining, steel and other heavy manufacturing. This has resulted in the loss of manufacturing
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employment, high levels of economic inactivity, particularly amongst men, and high levels of social and economic deprivation. {} Where jobs have been replaced, many have tended to be either service sector jobs located in the central areas of cities and larger towns, or a variety of types of employment in more peripheral locations with ample land and good access to transport networks.
Hence there has been both decline in mining and manufacturing employment, and decentralisation of employment from inner cities and other concentrations of manufacturing to suburban locations.
Demographic Change
Employment decline prompts demographic change. Those who can move nearer to new centres of employment, but migration is selective, leaving older people, poor people, and those outside the labour market behind. The profile of the Pathfinder in Chapter [] showed a shortfall of people of working age and over-representation of unemployed, sick and disabled or older people compared to the rest of the sub-region. There is a time lag before the full impact of economic decline becomes apparent, but Cumulative migration leads to a gradually emerging surplus of housing in the affected areas, which eventually accelerates as older people die, releasing dwellings across all tenures for which there is little demand.
In South Yorkshire, the decline of the mining and steel industries came later than the decline of, say, cotton in Greater Manchester, so the process of decline is much less advanced. But for the last decade the process has gained pace, facilitated by growth in the M1-M18 corridors and land release for both employment and housing in peripheral locations with good access to these routes.
With a limited economic base, older housing and unattractive environments, there is little prospect of recovery without public intervention, unless special circumstances prevail. In some areas, strong minority ethnic communities have emerged and this is evident in parts of Sheffield and Rotherham {*}. These communities have sustained demand and created vibrancy and diversity in areas which otherwise would have experienced severe decline. The main issue is to improve their housing and living conditions and to ensure that they too do not move elsewhere in the longer term.
In some cities, the growth in higher education has attracted students to areas which would otherwise suffer low demand, but in Sheffield, which attracts the majority of students in South Yorkshire, students have contributed to increasing demand in popular areas rather than reviving low demand areas {}. The recent increase in migration from abroad by asylum seekers and refugees has created new demand in other cities, including Sheffield and Rotherham in the Pathfinder {}. More generally, in many areas across the North, speculative purchase by private landlords taking advantage of low
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prices to secure rapid returns has filled a demand from transient households, often young people or others dependent on housing benefit. A growth in private renting is evident in the Pathfinder {*}. The key problem is that none of these new forms of demand lead to sustainable and stable communities.
The Dearne Valley settlements of Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster in the Pathfinder faces specific issues. Here there are no obvious sources of demand to sustain the older settlements, but new housing in areas where the environment has been restored or enhanced has proved popular. However it is important that this development is also sustainable [and that it does not attract demand from other parts of the Pathfinder – or within the wider context of change across the Pathfinder area. ??]
Aspirational Change
Houses
Rising aspirations, combined with the increasing ability of households to meet them because of rising incomes and wealth, have compounded the effects of economic change and out migration in a number of ways. For example:
changing lifestyles have created demands for more space within the dwelling, including space for more white goods, working at home, hobbies, leisure activities, and entertaining friends and relatives. as car ownership has increased concerns about vehicle security and increasing parking congestion have increased the demand for on plot rather than on street parking. increased emphasis on educational achievement has created a demand for areas for children to study, requiring dedicated space or reduced levels of sharing by children of bedrooms. increased computer usage and the internet have created a demand for space for the necessary equipment. the declining cost of fittings and fitments relative to incomes and greater interest in and awareness of design have created demands for larger and better-equipped kitchens and bathrooms and for en suite facilities. Awareness of and interest in gardening has created a demand for more external space. Greater levels of migration have split families and led to more demands for accommodation for visitors within the home.
House-builders are well aware of these demands and increasingly seek to cater for them in the new build market.
At the same time as aspirations have increased, demographic trends have led to a reduction in average household size. There are expectations amongst some policy-makers that this will lead to an increased demand for smaller
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dwellings, but research suggests that this is only partially the case. Increased aspirations apply in many respects to smaller households as well as to larger ones.
The impact of these trends has been to increase the demand for dwellings that have the potential for use and adaptation to meet modern lifestyle requirements, at the expense of those which do not. It is not surprising for example that the 19th century terraced house, and its usual associated street layout, has suffered a reduction in demand, given the enormous changes to lifestyles and affluence during the 20th century and the impact of the motor vehicle. Within the pathfinder a third of properties are terraced compared to only a quarter in the rest of the pathfinder. The smallest terraced dwellings, and particularly those without front gardens (‘back of pavement’) and with small rear yards, have suffered the most in terms of falling demand.
In the housing market demand is linked not only to the consumption value of dwellings but also to their investment value – the extent to which they will appreciate in value in the future. The recession in the housing market in the early 1990s made people more cautious about the acquisition of properties which have not shown the consistent price increases associated with newer, or more highly sought-after, housing. At first this was a symptom rather than a cause of low demand, but as awareness of differences in price appreciation has grown, it has become another major cause.
Neighbourhoods
Rising aspirations and expectations have also affected the popularity of neighbourhoods as well as individual property types. As well as better housing, people want better services and facilities. Access to shopping, educational, health and leisure services and facilities increasingly influence the choice of location. Education has grown in prominence with increased awareness of differences in performance between schools and increased competition for access to the most successful, making this one of the most important locational factors for those with children, particularly of secondary school age. Research evidence elsewhere {} has demonstrated a link between house prices and school popularity.
As it becomes more common for women to be in work (or seeking it) and with more frequent job changes for men and women, households are also seeking locations which offer the maximum flexibility of access to a range of employment opportunities, increasingly in peripheral locations with good access to motorways.
As well as being attracted to areas that are perceived to offer the best in terms of facilities and amenities, people are driven away from less attractive areas. Selective out-migration of more affluent households has reduced the demand for goods and services in the areas losing population and led to a
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decline in levels or standards of provision of shopping and leisure facilities. Perceived high levels of crime and anti-social behaviour, traffic congestion, pollution, failing schools, run down services and declining shopping facilities are factors that also reduce the demand for housing in areas associated with them. Although some cities and towns have areas that offer an attractive environment close to the centre, these areas are exceptional and demand for housing within them is high. In the majority of cases households are led to move progressively further from central areas to suburbs and beyond to avoid these negative factors or the perception of them. That said of course, the attractiveness of suburbs and more rural locations varies. In the social rented sector, suburban locations may sometimes be more unpopular than inner city ones, because those who live there lack the resources to travel to jobs and other facilities.
In some cites there are signs of a counter-trend towards city centre living by young people generated by lifestyle and cultural factors. In South Yorkshire this is most evident in Sheffield. But it is not likely that this will operate on a scale which will reverse the processes of decentralisation by other households, or whether it can be extended to other groups such as the elderly or households with school age children.
Tenure
Rising expectations and changing aspirations have also impacted upon the demand for housing of different tenures. This is particularly significant in the pathfinder, given the much higher proportion of social rented housing (43%) than in the rest of the sub region (21%). Throughout the country, social rented housing has experienced a strong reduction in demand over a sustained period This stems in part from the perceived financial benefits of owner occupation and the increasing ability of households to meet this aspiration over recent decades, despite changes over time in affordability. But the factors creating and sustaining preferences for owner occupation are broader than financial ones. The social rented sector, unfairly or otherwise, has acquired a strong negative image associated with unattractive dwelling types, unattractive neighbourhoods, a perceived potential for problems with the behaviour of neighbours, perceived higher levels of crime and anti-social behaviour (whether caused by residents or others), a lack of freedom to alter or extend the home, and most broadly, an association of this tenure with the circumstances of the past (especially employment in mining or heavy industry in South Yorkshire), with earlier generations, and with those who have failed to succeed economically.
Measures to improve the ‘product’ in the social rented sector by upgrading the stock, redesigning estates, improving management and giving tenants more say in running the neighbourhoods in which they live have done a great deal to overcome these trends. Cyclical variations in housing affordability over time also cause demand to fluctuate. In areas of high demand in the South of England, aspirations have to be modified by economic realities. But
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in much of the North of England, it is irrefutable that the long term will see a smaller, higher quality, better managed social rented sector catering for a range of niche markets rather than offering a lifetime tenure alternative to owner occupation.
Meeting aspirations
Crucially, rising aspirations have gone hand in hand in recent years with the ability to realise them. For most people, rising real incomes, sustained low interest rates, and the decline in the relative cost of many goods and services has meant an increase in their ability to afford both housing and housing- related expenditure. Increased levels of participation by women in the labour force have particularly increased the ability of households to afford to meet aspirations, although this may be limited in part as the potential for further growth in the number of dual income households becomes more limited. Other factors, such as the increasing significance of inheritance, may be yet to have an impact.
By no means all households have shared in these benefits, but the proportion that are able to afford higher housing standards has increased and will continue to rise in the future provided that past increases in incomes are sustained.
Accessing home ownership
Other factors in addition to generally rising incomes have made access to home ownership easier in the last decade. An important factor affecting the demand for some types of owner occupied housing has been a reduction in access costs. With deregulation of mortgage lending and increased competition between banks and building societies, new mortgage products and competitive interest rates have contributed to a situation where the entry costs to owner-occupation can be very low. In some situations cash-back and low-start mortgage deals make home ownership directly competitive with the rented housing sector even for those in modestly paid employment. For this group housing choices are now much greater than in the past. In theory, increased accessibility to owner occupation should increase the demand for older as well as newer housing, but some factors steer households away from the older stock. Many of the most attractive access packages are provided by developers in relation to new housing. In addition, marginal buyers may be less willing to take the greater risk (of actual or relative loss in value) associated with the purchase of an older dwelling, or crucially to take on the higher repair and maintenance costs that are likely to arise.
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Planning Policies
The ability to meet preferences has been accelerated by planning and regeneration policies. The release of land for housing development is led at national and regional levels by population and household projections based on past trends, which have tended to predict future increases in the number of households even in areas of population decline. This has required the allocation of areas of greenfield land which developers have tended to focus their efforts upon, partly because of the strength of demand for new housing in such locations, and partly because the cost of development of such sites is generally less than that associated with brownfield sites. This has facilitated the process of population decentralisation.
Decentralisation is compounded by the lack of housing development opportunities in inner areas as a result of low levels of demolition of older housing since the 1970s. Where development opportunities in inner urban areas have arisen, on brownfield sites, on former industrial sites, or more recently on local authority estates, there is evidence to suggest that these do not attract households from suburban or rural areas {*}. Most occupants come from nearby areas of older terraced housing or social rented housing. The failure to attract households from elsewhere arises because such developments do not have an impact on the wider package of services and amenities that determine the attractiveness of a neighbourhood. As a result, such small scale and housing-focused regeneration activities may unintentionally undermine the demand for housing in nearby areas of social rented and cheaper private housing rather than create new demand. This underlines the need for the generation of larger sites and the inclusion of redevelopment within a wider framework for neighbourhood regeneration.
Private Renting
In the private rented sector, the availability of housing benefit for private tenants has had a negative impact in areas of low demand and market collapse. As prices have fallen in the worst affected areas, purchasers have bought (at low cost) to let, making it easier to secure a good return on investment. Where prices are low enough, it is possible to disregard long term property value considerations entirely as capital costs can be recovered in a short period. There are few households who would be willing or able to pay a high rent for housing in an unattractive area, but the availability of housing benefit has enabled such properties to be let on a much greater scale than would otherwise have been the case in an unsubsidised market.
Poor housing conditions
Poor housing conditions have traditionally been the main focus of housing policies in areas of low or changing demand, for good reasons. Poor housing
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has a major impact on health, for example. But declining demand in areas which have seen a considerable volume of renovation investment suggests that other dwelling features (such as those discussed above) or neighbourhood characteristics are at least as important. There are also many areas of older housing with poor housing conditions that remain stable and unaffected by problems of low demand or market collapse.
It is more likely that poor private housing conditions in areas of low demand arise because of the neglect of investment in repair by owners arising from a loss of confidence in the future of the area (and the crucial fact that the costs of renovation far exceed the increase in property value and so do not provide a return on investment). In the case of private landlords there is no need to invest to secure a return. Furthermore, increased levels of voids in the areas affected lead to vandalism that can lead to a very rapid deterioration in conditions in the areas worst affected. Poor housing conditions are therefore as much a symptom as a cause of low demand or market collapse.
This means that measures to tackle poor housing conditions are still central to housing market renewal. But they need to be made sustainable, contributing to the creation of new demand (and higher values in the private sector), by linking them to any necessary changes in the overall supply and types of dwellings in the stock and to wider improvements to neighbourhoods and services.
Conclusions
In conclusion this chapter has shown that the South Yorkshire Pathfinder suffers extensive housing market weakness reflected in widespread problems of low demand for social rented housing and low house prices in the private sector. Economic change leading to out migration, re-inforced by rising aspirations have combined to reduce the demand for what is an increasingly outdated ‘product’ within the Pathfinder area. There is an oversupply of social rented housing, too much unattractive and low value private housing, and a shortage of housing which can meet twenty-first century aspirations. There are also too many neighbourhoods which are unattractive places to live as a result of problems of crime, poor services, and an unattractive environment Although there are few areas in crisis, the trends that have eroded the demand for housing in the Pathfinder are likely to continue and some may increase their impact. Hence the risk of further problems is high and the need for preventative action is imperative.
The general weakness in demand is manifested in different ways in different parts of the Pathinfinder:
In Sheffield and Rotherham the need to break up monolithic council housing estates dominates. Plans are well advanced in Sheffield, with Rotherham now beginning to make progress. But key to both areas is the need to provide high quality housing for sale and improve that
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social rented housing which will have long-term demand. This latter point relates particularly to the role which Rotherham will play as a key provider of new high quality housing in the south west to relieve the pressure on an overheated housing market in South Sheffield.
In the Doncaster and Barnsley parts of the Pathfinder there is more of a problem dealing with isolated poor quality housing and sites for some of which there may be no long-term demand. Smaller scale provision of high quality housing for sale is required.
The policies of the past have dealt with some of the symptoms of these problems but rarely with the underlying causes, not least because of the scale of the problems which requires collaboration between local authorities and other organisations across the sub-region. Without the active implementation of a robust strategy for housing market restructuring these issues are likely to deepen and spread, getting worse before they get better. Left to current trends and policies the future role for increasing parts of the Pathfinder area will be to house those households which cannot escape amongst greater numbers of abandoned or otherwise vacant housing.
The Pathfinder’s clear strategy is to stop and reverse these trends, and with its partners to actively restructure the local housing market. It plans to reduce the amount of poor quality housing and help create a modern housing market providing greater choice. Its focus will be on managed stock reduction, the development of replacement housing and the vigorous improvement of those areas that are sustainable, bringing about an increase in range and quality of Pathfinder neighbourhoods. It will focus its efforts on housing and the environment, but will work with its partners to secure the wider improvements to the environment and to services which will be necessary to achieve its objectives.
These are the specific issues that the Pathfinder seeks to address. It intends to do this directly, through its own programme, and also in partnership with other bodies and organisations active in the South Yorkshire.
The main focus of this prospectus is to set out the strategic aims and priorities which will guide the delivery of transformational change through a network of area development frameworks.
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5. Key Challenges
[New intro required ?]
The analysis presented in the previous chapter indicates the complexity and variety of the factors that are driving change in the South Yorkshire housing market at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It has traced the far- reaching shifts in the sub-regional economy in recent decades and shown how these have changed, and are continuing to change, the demand for decent housing, good neighbourhoods and quality services. Although there are few areas in the Pathfinder where markets, as yet, are in crisis, there are many reasons to anticipate that more problems are yet to emerge in the absence of preventative action.
In the long term, economic changes drive demographic and aspirational changes in housing demand. Although there may be shorter term setbacks or reversals, the experience of the last century has shown an accelerating rate of growth in both aspirations and the ability to meet them. To make South Yorkshire a place where people will continue to want to live, or even a place which will attract others in, we need to restructure the housing market, which at present mainly reflects past economic and social structures, to anticipate the future. We need to provide a mixture of housing which meets the reasonable aspirations of both affluent and less affluent households, of young and old, and of people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. We need to transform South Yorkshire.
It follows from this that the key challenges facing the pathfinder are:
1) To match the supply of housing to the demand and increase housing choice
There is a mismatch between modern day demand and the housing stock in the Pathfinder. We need to transform the housing stock by addressing:
the oversupply of social rented housing. Social housing providers need to work together to produce a realistic assessment of the nature and location of the longer term demand for social rented housing and adjust the stock to match it. This may involve new provision, tenure change, demolition, and major renovation.
the oversupply of small back of pavement terraces. This will involve working with both owner occupiers and private landlords to ensure that these areas are better managed in the short term and finding ways to redevelop areas of surplus housing or housing in the poorest condition in partnership with them.
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the oversupply of some bedsits, flats and maisonettes [not sure of evidence for this above]
the shortage of middle and higher priced ‘aspirational’ housing. The concentration of low value and unattractive housing in the Pathfinder area ensures that those aspiring to higher quality and higher value housing who have the means to meet their aspirations, are prompted to locate elsewhere. This will mean making the maximum use of mechanisms for site assembly to attract developers.
the shortage of good quality private rented housing. There is an important role for private rented housing in meeting the needs of the labour market, mobile people, those who do not wish to buy for other reasons, and some of those who cannot afford home ownership. At present however much of the private rented sector is characterised by landlords who cannot or will not provide a professional service and who contribute to problems rather than to solutions.
the narrow range of housing and care options to suit the needs and resources of older people and those with special needs. As in most parts of the country, provision for these groups has been producer rather than consumer led, leading to solutions which are increasingly outdated and unattractive. Choice in tenure, the maximum use of care in the community, and the targeting of both housing and care services to meet needs in an integrated way are required.
the narrow range of housing options for black and minority ethnic communities who, disproportionately, face poor housing conditions, poor standards, overcrowding, and a lack of choice for those wishing to improve their housing circumstances whilst remaining close to their communities
the lack of variety and choice in housing across much of the Pathfinder area.
2) To improve housing quality
Most of the current housing stock in the Pathfinder will still be standing in 15 years time. This stock (much of it at present old and of poor quality) will continue to dominate the market unless radical action is taken to transform it, by removing the most obsolete housing, adding quality housing to the stock, and securing investment to transform the existing stock. We need to transform housing quality by:
delivering decent homes in attractive neighbourhoods in the social rented sector.
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Helping owners to bring older privately owned properties with poor levels of modern amenities, disrepair and poor energy efficiency up to the decent housing standard
Influencing the design and standard of newly constructed housing
3) To transform unsuccessful neighbourhoods
The factors which make the Pathfinder unattractive as a place to live for many go wider than housing. They include high levels of crime, vandalism, or anti-social behaviour, poor schools, poor local services such as shops and health facilities, poor transport, and unattractive environments caused by the legacy of the industrial past, by continuing industrial activity, or by the more low level problems of neglect which arise when neighbourhoods are poorly managed. We need to transform many of our neighbourhoods to make them attractive places where people will want to come and live by:
influencing the policies and priorities of a wide range of organisations in public and private sectors to ensure that they are also working as quickly as possible towards the aim of creating sustainable neighbourhoods. It is especially important to the success of our strategy that we work closely with the agencies responsible for crime and community safety, education, employment and training, and transport to deliver changes that will have a real impact on the attractiveness of the Pathfinder.
convincing partners that the Pathfinder initiative also has something to offer to the wider regeneration of the sub-region. South Yorkshire faces the more widespread problem of a poorly developed house building and contracting industry with A poorly trained and ageing workforce Poor industrial structure, capacity, profitability and reputation Poorly developed linkages down the building materials and services supply chain Poor use of off-site manufacture, standardisation and repeatability in refurbishment contracting Poor use of ICT Housing market renewal is an important opportunity to help develop and grow the house building and contracting sector, which, if not fully developed, will witness the dissipation or complete loss of the prospective economic multiplier effects of housing market renewal.
4) To secure a sustainable pattern of settlements and services in the Pathfinder area
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The forces of manufacturing industry decline and the decentralisation of employment and population have created an increasingly dispersed settlement pattern in South Yorkshire as in many other conurbations. The industrial history of the area has added to the complexity by creating areas with a dispersed pattern of settlement, tied particularly to the former mining industry, which now lacks economic rationale. These factors mean that there is a need to look hard at the pattern of settlements and services across South Yorkshire to make them sustainable in the longer term. We need to reduce the need for unnecessary travel to work and to make use of services, and to shift the balance of travel from private to public transport.
As a result of these trends, there is little ‘sense of place’ in many parts of the Pathfinder. The lack of variety and distinction between a neighbourhoods in the Pathfinder has already been highlighted. There is an unsustainable and fragmented settlement pattern with a number of settlements in the sub- region in search of role and distinctiveness. There are few ‘quarters’ and little use made of attributes [such as ??] which make areas cohesive.
Work is already underway on those issues. It is essential to the success of the Pathfinder that policies to secure a sustainable settlement pattern both within its area and in the remainder of the sub-region are put in place. We will address these issues by:
influencing regional and sub-regional decisions on settlement patterns and land use changes wherever possible.
developing our own policies and programmes in a way which is consistent with sustainable principles
working with a wide range of partner organisations to exploit the synergy between our objectives and theirs in bringing about a more sustainable pattern of service provision. There are opportunities to more closely align policies and practice for mutual benefit.
Conclusion
[Pull together the key challenges and link to subsequent sections]
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6. Strategic Framework
The four challenges
The preceding chapters demonstrate the complexity of the housing market within South Yorkshire with our analysis of these markets and of the drivers of change within them highlighting four key challenges facing the partnership.
These challenges are
1. To match the supply of housing to the demand and increase in housing choice 2. To improve the housing quality 3. To transform unsuccessful neighbourhoods, and 4. To create a pattern of sustainable communities each having a distinctive sense of place
The purpose of this chapter then is to set out a framework of strategic objectives and interventions that provides; clarity of direction to the architects of the Area Development frameworks, the basis for a mechanism for appraisal, evaluation and review, and the integration of interventions into key thematic priorities
In setting out the goal and objectives the partnership has focussed on the range of experience of those drawn from both the public and private currently delivering regeneration across the sub region. This experience sits at the very heart of the aims of the partnership and reflect:
The starting point – represented by the lack of choice, poor access and affordability issues The vision of communities for greater sustainability, social cohesion, more jobs higher incomes and improved access to services. The opportunities for South Yorkshire to be prosperous in its own right and to contribute to the economic health of the region by establishing links and connections with other factors which are integral to the socio economic well being and success of neighbourhoods, and The values of the partnership which are underpinned by the commitment to support projects characterised by promoting quality, diversity and sustainability.
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These issues have been taken together to form one strategic goal for the pathfinder which is:
“to build and support sustainable communities and successful neighbourhoods where the quality and choice of housing underpins a buoyant economy and an improved quality of life”.
Central to this aim is the desire of the partnership to ensure that access to a better choice of housing is open to everyone within South Yorkshires rich diversity of communities. A renewed housing market is central to this aim so that everyone can benefit, not just those who are able to exercise their economic rights to more expensive housing.
A renewed housing market will not be achieved without intervention or as a matter of course, in fact the pathfinder must adopt imaginative new thinking and take radical and integrated action to exploit the opportunities available to fundamentally change the housing market, in partnership with other organisations. Ultimately, the partnership will know that its strategic goal has been achieved when the housing market in South Yorkshire:
Is more flexible, stable, and varied Develops and provides a full range of housing options in relation to quality and choice Is well maintained and encourages long term investment, and Has house values at least holding their value relative to the prices of housing elsewhere and of other goods and services.
From this strategic goal the partnership has formed 3 strategic objectives which are to:
Improve housing quality, ensuring that all tenures capitalise on the opportunities created through innovations in design, standards and efficiency.
Grow the area’s housing range, increasing housing choice in order to meet the aspirations of existing, emerging and incoming households.
Achieve a radical improvement in the character and diversity of neighbourhoods helping secure a more sustainable settlement pattern in the sub-region
It is important that progress is made towards all these objectives through a range of critical initiatives and specific interventions set within a framework which will ensure that resources are appropriately targeted. We will be
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working with our partners to develop the detail of these interventions, where and how they might be applied, and to determine the funding required from Pathfinder and other sources to deliver them. It should be recognised that the partnership is not starting from a blank canvas, so that initial activity will capitalise on existing investment and interventions. We are also interested in learning of new initiatives which once implemented will contribute to the Pathfinder’s housing market renewal objectives.
The timeframe in which we are operating is such that at least 10 years will be required to achieve the objectives set out above. This reflects the starting point, the complexity and diversity of issues and the scale of the pathfinder area, being the largest of the nine. It also reflects the diversity of neighbourhoods within the pathfinder area and the magnitude of change required to reach the point where renewal and reinvestment is self-sustaining. ST1 ST2 ST3 Thematic interventions
Site assembly
Strategic Objective 1: To improve housing quality, ensuring that all tenures capitalise on the opportunities created through innovations in design, standards and efficiency.
To achieve this objective the pathfinder has developed a number of critical policy initiatives that need to be delivered during the lifetime of the pathfinder.
Policy Objective 1 Improving the physical condition of existing social rented housing and decreasing its market share
One third of all the housing in the Pathfinder area is owned by the four local authorities. The failure of this to meet the decent homes standard and more particularly current and future aspirations is a key issue in the South Yorkshire pathfinder and one that will become more pronounced as incomes grow and aspirations change over the generations.
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Within the framework of the Communities Plan, the government has challenged Councils to meet the decent homes target for council housing by 2010. A “fully funded” plan must be in place and signed off by government by mid 2005. Councils which fail to achieve this target potentially face intervention. Alongside this, Councils are guided to separate their housing strategic functions from their landlord role to achieve excellence with Arms Length Management arrangements are advocated to achieve this separation.
The Communities Plan has made clear that where additional resources are required to improve the quality of Council Housing these will be accessed through three options: Arms Length management, Stock transfer or the Private Finance Initiative. Additional resources will not be available to Local Authorities that do not pursue one of these options. Although Housing Market Renewal funding cannot be used to bring Local Authority Housing up to the “decency standard”, it is recognised that a combination of funding portfolios will be required to achieve decent sustainable standards in areas if mixed tenure which once were the exclusive domain of rented housing.
The four local authorities have played a key role in shaping the Pathfinder. They are committed to its success. However the success of the pathfinder will be compromised until there is in place a decent homes plan at subregional level. The combination of the significant investment need for council housing coupled with uncertainly about long term demand presented the four local authorities with significant challenges. But rapid progress is now being achieved. Barnsley has already secured £100 million under the second round of the Arms length programme, having established Bernslai Homes, Doncaster is well advanced with option appraisal aiming to complete the process by XXX , Rotherham has concluded a whole stock option appraisal having now determined that Arms Length management will be the preferred investment route, and Sheffeild has embarked on an incremental neighbourhood based option appraisal process which will secure investment through a combination of Arms Length and Stock transfer. A\ successful bid for £145 million under round 3 of the ALMO programme for two partial ALMOs has been secured. With the rate of current progress, a subregional decent homes plan will be in place by XXXX 2005. The pathfinder is now confident that the four local authorities are making good progress towards putting in place plans for directly renewing council housing. The Pathfinder actively encourages and supports the development of decent homes plans and will wish to see this emerging as a key objective within the subregional housing strategy.
The Pathfinder’s primary interventions over the next three years will include
1. The Pathfinder encouraging the finalisation a dedicated decent homes plan for each of the four authorities, with these being combined into a subregional plan forming a core objective for a subregional housing
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strategy. At one level this does not fall within the role of the Pathfinder. But much of the council stock in the Pathfinder area is near to failing parts of the private market. Much can also substitute for, and be substituted by, at least in terms of household costs, cheaper parts of the Pathfinder’s housing for sale. These two portfolios in the Pathfinder (much council housing and low value housing for sale) are, for many practical purposes, the same market. The partnership will therefore be concerned to monitor the progress of its host councils in deciding and implementing strategies to deal with council stock condition and long term sustainability, particularly where the market for it is currently weak. This weakness has a detrimental effect on neighbouring parts of the private sector and how the market views them
2. Work with Housing Associations and the Housing Corporation to promote active asset management of Housing Association stock holdings in the Pathfinder area.
Policy Objective 2 Improving the physical condition of privately owned dwellings
There is a core of privately owned housing in poor condition. This phenomenon is worst in low value areas where ‘cost over value’ (the cost of acquisition and the required repair and improvement works well-exceed end- values) issues are most pronounced. Public intervention in these areas has concentrated on social rather than investment approaches. The Pathfinder will prioritise work to existing privately owned stock on long-term investment grounds only supporting the repair and improvement of that existing stock which demonstrably has a viable long-term future and can meet the aspirations of current and prospective households.
The Pathfinder’s primary interventions over the next three years will include
1. Programmes of work to repair and improve dwellings 2. Improvement and repair grants and other suitable forms of gap funding 3. House ‘enveloping’, ‘facelift’ or similar schemes 4. The development of existing and other home improvement agency services
Policy Objective 3 Improving the physical condition and the management quality of privately rented housing
Much private rented property in the Pathfinder is of poor quality, poorly managed and in practice offers residents (and sometimes owners) poor
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rights. The Pathfinder will prioritise making this part of the market work better.
The Pathfinder’s primary interventions over the next three years will include
1. The development of accreditation, support, enforcement, referral and licensing schemes
2. Work with Housing Benefit partners to ensure where possible those arrangements also help to develop the performance of the private rented sector
Policy Objective 4 Ensuring principles of good design, layout and efficiency are adopted in all new dwellings.
It is anticipated that significant amounts of new and replacement housing will be required in the Pathfinder area to meet current and emerging aspirations. Any new housing requires high quality flexible design in structure, features and landscape. The ‘Lifetime Homes’ standard also has much to commend it.
The Pathfinder’s primary interventions over the next three years will include
1. Developing with Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) design guidance for use within the Pathfinder; Pathfinder funding of relevant schemes to be conditional on these standards being achieved
2. The development of high energy efficiency and environmental standards; Pathfinder funding of relevant schemes to be conditional on these standards being achieved
3. The development of architectural, urban design and environmental competitions, awards and prizes for use in the Pathfinder
Policy Objective 5 Developing flexible arrangements in partnership with financial institutions, landlords and residents to enable them to regularly maintain and improve their housing.
Within the Pathfinder housing conditions have been affected by the inability of householders to finance basic maintenance, repair and improvement of their homes. A priority for the Pathfinder will be to ensure that such investment in the housing stock can be sustained where the housing in question demonstrably has a viable long term future and can meet the aspirations of current and prospective households.
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The primary intervention over the next three years will be
1. Exploring with mortgage lenders and other partners new methods of financing maintenance, repair and improvement of housing in the Pathfinder
Strategic Objective 2: To grow the area’s housing range, increasing housing choice in order to meet the aspirations of existing, emerging and incoming households.
To achieve this objective the pathfinder has developed a number of critical policy initiatives that need to be delivered during the lifetime of the pathfinder.
Policy Objective 1 Redressing the balance between supply and demand of social rented housing and those parts of the owner occupied stock that are or soon will be short of demand.
Demand in some parts of the Pathfinder for this type of stock is low. Our analysis is that on all central assumptions it is unlikely to grow, or be grown, to any great degree. Consequently central to our strategy is the need to reduce the supply of these parts of the housing market. Significant demolition in some parts of the pathfinder will be an essential tool to both ensure the sustainability of the residual stock and to create the conditions for sustainable development by the private sector through strategic site assembly.
Largely because of bad experience in the 1960s and 1970s, when communities were broken up haphazardly, demolition has become a focus for communities symbolising negative connotations. But demolition is a means to an end, not an end in itself and there are now numerous examples of communities which are being regenerated with residents being at the heart of the process. In South Yorkshire, there are tracts of housing which nobody wants. Some is locationally obsolescent, some is of a type which fails to satisfy either needs or aspirations and yet more is of poor quality and/or in the wrong tenure. Experience has shown that it can be replaced by high quality homes that buyers and tenants want.
Where demolition of exiting housing is brought forward through the Area Development Frameworks, the Pathfinder will support strategies and projects only where the following principles are enshrined in the proposals and underpin consultation with affected communities:
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There are opportunities for the integrity of communities to remain intact. In most places there are adequate houses to accommodate everyone who want to stay in the area. Where replacement housing is to be developed, reasonable provision will be made for affected tenants and owners to remain or return. Fair compensation is paid or the occupant is provided with a house that is as good, and if possible better, than that vacated. That, where financial problems exist, for example negative equity or insufficient funds to purchase a replacement property, we explore every avenue to ensure that equity can be maximised, protected and realised enabling owners to reinvest an equity stake in a new home. This will be achieved through the development of a number of equity release vehicles including ‘homeswap’ or ‘homebuy’ arrangements. The pathfinder is committed to working with individual lenders and the council of mortgage lenders to reduce the debt and negative equity burdens.
The Pathfinder’s primary interventions over the next three years will include
1. Developing and funding sensitive CPO arrangements 2. Funding relocation grants and other compensation arrangements to reflect the range of different household circumstances (for example income, assets, loan to value ratio, and relocation choices) in clearance areas 3. Replace social housing as required, in partnership with developers, local authorities, housing associations, the Housing Corporation and other partners
Policy Objective 2 Developing new housing to meet the increasing aspirations of existing, emerging and incoming households
Evidence clearly shows the need for development of new mid-market and prospectively up-market housing in parts of the Pathfinder.
The Pathfinder’s primary interventions over the next three years will include
1. The development and implementation of ‘Gro grant’ and other gap funding schemes as required for the development of mid-market and up-market housing for sale in the Pathfinder 2. The development and implementation of ‘Gro grant’ and other gap funding schemes as required for the development of high quality private rented schemes in the Pathfinder’s urban centres 3. The development and implementation of equity stakes to increase choice in and promotion of households up the housing ladder
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4. The acquisition, treatment and servicing of existing derelict sites ensuring that increases in development value are held, secured and recycled for further housing market renewal benefits in the pathfinder area
Policy Objective.3 Grow the range of housing options for households with special needs including the elderly
Housing choices for elderly and disabled households are limited in the Pathfinder. But projections show an increasing demand for a range of housing and care solutions.
The Pathfinder’s specific interventions over the next three years will include
1. Developing briefs for and securing the development of elderly persons’ housing and care schemes 2. Developing briefs for and securing the development of supported housing and care schemes for those with special needs
Policy Objective 4 Grow the range of housing options suitable for the needs of BME communities
BME communities disproportionately face poor housing conditions, poor standards, and overcrowding as well as limited choice for those wishing to improve their circumstances whilst wanting to stay close to their communities and social networks.
The Pathfinder’s primary interventions over the next three years will include
1. Working with mortgage lenders to develop and market housing finance arrangements that comply with Sharia law 2. Developing briefs for and securing the development of schemes for ethnic elders 3. Developing briefs for and securing the development of schemes for large and/or extended households 4. Developing culturally sensitive rehousing and relocation packages.
Strategic Objective 3: To achieve a radical improvement in the character and diversity of neighbourhoods helping secure a more sustainable settlement pattern in the sub-region
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Housing itself does not define all the attributes of a housing market. Householders also look for attributes in a neighbourhood. The Pathfinder has, as a priority, improvements in neighbourhoods, and increased distinctiveness and choice between them. It is not anticipated that the Pathfinder will directly fund neighbourhood and broader ‘settlement’ initiatives where these can be funded elsewhere. The challenge for the Pathfinder will be to ensure these initiatives are developed by partner organisations and other agencies in parallel with housing interventions to ensure our actions and those of other bodies are complementary.
To achieve this objective the pathfinder will work actively with its partners on the following policy initiatives that can help contribute to housing market renewal
Policy Objective 1 Help grow the distinctiveness of settlements in the Pathfinder by investing in those residential areas that have a clear and sustainable future
Just as a neighbourhood’s attributes help make its housing market, so housing helps define ‘sense of place’. Similarly on the grander scale housing has a role to play in helping deliver a more sustainable settlement pattern in the sub-region, and the performance of settlements (not least their economic, transport and other service performance) has a role to play in helping develop the local housing market. Consequently the Pathfinder aims to support and help define the emerging spatial policies for sub-region.
In particular the Pathfinder, directly through its interventions outlined above and with its partners, will support
1. The development of thriving urban centres capable of attracting new residents, especially in the first instance households without dependent children 2. The development of pleasant rural settlements with good quality local centres, free from the dereliction evident in some areas at present
3. Sheffield/Rotherham as a primary, national city. Whilst the twin centres are and will continue to be economically and physically linked our priority is help to develop the identities of neighbourhoods within each.
4. Doncaster as a regional centre
5. Supporting Barnsley as quality market town and service centre serving the sub-region and southern parts of West Yorkshire
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6. Supporting focused growth of the market towns in the Dearne Valley, maximising its environmental role and potential for quality housing
7. Creating distinct roles for the smaller settlements in the Pathfinder
8. Ensure that settlements and neighbourhoods have appropriate and sustainable transport links
Policy Objective 2 Help improve neighbourhood management, maintenance and services
Whilst the Pathfinder will be dependent on its statutory, private and voluntary sector partners and specialists to take the lead in those areas where they are expert (and which contribute to housing market renewal) the Pathfinder, through its investment programme and the schemes that it supports also has a role to play.
The Pathfinder’s primary interventions over the next three years will include
1. The briefing, development and approval of Area Development Frameworks, including a detailed master planning exercises, for the Pathfinder neighbourhoods, building on those regeneration and other local strategies and plans already in place
2. Relocating non-conforming or inappropriate land uses away from residential areas
3. The development and implementation of briefs to design out opportunities for and harden the targets of anti-social and criminal behaviour
4. The funding of neighbourhood wardens and estate caretakers
5. Making Pathfinder funding of relevant schemes conditional on secure long term arrangements for the neighbourhood and environmental management and maintenance of new and existing capital investment
6. Funding of legal and other resources for anti-social behaviour and related actions
7. Working with educational and other partners to increase community access to educational facilities
8. Work with economic, employment, and skills partners review the range of existing construction industry skills initiatives to assess what more needs to be done in this field
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Summary
The policy objectives support the development of a range of interventions which take account of and respond to the analysis of the evidence presented earlier and the need to radically and substantially change the character , balance and quality of housing in the pathfinder area. The three policy objectives will;
Support the development of a sub regional decent homes plan and the role of RSLs in delivering decency across the social rented sector.
Create opportunities and conditions to increase the level of private sector development through strategic site assembly and supporting long term partnership to deliver greater quality, variety and choice of housing
Support a sustainable balance of housing within and between tenures
Support homeownership and in particular homeowners in purchasing for the first time and to assist existing owners to repair and improve their home and to sustain it.
The policy objectives have consequently generated a combination of interventions and specific tools against which Area Development frameworks will develop projects and investment plans which will respond to and take account of the opportunities, existing activity and the needs of the pathfinder neighbourhoods.
The policy objectives will provide the basis for setting targets against which progress toward the strategic aims will be measured.
Interventions and tools
The framework has been designed to ensure that so that interventions support a policy objective and consequently will help to achieve one of the three strategic objectives. Over time the framework will be reviewed and will develop as new interventions are added to the portfolio. Project which are drawn up within the context of the Area Development Frameworks will therefore be developed within a wider strategic context with links and connections being made so that outputs are linked to several policy objectives thus avoiding a narrowness of focus.
The table below sets out a framework or hierarchy of aims objectives policies and interventions.
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Strategic Aim; to build and support sustainable communities and successful neighbourhoods where the quality and choice of housing helps to underpin a buoyant economy and an improved quality of life. Strategic Objective 1 Strategic Objective 2 Strategic Objective 3 To To improve housing To grow the area’s achieve a radical quality, ensuring that all housing range, improvement in the tenures capitalise on increasing housing character and diversity of the opportunities choice in order to meet neighbourhoods helping created through the aspirations of secure a more innovations in design, existing, emerging and sustainable settlement standards and incoming households. pattern in the sub-region efficiency. Policy Objective 1 Policy Objective 1 Policy Objective 1 Help Improving the physical Redressing the balance grow the distinctiveness of condition of existing social between supply and settlements in the rented housing and demand of social rented Pathfinder by investing in decreasing its market housing and those parts those residential areas that share of the owner occupied have a clear and stock that are or soon will sustainable future be short of demand.
Policy Objective 2 Policy Objective 2 Policy Objective 2 Help Improving the physical Developing new housing improve neighbourhood condition of privately to meet the increasing management, maintenance owned dwellings aspirations of existing, and services emerging and incoming households Policy Objective 3 Policy Objective.3 Grow Improving the physical the range of housing condition and the options for households management quality of with special needs privately rented housing including the elderly Policy Objective 4 Policy Objective 4 Grow Ensuring principles of the range of housing good design, layout and options suitable for the efficiency are adopted in needs of BME all new dwellings communities Policy Objective 5 Developing flexible arrangements in partnership with financial institutions, landlords and residents to enable them to regularly maintain and improve their housing.
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Strategic Objective 1 To improve housing quality, ensuring that all tenures capitalise on the opportunities created through innovations in design, standards and efficiency. Policy Objective Primary Interventions
Policy Objective 1 Improving the 1. The Pathfinder encouraging the physical condition of existing finalisation a dedicated decent homes social rented housing and plan for each of the four authorities, with these being combined into a subregional decreasing its market share plan forming a core objective for a subregional housing strategy
2. Work with Housing Associations and the Housing Corporation to promote active asset management of Housing Association stock holdings in the Pathfinder area.
Policy Objective 2 Improving the 1. Programmes of work to repair and physical condition of privately improve dwellings owned dwellings 2. Improvement and repair grants and other suitable forms of gap funding 3. House ‘enveloping’, ‘facelift’ or similar schemes 4. The development of existing and other home improvement agency services
Policy Objective 3 Improving the 1. The development of accreditation, physical condition and the support, enforcement, referral and management quality of privately licensing schemes rented housing 2. Work with Housing Benefit partners to ensure where possible those arrangements also help to develop the performance of the private rented sector
Policy Objective 4 Ensuring 1. Developing with Commission for principles of good design, layout Architecture and the Built Environment and efficiency are adopted in all (CABE) design guidance for use within the Pathfinder; Pathfinder funding of new dwellings relevant schemes to be conditional on these standards being achieved 2. The development of high energy efficiency and environmental standards; Pathfinder funding of relevant schemes to be conditional on these standards being achieved 3. The development of architectural, urban design and environmental competitions, awards and prizes for use in the Pathfinder
Policy Objective 5 Developing 1. Exploring with mortgage lenders and flexible arrangements in other partners new methods of financing partnership with financial maintenance, repair and improvement of housing in the Pathfinder institutions, landlords and Version 10 residents to enable them to regularly maintain and improve their housing. 69
Strategic Objective 2: To grow the area’s housing range, increasing housing choice in order to meet the aspirations of existing, emerging and incoming households.
Policy Objectives Primary Interventions Policy Objective 1 Redressing the 1. Developing and funding sensitive CPO balance between supply and arrangements demand of social rented housing 2. Funding relocation grants and other and those parts of the owner compensation arrangements to reflect occupied stock that are or soon the range of different household circumstances (for example income, will be short of demand. assets, loan to value ratio, and relocation choices) in clearance areas 3. Replace social housing as required, in partnership with developers, local authorities, housing associations, the Housing Corporation and other partners
Policy Objective 2 Developing new 1. The development and implementation housing to meet the increasing of ‘Gro grant’ and other gap funding aspirations of existing, emerging schemes as required for the development and incoming households of mid-market and up-market housing for sale in the Pathfinder . 2. The development and implementation of ‘Gro grant’ and other gap funding schemes as required for the development of high quality private rented schemes in the Pathfinder’s urban centres 3. The development and implementation of equity stakes to increase choice in and promotion of households up the housing ladder 4. The acquisition, treatment and servicing of existing derelict sites ensuring that increases in development value are held, secured and recycled for further housing market renewal benefits in the pathfinder area
Policy Objective.3 Grow the range 1.Developing briefs for and securing the of housing options for households development of elderly persons’ housing with special needs including the and care schemes elderly 2.Developing briefs for and securing the development of supported housing and care schemes for those with special needs
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1. Working with mortgage lenders to Policy Objective 4 Grow the range of housing options suitable for the develop and market housing finance needs of BME communities arrangements that comply with Sharia law . 2. Developing briefs for and securing the development of schemes for ethnic elders 3. Developing briefs for and securing the development of schemes for large and/or extended households 4. Developing culturally sensitive rehousing and relocation packages.
,
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Strategic Objective 3: To achieve a radical improvement in the character and diversity of neighbourhoods helping secure a more sustainable settlement pattern in the sub-region
Policy Objectives Primary Interventions Policy Objective 1 Help grow the 1.The development of thriving urban distinctiveness of settlements in the centres capable of attracting new Pathfinder by investing in those residents, especially in the first residential areas that have a clear instance households without and sustainable future dependent children 2. The development of pleasant rural settlements with good quality local centres, free from the dereliction evident in some areas at present
3.Supporting Sheffield/Rotherham as a primary, national city. Whilst the twin centres are and will continue to be economically and physically linked our priority is help to develop the identities of neighbourhoods within each,.Doncaster as a regional centre, and Barnsley as quality market town and service centre serving the sub- region and southern parts of West Yorkshire
4. Supporting focused growth of the market towns in the Dearne Valley, maximising its environmental role and potential for quality housing
5. Creating distinct roles for the smaller settlements in the Pathfinder
6. Supporting appropriate and sustainable transport links for settlements and neighbourhoods
Policy Objective 2 Help improve 1. The briefing, development and neighbourhood management, approval of Area Development maintenance and services Frameworks, including a detailed master planning exercises, for the Pathfinder neighbourhoods, building on those regeneration and other local strategies and plans already in place
2. Relocating non-conforming or inappropriate land uses away from residential areas
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3. The development and implementation of briefs to design out opportunities for and harden the targets of anti-social and criminal behaviour
4. ,The funding of neighbourhood wardens and estate caretakers
5. Making Pathfinder funding of relevant schemes conditional on secure long term arrangements for the neighbourhood and environmental management and maintenance of new and existing capital investment
6. Funding of legal and other resources for anti-social behaviour and related actions
7. Working with educational and other partners to increase community access to educational facilities
8. Work with economic, employment, and skills partners review the range of existing construction industry skills initiatives to assess what more needs to be done in this field
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Key Themes
Land and Site Acquisition
Rationalisation of unsustainable housing Strategic Site Assembly Treatment and servicing existing sites to increase monetary and environmental value. Developing and funding sensitive CPO arrangements Funding relocation grants and other compensation arrangements
Access & Choice
Acreditation and Support schemes for Private Landlords Development of Equity Stake Schemes Development of mid- market and up-market aspirational housing. Development of appropriate housing for the elderly Development of appropriate supported housing and care schemes Development of appropriate housing for BME residents Remodelling of stock
Quality and Design
Development of projects to involve the community within the design process Developing with Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) design guidance for use within the Pathfinder The development of high energy efficiency and environmental standards The development of architectural, urban design and environmental competitions, awards and prizes for use in the Pathfinder
The Development of High Quality Successful Neighbourhoods
Relocating non-confirming or inappropriate land uses away from residential areas Neighbourhood warden schemes Projects to deal with anti social behaviour Environmental Improvements Security and target hardening projects
Sustainable Homes
Group repair schemes Improvement and Repair Grants Development of Home Improvement Agency Services Development of new methods of financing maintenance, repair and improvement of housing in the Pathfinder Encouraging our Local authority partners to finalise a decent homes plan.
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Encouraging Housing Associations to promote active asset mangement across the pathfinder area.
A sustainable pattern of neighbourhoods and communities
Neighbourhood renewal assessments Master planning projects Influencing and aligning relevant regional and sub regional policies
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7. SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
INTRODUCTION
The three sub-regional housing market issues and challenges identified in the previous chapters are key determinants influencing the development strategy. The first two of these – to improve housing quality and increase choice – although clearly influential do not, of themselves, present a conclusive direction for spatial strategy. The third, however, - to tackle the impact of unsuccessful neighbourhoods with limited settlement character and diversity – provides a clear spatial objective, recognising as it does that the Pathfinder not only has a failing housing market but also numerous unsuccessful places and settlements.
Given that housing use is the principle substance of the urban fabric within the Pathfinder, how it re-configures through HMR initiatives is likely to be a central force in helping to reshape settlements into successful places. Once achieved, the positive effects on the housing market are likely to be both considerable and sustainable.
The Pathfinder development strategy provides the strategic spatial framework for the programme. Although aimed at reconciling what physical change can do for housing market enhancement, it is also concerned to help deliver other spatial challenges facing South Yorkshire which can help the HMR prospectus to deliver its aims.
Hence, the outlook for a successful Pathfinder development strategy is to combine both what housing can achieve for its own market via HMR interventions, with what it can also help achieve in other important land use/markets on which its long term success also depends. Fortunately, in this Pathfinder’s case, it is informed by both UK/RPG planning policy/guidance and a recently completed South Yorkshire Spatial Study (SYSS).
The key principles arising from this advice which influence this development strategy are:-
The need to support the Regional Economic Strategy and the South Yorkshire Objective 1 strategy which is so fundamental in helping to create accessible employment and quality service opportunities for Pathfinder residents.
In line with the Urban White Paper, the requirement to focus on urban centres as the key engines of sub-regional regenerative activity.
Consistent with National/Regional/Sub-Regional advice, the need to avoid the majority of new house building occurring on peripheral greenfield sites. Similarly, to reverse the lack of housing development
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opportunities in inner brownfield locations. The consequent out- migration of these previously complementary activities has led to population decline and, consequently, falling standards in the provision of shopping and leisure facilities for residents.
To promote HMR outcomes that are people/client centred and which seek to apply sound, achievable principles in terms of sustainability.
To apply these principles in this case the Pathfinder wishes to adopt a ‘polycentric approach’ in framing two operative principles which are:-
To achieve accessibility to vibrant and high quality service centres as a key determinant of housing market demand and quality of life. Clear definition of settlement and neighbourhood functions and futures based around service centres, helps to provide a sustainable framework for housing market renewal investments.
These principles are a direct response to the assessment of the key spatial challenges facing South Yorkshire that lie at the heart of the Pathfinder Strategic Development Strategy.
Key Spatial Challenges
The South Yorkshire Pathfinder area has distinctive spatial characteristics. It covers a wide swathe of urban South Yorkshire and extends into dispersed urban, semi-rural and occasionally rural areas of the Dearne Valley. This wide spatial coverage takes in towns and neighbourhoods of varying characteristics and with differing future potentials in terms of role, function and growth prospects. In post industrial South Yorkshire, a legacy remains of a spatial development pattern based on historic economic functions. In many cases, clear and realistic objectives in terms of future role and function for towns and neighbourhoods remain formally undefined. In this context, making rational choices about the nature and distribution of intervention through HMR and other public sector programmes remains challenging. The dispersed and irrational pattern of settlement across the Pathfinder area presents a range of spatial dilemmas and opportunities. Private sector housing investment patterns have tended to reinforce this dispersed pattern of settlement, through peripheral development on urban fringe where land supply has arisen (as reflected in CURS analysis of residential development 1990-2000). While the process of urban regeneration has begun to increase private sector activity in core urban areas, the Pathfinder strategy will seek to accelerate this process by facilitating housing investments within urban areas and seeking to constrain and, in some cases reduce supply in more peripheral locations. Achieving a significant increase in private sector housing development activity within the Pathfinder area is a critical objective for the strategy. The strategy in this respect will need to have regard to the key role of Development Plans / Local Development Frameworks as key instruments in
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managing the release of land and constraining development, where appropriate.
Recognising the importance of access to service centres as one of a number of key housing market influences, the Pathfinder strategy will be, inter alia, to promote improvements in the quality of town, district and neighbourhood centres and facilitate new and improved housing provision in locations that support the strengthening of service centre functions. In keeping with their enhanced attraction, the strategy will aim to help bring about a material improvement in corridor journey times to these centres by all vehicular modes, but particularly public transport and on foot. This will require a strategy that combines both direct intervention by the Pathfinder in stock transformation in targeted neighbourhoods along with indirect intervention through the influence of linked public sector investment programmes that impact on the quality and sustainability of service centres and the neighbourhoods they service. These indirect interventions would seek to assist improvements in commercial, transport, education and environmental sectors. Pathfinder resources will therefore be used in a complementary manner, alongside other planning and regeneration mechanisms. To establish a rational framework for determining spatial priorities and intervention mechanisms, a critical feature of the HMR development strategy is to support the process of redefining roles and functions for residential neighbourhoods on a consistent and sustainable basis across the HMR area. While recognising the complex range of influences on housing markets, the Pathfinder focus on access to service centres reflects national, regional and sub-regional economic strategy. This process has to recognise the considerable spread of settlement/place types which occur across the Pathfinder. Nevertheless, throughout the whole area decisions need to be made on the future role of service centres and the degree to which they can support housing markets.
Core Spatial Areas
The strategy distinguishes two core spatial areas: 1. Sheffield/Rotherham urban areas; 2. Dearne Valley communities. While housing market interaction is complex within and between these areas, the distinction drawn reflects a recognition that ‘Sheffield/Rotherham urban area’ is by and large a contiguous and integrated urban area, while the Dearne Valley communities’ are, again by and large, free-standing towns and villages (albeit in some case partially coalesced). This provides a framework within which distinctive place typologies may be defined and developed as a basis for supporting service centre growth and determining the nature and scale of HMR intervention to be applied based on clear roles and functions.
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Place Typologies
To provide a spatial context for the preparation of Area Development Frameworks the Pathfinder’s development strategy defines ‘place typologies’ as a basis for determining future neighbourhood roles and thus the nature of HMR intervention to be advanced. These are broad typologies that recognise both existing levels of proximity and accessibility of neighbourhoods to higher order service centres and the potential for HMR and other interventions to improve the housing market influence of service centres. The precise classification of settlements and neighbourhoods will be determined through ADF preparation but terminology should reflect that presented in this strategy to achieve consistency across the Pathfinder area. In Figure 1 we tabulate the rationale defining place typology for the two core spatial areas.
Figure 1: Place typologies Core area Place typology Definition Sheffield/Rotherham Main Urban Main centres of economic and Urban Area Centres cultural activity with extended (MUC) catchments. Sheffield City Centre, lies outside the Pathfinder area, but has housing areas on its immediate perimeter within the area, including Pitsmoor and Burngreave. Rotherham Town Centre lies within the Pathfinder area and has an important potential influence over housing markets within its catchment. The definition of neighbourhoods included within a MUC should be based on a ‘zone of influence’ around the MUC. The extent of that ‘zone’ should be based primarily on accessibility considerations.
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Urban Service Urban based neighbourhoods Centres with proximity or effective (USC) access to established district centre shopping and service functions (as defined in Unitary Development Plans), performing complementary roles to main urban centres. USCs exist both within the Pathfinder area and on the perimeter, where their market influence extends to neighbourhoods within the area. Some neighbourhoods may fall within the ‘zone of influence’ of both MUCs and USCs. Urban Urban based neighbourhoods Neighbourhoods without proximity or (UN) convenient accessibility to established district centre service facilities, relying on accessibility to MUC and USC for higher order services. UNs will typically have a limited range of ‘walkable’ local service facilities within the immediate neighbourhood. In some cases, the potential to create district centre functions may be identified and the strategy could support the process of development from UN to USC.
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Dearne Valley Renaissance Free standing, towns with Communities Market Towns extended catchments covering (RMT) semi-rural and rural hinterlands. RMTs provide higher order service provision and act as a key economic and service hubs distinct from MUCs. They would act as key foci for growth in the Dearne Valley. The definition of ‘market town’ in this context relates to level of service function rather than a qualitative reference. Dearne Valley Smaller, free standing Service Centres settlements with established (DVSC) district centre service functions serving localised catchments, complementary to RMTs. Dearne Valley Semi-rural/rural Neighbourhoods neighbourhoods in the Dearne (DVN) Valley with limited ‘walkable’ local service functions. UNs are normally reliant upon access to RMT/DVSC and MUCs for service provision.
Although the physiques and terminology differ between these core areas, the same ‘polycentric’ outlook is adopted aiming at a clear hierarchy and role. The aim is to achieve a transformational, qualitative improvement in all types of places across the Pathfinder area.
Development Principles For Place Typologies A broad set of development principles has been defined for each place typology that provides the framework for determining the nature and scale of HMR interventions. These principles will be applied in developing detailed intervention strategies through the Area Development Frameworks (ADF). These are summarised below:
Figure 2: Development principles for place typologies Place typology Development principles HMR Intervention Main urban For neighbourhoods on the edge of Acquire sites centres MUCs (Sheffield City Centre/ within a defined
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Rotherham town centre) the ‘zone of influence’ (MUC) strategy will be to strengthen the of the centre and levels of integration and interaction facilitate between urban neighbourhoods densification and urban service centres and MUC mixed use. facilities. This would include: Acquire sites creation of mixed use to enable improved development opportunities to public transport, complement MUC functions; cycling/walking access to the The impact of Sheffield centre. and Rotherham Centres extends over large tracts of the Acquire sites Pathfinder area, and varies to generate according to travel isochrones. optimum In practice, in terms of housing conditions for market influence, this will be housing led mixed much more specific, losing its use around the gravitational influence nearing MUCs. stronger USCs. Where appropriate, the strategy should normally be to densify and diversify the housing offer in the defined ‘zone of influence’, subject to local circumstances; facilitating and promoting access improvements between relevant neighbourhoods, the USCs and the MUC.
Urban Service For neighbourhoods situated within Acquire Centres (USC) the ‘zone of influence’ of a defined housing sites to Renaissance service centre, the strategy will be facilitate service Market Towns to strengthen and expand service centre growth and (RMT) centre functions and market range/quality of Dearne Valley influence. This would include: provision. Service Centres focused intervention within Acquire and (DVSC) a ‘walkable zone’ from the demolish to create service centre to facilitate mixed development use development, both opportunities for commercial and housing led. stock diversification and where appropriate, densification within increased housing densities the ‘zone of within the ‘walkable zone’ and influence’. defined ‘zone of influence’ to strengthen service centre Beyond the
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sustainability. This may involve ‘zone of influence’ relocation of other uses to stock beyond the ‘walkable zone’ to refurbishment and create appropriate development selected purchase opportunities. for new uses to achieve qualitative outward from service gains. centres, increased diversity of housing offer, with qualitative On the improvements to rejuvenate peripheral ‘green’ neighbourhoods (including edges of environmental works where part settlements, of a wider strategy). acquisition to facilitate for free standing RMTs and alternative uses DVSCs the drawing in of a ‘green (including ‘soft’ mantle’ to reduce dispersal and end uses) thereby increase settlement containment diminishing and definition. In some cases, pressure on Green similar principles should apply to Belt. USCs. Acquire access improvements strategic sites to between neighbourhoods and form safe, green the service centre. Access transit links from corridors would be neighbourhoods improved/created to facilitate into service linkage between outlying centres. neighbourhoods and service centres. Urban For neighbourhoods not situated Acquire and Neighbourhoods within a defined ‘zone of influence’ demolish perimeter Dearne Valley of a service centre, the strategy will housing to create Neighbourhoods be to promote qualitative ‘new user’ UN/DVN improvements on an area basis, opportunities (non- seeking to improve lifestyles, housing but community cohesion and thus community market values. This would involve: supportive). diversification and Acquire and improvement of housing but no demolish in core additions to stock housing areas to diversify markets. land use exchange to facilitate intensified housing use Achieve closer to service centres and qualitative relocation of non-housing uses to improvements to UNs/DVNs (open retained stock. space/community uses/ Exert policy appropriate forms of employment
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use) influence over planning and other reinforcement of locally public sector based community services in investment plans UNs/DVNs (schools/ (eg transport, neighbourhood shops etc) education, health access improvements to and policing). service centres through the Acquire in key enhancement/creation of access locations to corridors for all forms of facilitate quality transport. For UNs this means public transport improved access to USCs and access from the MUCs. For DVNs the priority core UN/DVN to would be to improve access to the related RMTs and DVSCs, as USC/RMT. appropriate. Acquire key sites to provide the necessary local quality services to support neighbourhood living (eg. Post Office, Care facilities, Pocket Park, etc.). NB. A key defining criteria within these development principles and HMR interventions is the ‘zone of influence’ and walkability of each centre. Measured as a distance, this is likely to vary widely across the Pathfinder according to topography, public transport service levels and degree of attraction of each centre. Each ADF will in practice establish varying isochrones for each centre that will define ‘zones of influence’ and thus be instrumental in the spatial distribution of HMR interventions.
Application Of Place Typologies In The Pathfinder Area The process of applying these typologies and principles to the Pathfinder area will be developed through the preparation of the Area Development Frameworks. In advance of ADF preparation, however, some settlements/neighbourhoods within the Pathfinder area will warrant further strategic consideration alongside initial ADF preparation before typologies can be determined. This situation arises in two circumstances:
Redefining Urban Neighbourhoods The distinction made in the strategy between the ‘Urban Service Centres’ and ‘Urban Neighbourhoods’ is critical. It determines, fundamentally, the strategy to be adopted in terms of HMR intervention between these typologies. While
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in some cases the distinction will be clear-cut, in others a ‘strategic neighbourhood review’ will need to be undertaken in advance of ADF preparation. The ‘strategic neighbourhood review’ will seek to determine the range of service facilities that should be supported within a neighbourhood in order to achieve a sustainable community, and consequently the approach to be taken in terms of housing investment. In some cases, the ‘strategic neighbourhood review’ may lead to a prioritisation for HMR intervention to support a move towards USC definition. This could arise where a market case for creating a new district centre in an urban neighbourhood is identified. In other cases, the review may indicate a priority towards qualitative improvements to stock and possible stock reduction in line with Urban Neighbourhood principles. This case would arise where the review concludes that the prospects of creating the market conditions necessary to support a district centre development as part of a neighbourhood strategy are limited. At this stage the areas identified in the Pathfinder for ‘strategic neighbourhood review’ are: - Attercliffe and Darnall in Sheffield; - Rotherham North Central; - New Edlington, Doncaster.
Redefining Dearne Valley Communities In the Dearne Valley, as in the Pathfinder generally, the case for a strategic review of settlement functions and futures is widely acknowledged. Within the Pathfinder area several towns and villages exist with form and function based on historic patterns of iron/steel production and coal mining activity. The HMR programme now provides a critical opportunity to re-address form and function and thus provide a spatial rationale to the intervention strategy in the Dearne Valley area of the Pathfinder. This programme must seek to build upon the holistic regeneration efforts and successes in the Dearne Towns to date. On reflection, these considerable efforts have made little direct impact on the area’s housing fabric. In some cases the appropriate typology and thus development strategy is clear. However, several towns have existing ‘service centre’ functions which could offer a basis for growing-on to become Renaissance Market Towns for example. The principal distinction that the strategy draws between RMTs and DVSCs relates to scale of growth and market potential. While DVSCs will be a focus for HMR intervention to support and strengthen service centre functions, RMT designation would imply a more intensive effort to create distinctive and larger scale housing and service centre provision in selected towns. This would have wide implications for planning strategy in these locations. Moreover, given the spatial coverage and proximity of towns in the Dearne Valley, the determination of RMT designation will need to be highly selective.
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A ‘strategic settlement review’ of the Dearne Valley Communities area within the Pathfinder is therefore promoted to enable the application of place typologies, and thus HMR interventions, to be determined. The respective local authorities are now progressing this work on a collaborative basis. The HMR strategy is to focus this work on the Dearne Valley Communities area and to determine which settlements have potential to advance as RMTs or as DVSCs. The subject towns in this respect are: Swinton Wath/Brampton Mexborough Conisbrough/Denaby Main Bolton-on-Dearne Goldthorpe Thurnscoe.
A critical factor will be to determine which individual town or possibly combination of towns would offer the greatest potential to act as RMTs in the context of establishing a clear, and sustainable hierarchy of settlement in this complex spatial area. Options for combining towns to create the critical mass necessary to achieve the scale and market potential required for a RMT will also need to be considered.
Preliminary Examples Of Place Typologies To provide a starting point for the development strategy and to guide ADF preparation, some preliminary examples of how the place typologies might apply in the Pathfinder area are set out below. This will be subject to review through the ‘strategic neighbourhood review’ and the ‘Dearne Valley settlement review’ and refinement through the ADF preparation process. A preliminary breakdown of place typologies is presented below:
Figure 3: Preliminary examples of place typologies Place typology Neighbourhoods/settlements Main urban centre Pitsmoor, Sheffield Burngreave, Sheffield Rotherham Central
Urban Service Centre Firth Park, Sheffield - within Pathfinder Manor Top, Sheffield
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Rawmarsh, Rotherham - influence within Pathfinder Hillsborough, Sheffield
Renaissance Market Swinton Towns/Dearne Valley Service Wath-upon-Dearne Centres (to be determined through strategic Mexborough settlement review) Conisbrough Bolton-upon-Dearne Goldthorpe Thurnscoe
(Map of the spatial strategy in the pathfinder to follow)
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9. DELIVERY
Delivery in the Pathfinder
Delivery of Pathfinder projects will be carried out by a range of vehicles. These include housing associations, developers, local authorities, ALMOs and community development agencies. Agencies may work individually or together as partnerships, housing or urban regeneration companies, or in other forms of JVCs. The Pathfinder Board will decide on the best model(s) for each Area Development Framework, following consultation with local communities, councils, LSPs and other local stakeholders. A standard model across the Pathfinder area will not be adopted, although opportunities for sharing experiences, legal costs and professional advice across different areas will be followed up.
All delivery agencies will be required to share the vision and values of Transform South Yorkshire. This will mean that agencies will be required to work to Pathfinder protocols for, for example, working with local communities and meet Pathfinder standards in relation to equal opportunities, modern methods of construction, design standards, environmental sustainability and related areas.
Wherever possible delivery partners will be selected at an early stage in project development. This will ensure the expertise and experience of agencies can be drawn on as communities are consulted, designs worked up and project proposals developed. To ensure partners are able to dedicate sufficient resources at an early point, selection processes which may be required to meet local authority standing orders or EC regulations will be fast- tracked. The Pathfinder Board will commission advice to ensure bureaucracy does not impede effective engagement of partners in project development. Good practice developed by the Egan Committee, the Housing Corporation and others on effective partnering will be brought into play.
In order to facilitate housing association involvement in working up projects for ADFs, the South Yorkshire Housing Associations Forum has allocated one lead association for each ADF. The Forum, in consultation with local authority partners, has agreed a job description for each lead association. This states that leads are responsible for providing one point of contact for commissioners and local communities, for co-ordinating the response and creative input of all local associations, and for feeding back to the Forum on project development. The leads will also have an input into designing the selection process for partners ,although they will take no part in the selection itself. The Forum, which has held seven well-attended meetings since the Pathfinder was launched earlier this year, has also developed a protocol for housing association engagement which has been adopted by the Board.
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Private developers have also met to consider their involvement with the Pathfinder. Like Associations, developers have a representative who attends Board meetings as a full member. A paper prepared by him was considered positively by the Board at the August meeting. The main principle in the paper was that a partnership approach should be adopted to engaging the private sector. The report envisaged between three and six lead developers being selected for the ADFs. Other developers will be brought in to play supporting roles as required. Early selection of lead developers is also sought. The paper went on to develop ideas for the creation of JVCs to combine the skills of developers, associations, local communities and other stakeholders.
The South Yorkshire Area is rich in community development, social enterprise and the voluntary sector. Examples include the Manor and Castle Development Trust and Safe Haven Yorkshire – both recognised nationally as models of good practice in their field. Transform South Yorkshire will seek to utilise the expertise of Manor and Castle in, for example, developing local labour in construction models and developing the capacity of communities to engage in this agenda. Similarly the skills of Safe Haven as a private sector leasing agency will be harnesssed to ensure local policies for the successful integration of South Yorkshire’s many refugees and asylum seekers are applied.
In summary the approach of Transform South Yorkshire is to engage the talents of established local agencies, developing new models where required, ensuring they are able to make the fullest possible contribution to transforming the housing markets in the Pathfinder. This will require partnership working at its best, avoiding wasteful competition and building on the willingness of developers, associations and other local agencies to develop new ways of working and long term relationships.
Opportunities
The granting of pathfinder status gives rise to a real opportunity to make a significant difference to South Yorkshire. Mention has already been made to the impact that it can have on the housing market but delivering housing led projects can also have an effect on other aspects of the sub region.
There is a natural link to employment and the development of skills. Significant employment is created in the house building and maintenance industries. For example research in Doncaster has shown 1,043 jobs were created or sustained in South Yorkshire between 1991 and 1996 either directly in construction employment or in the building materials industry. Rising construction costs and skill shortages are a threat to the pathfinder but the significant sums of money that the pathfinder is likely to spend on construction either directly or influencing the spending of others is an opportunity to tackle this threat head on.
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Linked to this there is an opportunity to promote a social enterprise culture. Social enterprise is a way of bringing excluded communities back into the labour market improving skills which in turns proves the quality of lives of the individuals concerned and improves and helps sustain the communities that they live in. Examples of this are already in place in the pathfinder for instance Sheffield Rebuild has grown into a successful business which has developed a reputation for quality building work at the same time as providing training and providing jobs for long term unemployed people.
Through delivering well thought out and innovatively designed projects the pathfinder also has a real opportunity to improve the image of the sub region. One of the key objectives of the Regional economic strategy is to attract and retain more investment into the region. Recent research by Yorkshire Forward and the CBI highlighted the difficulty of attracting staff to the region as being in the top 3 factors inhibiting growth. To many South Yorkshire has the “Full Monty” image and a developing a modern attractive housing offer is one way that this can be dispelled.
Collaborative Working
One of the key strengths of the pathfinder is to deliver projects collaboratively. The pathfinder is building on a strong history of collaborative working within South Yorkshire. The South Yorkshire Housing and regeneration Partnership (SYHARP) is a partnership of the four Local authorities housing agencies and the private sector and was formed to develop a strategy for housing related regeneration and Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham have also a strong track record in working together through the Coalfield partnership. The pathfinder is already working collaboratively with a number of agencies. The pathfinder’s housing association forum has brought together associations across South Yorkshire breaking sometimes traditional competitive working practices. Benefits of this are already been seen with associations working collectively on early win projects with the pathfinder and local authorities in Fir Vale in Sheffield and the Holmes area in Rotherham. The pathfinder is also developing strong links with the private sector. There is private sector representation on the pathfinder board and the pathfinder has an active developers forum.
Capacity
A feature of the pathfinder and its partners is the ability to deliver successful regeneration projects. All four local authorities have developed the skills and expertise to deliver major housing led regeneration projects. In Rotherham for example the local authority worked in partnership with Keepmoat at Oakhill to redevelop the site of a former local authority estate to provide homes for sale and rent. As well as mainstream activity, the pathfinder’s partners have the ability to develop innovative ways of working; all four local
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authorities have embraced new initiatives such as neighbourhood management pilots and arms length management. In addition to this they have displayed the ability to develop their own new ways of working. The private sector homesteading scheme in Sheffield is seen as an innovative way of improving home ownership levels in area of low demand council housing at the same time as helping people invest in the sustainability of their community.
Track Record On Large Scale Projects.
South Yorkshire has a proven track record in delivering large-scale projects experience that will be crucial in delivering a step change in the housing market. The Dearne Valley Enterprise zone is highlighted up as a national success story. Since the area received Enterprise zone status in 1995 over 1.7million sq feet of industrial floor space has been developed resulting in the creation of over 10 000 jobs. Similarly in Sheffield a combination of private and public sector organisations have delivered the transformation of much of the East end of the city. The redundant steel producing area has being transformed into an area providing a high quality mix of business shopping leisure and sporting facilities.
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11. Monitoring and Evaluating the Success of the Pathfinder Programme
Introduction
Having identified the key features and issues of the housing market within the pathfinder area and outlined our approach in tackling these issues there is the need to set out the pathfinder’s approach to monitoring and evaluating the success of the programme. A robust monitoring and evaluation programme tracking inputs outputs and outcomes will provide a powerful management information tool that will help evaluate the overall long term pathfinder programme and the individual schemes and interventions that make up this programme. As well as assessing the success of the programme it will help inform and shape our long-term strategy and the specific interventions making the strategy stronger and individual interventions more effective. Effective monitoring and evaluation will also inform our board, key partners including the ODPM and Audit Commission how well we are performing demonstrating our efficient use of public money and also providing information for the evaluation of the national pathfinder programme and wider regeneration projects. Linked to the construction of an effective monitoring and evaluation process is the setting of meaningful targets and milestones for the pathfinder. Realistic targets and milestones are crucial in determining success and helping allocate resources within the programme.
Transforms Approach
Our approach to monitoring and evaluation is based around a number of principles.
Evaluation through targets and milestones linked to key issues and strategic objectives
Ongoing monitoring of the housing market
Recognition of the long term nature of the project
Use of appropriate technology
Our approach to setting targets and milestones for the pathfinder programme is to try and focus on measurable outcomes. These outcomes have to accurately meet the monitoring requirements of the ODPM and the Audit Commission and also reflect the key issues and objectives that are facing the housing markets within the pathfinder. As outlined in earlier chapters the programmes and interventions that we are proposing address key issues identified in our analysis of the housing market therefore our key outcomes also have to relate to these key issues. An important consideration has been the need to devise outcomes that we can accurately measure. This is a
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particular issue because much of our data comes from our key local authority partners we have to ensure that we can collect consistent data from all four. Our targets and milestones have been developed from baseline information collected across the pathfinder and the wider sub regional housing market. The outcomes therefore look to reflect the long-term changes that will be needed to deliver a successful housing market.
The ongoing monitoring process has to be based around an understanding of the housing market within the pathfinder. The analysis of the housing market by CURS has enabled the pathfinder to access a suite of information that informed CURS’s research. This information relates directly to the performance of the housing markets and the drivers that influence it. A summary of what was collected is listed in Appendix (*). Further collection of data for monitoring and needs to be driven by the understanding of the housing market that this research has given us making sure we collect information on key housing market indicators that we can use to further develop our programme and as previously discussed link this to the information that we need to evaluate our progress against key outcomes.
The following tables summarises the key data, data source, and frequency of collection of key that will be collected to support the monitoring and success of the pathfinder programme. (to be completed)
Data Source of Data Frequency of Collection
Empty property Council Tax information information CORE data LA property records
House Price Land Registry Quarterly Information Information Social Housing LA records Lettings data CORE data
The long-term nature of the pathfinder programme means that we are going to have to be flexible in our approach to monitoring and evaluation. Although a few key indicators and measures will remain the same it is likely that new information will have to be collected as the programme and interventions change. Similarly changes in the housing market brought about by specific interventions and programmes will be demonstrated over a number of years, in fact in early years there may be limited signs of change so it is important
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that key data is captured at the outset of each individual project so that change can be monitored over time long after the project has been completed. We will ensure that the management arrangements for individual projects are robust enough so that as well as ensuring the efficient delivery of the project we are collecting some primary data that will enable us to evaluate the long term effects of that individual project. We are also aware that there will be need for further analysis and research particularly in relation to the displacement of activity outside the pathfinder’s boundary and the specific long term affects on population movement.
There is a clear recognition that there is the potential for a monitoring and evaluation programme to become over burdening and difficult to operate. There are no absolutely perfect measures of pathfinder performance and the housing market it is trying to influence. There will be the need to obtain regular information from key external sources in particular the four local authority partners. Our approach therefore will be to maximize the use of technology to try and minimize this burden. In particular the Pathfinders Geographical Information system will be used to analyse information, taking advantage of the compatibility of census and other publicly available data and also use the system to map and illustrate the outcomes of pathfinder activity. Wherever possible we also look to use GIS alongside specific project management systems so that there is an efficient flow of management information.
Key Outcome Measures
As highlighted in previous chapters our analysis shows that there is not one single issue affecting the housing markets within the pathfinder area, instead there are a number of more localised factors that have differing levels of influence. For this reason the pathfinder has concentrated on setting a number of key outcomes that will be measured across the whole pathfinder and within each area development framework but then has also identified a number of further outcomes within each area development framework that are more specific to the market conditions and the individual interventions that are being faced in that particular area or neighbourhood.
These strategic and headline outcomes are the key measures of change in the pathfinder project. As stated earlier in the chapter they relate directly to the strategic interventions identified earlier in the prospectus. They intended to be clearly linked to the purpose of the pathfinder programme and will measure real change that the programme brings about. As a result the outcomes come from housing related interventions which the pathfinder can directly fund and influence with a number relating to outcomes that the pathfinder is required to provide to the ODPM and the Audit Commission for external monitoring purposes.
The following sets out the key outcomes for the overall strategic aim and
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strategic objectives of the pathfinder programme with the key outcomes that relate to that particular objective.
The Strategic Aim of the Pathfinder
The pathfinder programme has a single aim, which is to build and support sustainable communities and successful neighbourhoods where the quality and choice of housing helps to underpin a buoyant economy and an improved quality of life.
Key outcome measures
Reduce the number of homes in the pathfinder subject to low demand (as defined by HIP guidance)
Reduce the number of long term empty homes in the pathfinder
Reduce the number of low value house price sales.
Strategic Objective 1 Improve housing quality, ensuring that all tenures capitalise on the opportunities created through innovations in design, standards and efficiency.
Key outcome measures
Reduce the proportion of properties not meeting decency standards
Increase the number of pathfinder sponsored new developments that are subject to a local design appraisal
Strategic Objective 2 Grow the area’s housing range, increasing housing choice in order to meet the aspirations of existing, emerging and incoming households.
Key outcome measures
Increase the proportion of private sector properties
Increase the proportion of higher value owner occupied properties within the pathfinder
Strategic Objective 3 Achieve a radical improvement in the character and diversity of neighbourhoods helping secure a more sustainable settlement pattern in the sub-region.
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Key Outcome Measures (further work needed)
To improve resident satisfaction with their local neighbourhood as a place to live.
The Following table summarises the key outcomes of the pathfinder project along with the baseline position and milestones (to be completed)
Outcome Indicator HMR Milestone Target Baseline 2007 2018 Strategic Aim- to build and support sustainable communities and successful neighbourhoods where the quality and choice of housing helps to underpin a buoyant economy and an improved quality of life. Reduce the number of homes in the pathfinder subject to low demand
Reduce the number The number of long term empty of homes that homes in the have been pathfinder empty for 6 months or more
Reduce the number The of low value house percentage of price sales. sales in the bottom 25% of the sub regional average
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At the area development level as well as these core outcomes there are a series of further outcomes that relate to the specific projects within these areas. These are a more indirect measure of the housing market but are in crucial areas such as population, crime and environmental quality that do have a direct influence over the operation of the housing market. These outcomes have been developed in partnership with the teams that have developed the adf’s. Like the core outcomes these measures have been chosen because the information can be efficiently collected and measured over time. The following table shows the key outcomes for each of the ADF areas.
Insert table of key outcomes for each ADF.
The following diagram summarises the relationship between outcomes at pathfinder wide and adf level.
Project Evaluation and Reporting of Key Information
Need to say something about the process of evaluating individual projects. What timescales will projects be evaluated particularly need to stress the long-term nature of evaluation.
Need to say something about reporting of key information to the board and to the ODPM
Need to say something about feeding information back to key partners such as the LA’s
Need to include a diagram summarizing how information comes into the pathfinder and how it is used.
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12. Management, Governance and Scrutiny
Introduction
The Prospectus provides a picture of the challenges facing South Yorkshire’s housing markets, and describes a vision agreed by Board for our programme.
We have a great deal of work to do. South Yorkshire’s housing markets are diverse and complex. Its economic foundations are changing rapidly, and its inherited spatial patterns are being fundamentally questioned as a result. It is also the largest of the nine pathfinders, and the task of co-ordinating activity across four districts will not be easy.
But we have some solid foundations to build on – a strong history of sub- regional working, a proven track-record in delivering housing-led regeneration within the sub-region, and a willingness to achieve the radical transformation expected of us.
To drive this process forward Transform South Yorkshire have established a Board and this section outlines Board structures, terms of reference, vision, values and governance arrangements. It will also describe our team structure together with financial management, appraisal, monitoring and programme management systems.
The section will begin by describing briefly some of the salient sub-regional partnerships in South Yorkshire.
The Partnership
South Yorkshire has a long history of partnership working to promote economic restructuring. The Dearne Valley Partnership was one of the earliest examples. Founded in 1993, it kick-started the regeneration of the former coalfield area, leading to the creation of the Dearne Valley SEZ in 1995.
Objective One status led to the development of a sub-regional Programme Board, and the South Yorkshire Forum - a partnership involving the four local authorities, community and private sector interests, education, health, economic development agencies, the Police and others. The Forum acts as a powerful voice for South Yorkshire.
The South Yorkshire Housing and Regeneration Partnership (SYHARP) was formed in 1998 to raise the profile of housing in promoting economic growth, and to develop a strategy for housing-related regeneration linked to the Objective One programme. The SYHARP is a partnership of local authorities and housing agencies in both public and private sectors.
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Such partnerships, with their emphasis on the development of a sustainable sub-regional economy provide a firm foundation to ensure that housing market restructuring is firmly located in a broader economic and spatial strategy.
Board structure and membership
Based on the partnership impetus obtained from these groups a Housing Market Renewal Board was established to take responsibility for the Pathfinder programme.
We believe that a balance needs to be struck between, on the one hand, ensuring that we effectively engage the range of organisations with an interest in market renewal, and, on the other hand ensuring that arrangements are manageable and sustainable.
The Board therefore comprises seventeen members and three observers as follows: - an independent Chair [1], a local elected member from each of the four authorities (4), a Chief Officer from each of the four authorities (4), a representative from each of the four LSP’s (4), an RSL representative (1), a developer representative (1), a lender representative (1), a representative from the RDA (1) and observers from the ODPM, GOYH and the Housing Corporation (3). A full membership list is shown at appendix (?).
The structures developed are as simple as possible and are supported by creative, and systematic, consultation and communication with relevant agencies and partners. Engagement is promoted further by ensuring that our partnership is represented on relevant forums such as the Developer and RSL forums.
Terms of Reference
Terms of reference have been developed to focus Board activity and are to: -
Oversee the development of a housing market renewal strategy.
Develop a housing market restructuring programme.
Make decisions about the use of pathfinder resources.
Ensure delivery of the programme meets agreed objectives and provides value for money.
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Ensure strategic fit with other plans and programmes by championing the agreed strategy with partner agencies and stakeholders, and by ensuring the objectives of partner agencies are reflected in decision- making.
Vision and Values
The Board’s vision helps define priorities for action and frames it’s intention to be well informed, forward thinking, challenging, robust and accountable.
The Board’s vision for South Yorkshire is “ To build and support sustainable communities and successful neighbourhoods where the quality and choice of housing helps to underpin a buoyant economy and an improved quality of life.”
Our vision is based on sound core values of: -
Quality. Our schemes will be distinctive, aim for architectural significance and adopt a lifetime homes approach.
Diversity. We intend to provide a breadth of housing choice to all sectors of the community.
Sustainability. Our approach is to create a sense of place. We shall endeavour to create links with a variety of non-housing initiatives and contribute strongly to economic objectives. A particular focus will be on a clean and safe environment of quality.
Governance
This section sets out current and likely future governance arrangements.
To oversee market renewal activity Transform South Yorkshire has established a Board (an unincorporated body) with clear terms of reference. Providing a mechanism to allow local authorities to work in partnership, obtain stakeholder commitment and achieve embryonic alignment of programmes.
The Board has no direct lines of accountability to the regional assembly or LSP’s however Sheffield City Council act as banker, host authority and operate as the accountable body. Governance arrangements are therefore dependant on agreements between Transform, participating local authorities and the ODPM.
The Board operates within the purview of two agreements, the preparation and early action agreements, which govern the payment of grant in return for
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specified outputs and outcomes. These two agreements were concluded between the ODPM and Sheffield City Council. It is anticipated that upon prospectus approval this type of legal relationship will continue, with the addition of a further agreement, however any future agreement may have a wider scope. The new agreement is likely to be concluded between all participating local authorities, and the ODPM, distinguishing the joint responsibility for delivery from the role of the accountable body exercised on behalf of Transform.
The future implementation agreement will mean that: -
Transform’s Board, the governing body, will be accountable to ODPM for preparation of the market-restructuring scheme and its delivery, being subject to a performance management and monitoring regime.
In lieu of contracting with Transform directly the participating local authorities would each be party to the agreement with the ODPM and jointly required to be a member of the governing body (Transform’s Board).
The accountable body (Sheffield City Council) would be responsible for ensuring financial integrity.
Transform will draw up in conjunction with the accountable body a Memorandum of Understanding setting out the responsibilities of each party.
Transform will investigate the possibility of drawing up an agreement to indemnify the accountable body in respect of programme delivery issues.
These arrangements are supplemented by robust governance arrangements covering responsibilities of the Board, Board member obligations, responsibilities of the Chair, conduct of Board business, sub-groups, openness, conduct and probity and equal opportunities are shown at appendix (?).
Pathfinder Team
An officer team has being established to support the development of the strategy and delivery arrangements, hosted by Sheffield City Council. The team structure is shown in appendix (?).
A key feature of the team is the inclusion of a planning officer. This reflects the emphasis South Yorkshire has placed on involving planners in developing the programme, and ensuring statutory planning processes support the development of the pathfinder.
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Financial Management
Transform’s accountable body, Sheffield City Council, carries out detailed financial management through a dedicated section of the Council’s financial management system.
Transform can therefore utilise procedures, standing orders, procurement procedures and auditing guidelines that are in place and exhibit a track record of efficiency and probity. Appendix(?).
Programme Management
The Board is fully engaged in decision making and delivery of housing market renewal, in essence it keeps the programme under review and will roll the programme forward in accordance with the strategic objectives. The Board determines the allocation of funds in accordance with appraisal and monitoring procedures. The Board approves all projects, together with an appropriate delivery agency. In addition a system of service level agreements/contracts between Transform and delivery agents has been established. The agreements cover obligations and commitments of both parties in terms of project delivery, together with the requirements of our monitoring system.Appendix(?).All appraisals are carried out in accordance with procedures agreed by Board. Appendix(?).
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