The South East - Introduction
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20 20 One Powerhouse Towards a spatial blueprint South East Important Note from Authors You will have noticed that this report is dated 2020. The delay in publishing has been brought about by the Coronavirus lockdowns. Any issues that might necessitate allusion to Coronavirus do not, we feel, have a profound impact on the factors that underpin the approach, findings, plans or recommendations contained in our reports. Indeed, our view is that the likely negative effects of the lockdowns and social distancing, combined with the cross-party aspirations for levelling up, make our draft Spatial Plans even more relevant as a very practical and transparent road map to delivering an equitable, sustainable future for the Regions of England - in the shortest possible time. One Powerhouse Consortium Board and RSA January 2021 About the One About the RSA Powerhouse Consortium The One Powerhouse The RSA (Royal Society Consortium, supported by for the encouragement The Sir Hugh and Lady Sykes of Arts Manufactures and Charitable Trust, believes that a Commerce) believes in a substantial part of the problem world where everyone is able of regional inequality can be to participate in creating a solved not just by money, but better future. Through our by the transformative potential ideas, research and a 30,000 of spatial planning. Working strong Fellowship we are a with recognised leaders in global community of proactive problem solvers. We unite people and ideas to resolve the creating draft spatial plans challenges of our time. for the ‘mega regions’ of England to sit alongside the existing spatial plans for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. AECOM are a global network of experts working with clients, communities and colleagues to develop and implement innovative solutions to the world’s most complex challenges. As an integrated multi-disciplinary consultancy, AECOM Town Planning works alongside technical experts in economics, transport, utility infrastructure, environmental resilience and data analytics to ensure a holistic approach to spatial planning. © 2019 AECOM Limited. All Rights Reserved. This document has been prepared by AECOM Limited (“AECOM”) for sole use of our client (the “Client”) in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked document. No third party may rely upon this document without the prior and express written agreement of AECOM. CONTENTS Introduction p.06 One Powerhouse Consortium 06 AECOM 08 Approach 10 Regional Blueprint 12 Part I: Context p.14 Assumptions about the Future 16 Importance of Spatial Planning 18 Spatial Relationships 20 Economic Context 22 Growth Context 25 Part II: Evidence Base p.28 Prosperity & Innovation 30 Placemaking 32 Resilience 34 Infrastructure 36 Connectivity 38 Challenges to Opportunities 40 Part III: Regional Blueprint p.42 The Regional Blueprints 44 Prosperity & Innovation 46 Connectivity 50 Housing Delivery 54 Levelling the Playing Field 60 Climate Change & Resilience 64 Institutional Framework 68 Infrastructure Programme 74 Megaregion Priorities 82 3 TOWARDS A SPATIAL BLUEPRINTThis ‘spatial blueprint’ for London and The One Powerhouse Consortium For London and the wider south east the wider South East of England prepared working with the Royal Society of Arts it is clear that we need a broader, more by AECOM is one of a series of plans has supported and coordinated this work joined-up approach to decisions over which contribute to a national picture and a series of draft spatial ‘blueprints’ housing and new community growth, of the challenges and opportunities of for the megaregions of England, which how and where to invest in transport balanced growth in the United Kingdom. when combined with the spatial plans infrastructure, where to focus on long- for the devolved nations gives a picture term economic opportunity and also This ‘blueprint’ brings together a of the challenges and opportunities for target social and economic inequalities, multi-discipline analysis of the drivers the United Kingdom that has not been and also how to tackle environmental of economic growth and prosperity; set out before. The ambitions of the challenges – all of which cannot be the current picture of inequality; One Powerhouse Consortium, aligned resolved by the capital without fully existing infrastructure investment and with that of the UK2070 Commission, are recognising the interdependencies with connectivity; addressing the housing described on the following pages and the wider city region. challenge; and also building a resilient sets out the challenges. and sustainable future. It projects On the national scale, this regional forward to look at where we may The aim of preparing these draft blueprint – which focuses on the most be in 2070 and proposes an outline ‘blueprints’ is to demonstrate the economically prosperous part of the programme of long term coordinated potential of regional spatial planning country – when taken with the other investment and action which would and show how it could lead to better regional plans, sets the context for a lead to more balanced and sustainable decision-making and prioritisation of national conversation about the long growth across this wide region. investment across the country. term priorities for the United Kingdom. The blueprint is a call for a reawakening of the role for regional and national spatial planning as an effective tool to assess and understand how to tackle inequality, rise to the challenge of climate change and where to focus investment to have the greatest impact. 4 Priorities to Government Embrace the Fourth Industrial This “blueprint” provides a starting Revolution point that synthesises the key issues 01 at a megaregional scale and provides a vehicle to begin a conversation on the benefits of spatial planning for the Invest in the Priority Economic megaregion - and the UK more widely. 02 Clusters The Regional Blueprint for London and the Wider South East sets out 10 priorities. Deliver Planned & Proposed 03 Transport Invest in Urban Integrated 04 Transport Systems Transform how we Live 05 Enable Investment in Utility 06 Infrastructure Designation of Areas of Biodiversity 07 and Environmental Net Gain Pursue a Flexible Green 08 Belt Policy Tackle the Housing Crisis 09 Deliver a Regional Spatial Plan 10 for the megaregion 5 OPC Regional Blueprint for the South East - Introduction ONE POWERHOUSE CONSORTIUM. Spatially-sensitive policy is not A Vision for Britain. Regional Inequality in simply a matter of social justice Planned. the UK and political prudence. Regional prosperity drives national prosperity The One Powerhouse Consortium, Today, just under half of the UK and so regional imbalance constrains supported by The Sir Hugh and Lady population live in regions with a overall performance. Accommodating Ruby Sykes Charitable Trust, believes comparable productivity to the poorer agglomeration in some places while that a substantial part of the problem parts of former East Germany – and servicing mounting welfare bills in others of regional inequality in the UK can comparable living standards are worse. damages the UK’s fiscal balance and be solved not just by money, but by According to the recent UK2070 exacerbates the underlying problem. the transformative potential of spatial Commission, the UK today is more planning. intraregionally unequal than Germany was in 1995. Since reunification, Germany The Value of Place and Spatial planning is the ‘where’ has since pulled itself together, through Scale of decisions. It looks at a defined decisive investment programmes geographical area and makes an underpinned by visionary spatial There is evidence that spatial planning assessment of everything contained in planning. During a similar period the UK, has already begun to deliver results in the that area – towns, cities, housing, schools, on the other hand, has fragmented. UK. We are not alone in recognising that universities, roads, rails, airports, offices, the two ‘regional economies’ that have factories, hospitals, energy sources, The nature and extent of the so-called the highest levels of productivity are museums, parks and leisure activities ‘North-South’ divide can be presented those where there are coherent regional - and makes a plan to develop those in many forms. Maps showing economic economic plans: London and Scotland. assets for the benefit of the people who productivity, educational attainment and live in that region, now and for the future. poor health all present sharp disparities Indeed, in England, there is good between regions and nations. Current work taking place through some Local It is well understood that countries forecasts suggest the situation will only Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and and regions around the world have used get worse and that in fact the economy of Combined Authorities and Mayoralties spatial planning to focus political will, London and the South East is ‘decoupling’ but not all. In strategic planning and economic activity and social reform to from the rest of the UK (McCann 2016). investment terms, these tend to be great effect. Notable examples include The repercussions are stark and grow rather small and the outcome is rather Germany’s Rhine-Ruhr, Holland’s more evident all the time. patchwork. Randstad and New York City’s Regional Plan Association. While bemoaning the growth of regional inequality in the country,