Development around stations Exploring international experience and lessons for the UK www.cbtthoughtleadership.org.uk Contents Introduction 3 Benefits development around stations can bring 4 Raise money for Network Rail 5 Meet housing goals 6 Case study: Switzerland and Geneva 7 New and reopened stations and lines as catalysts for growth 8 Regenerate communities through improving gateways 8 Case study: Fixing the Link 9 Case study: cycling to stations in the Netherlands 10 Improve liveability 11 Improving and investing in stations 12 Case study: Inverness and Aberdeen 14 Case study: Dundee 16 Case study: Dudley Port 16 Case study: Switzerland 16 Options for institutional structures 17 In house/public sector 17 Case study: Sweden, Jernhusen AB 18 Case study: the Netherlands 20 Private sector 21 Case study: East Japan Railway 22 Mixture of the two 23 Case study: Stockholm 24 How to judge success 25 Policy recommendations 26 References 28 Acknowledgements 29 Tracks 31 2 Introduction Several separate but related This report suggests that the themes have prompted this experience of railway administrations report: the need for more houses; in other countries shows that a a requirement for Network Rail longer-term approach has succeeded (NR) to reduce its debt; and the in addressing a variety of societal ever more urgent requirement problems as well as providing greater for developments to be genuinely revenues for the railway. sustainable. This report therefore looks at Sir Peter Hendy, NR’s chairman, ways of maximising the economic, responded to the Treasury’s social and environmental benefits pressure to reduce its debt by to be gained from treating railway planning to sell £1.8 billion worth stations as primary development of assets. Choosing this short-term hubs. It then offers a number of approach opens up a number of options for realising those benefits, questions. It can be argued that a and suggests ways in which their more considered approach could success can be measured. It lead to a higher return for NR and describes how other countries wider benefits for the railway and have addressed this and makes society at large. recommendations on ways forward. 3 Benefits development around stations can bring Rising populations, seemingly future, uplifting architecture and inexorable urbanisation and a health the engagement of a variety of crisis caused by vehicle pollution stakeholders. Benign modes of and obesity make railway stations transport are at the heart of the one of the most critical pieces of process, and many countries and infrastructure for the functioning conurbations realise that the of cities. They therefore have huge future lies in creating attractive, value. This is widely recognised, multi-purpose and largely car-free but there is huge disparity between spaces around transport hubs. By countries in the degree to which the capturing the rising property values opportunities have been embedded in from the synergies of good place- national or local policy. making, public investment can be funded by commercial gain through Successful long-term developments such mechanisms as business need ‘place-making’ based on rate supplements and developer thorough research, imaginative contributions.1 thinking about the needs of the 4 Raise money for have been carried out for decades, better to plan a bespoke depot on Network Rail usually at the insistence of the cheaper land and realise the value Treasury. Little or no thought of the urban site. was given to future needs or the Commercial developments at possibility of the revival of rail East Japan Railway has also stations and on railway land are as transport. Much of the low-hanging adopted this approach of relocating old as railways, but in Britain there fruit has gone, so more creative lower-value activities. For instance, was a presumption against railways ways have to be found to develop a shopping centre was built at becoming property developers; what remains. Hiratsuka station on land previously London’s Metropolitan Railway had occupied by a warehouse, while the to develop 3,000 acres along its line mall at Kawagoe was built on land at arm’s length, but such restraints One of the three areas that NR freed up by building an elevated have disappeared in the quest for is focusing on in its attempt to station. At Shinagawa a train depot cash. Despite decades of sales by raise £1.8 billion is understood to was moved further out of the city British Rail Property Board, there be passenger train maintenance and running lines realigned to are still substantial amounts of depots. There is little justification release land for development.2 railway-owned land, and identifying for having such depots on urban suitable sites for development land that could be redeveloped, The benefits of developing has become a priority for NR and apart from proximity to a workforce. brownfield sites rather than Transport for London (TfL). Providing there are suitably located booking-on points and sufficient consuming more countryside has been emphasised by Swiss The historic land-hungry nature of overnight stabling and cleaning studies. As Jacques Herzog of railways in urban areas provides the facilities near stations where trains Swiss architects Herzog and de industry with a legacy that can be start their journey, the maintenance Meuron said: ‘in our urban planning turned to great advantage. Changed can be done on low-value land. research for Switzerland, which we logistics, coupled with the decline Bombardier chose rural Barton- of traditional rail freight, has freed under-Needwood for its Central conduct at the Federal Institute up land. This has most commonly Rivers TMD to maintain Voyagers of Technology in Basel, we put a been converted to station car-parks, rather than an urban site. strong focus on already developed but there are other activities that but now neglected sites: abandoned do not require a high land-value Moreover, as many trains are rail yards…rail and tram depots location, such as train maintenance. lengthened to address rising and the like. On these sites we can Equally, rising land and rental demand, or new fleets introduced, condense the construction to create values make raft developments over the current facilities are often new urban places and provide more stations increasingly feasible. inadequate and would require residential and office space without significant investment to allow consuming any more land.’ Sales of what was thought to be a whole train to be lifted, for redundant railway land in Britain example. It might therefore be 5 Meet housing goals car-parks and many other surplus above and around Nine Elms station or underused sites. Rather than on the Northern line extension. selling land, TfL has chosen 13 The development will see the The urgent need for housing has partners, including house builders delivery of 332 new homes, 84 of led to an agreement between NR Barratt, Berkeley, Taylor Wimpey them affordable. It will also provide and the Homes and Communities and Redrow, with which to develop 5,332m2 of new office space, 902m2 Agency (HCA) to find potential sites, sites in joint ventures. Initially 75 of retail and leisure space as well reflecting the government’s wish ‘to ensure further opportunities are sites covering 300 acres are being as a new public square, pedestrian grasped to put stations at the heart worked on, of which two-thirds are and cycle connections, cycle parking of wider community regeneration’, in Zones 1 and 2. TfL’s wider plan is and disabled car-parking spaces. as former Secretary of State for to generate £3.4 billion in non-fare The development will improve local Transport Patrick McLoughlin revenue by 2023 to reinvest in facilities and provide new revenue expressed it. The National Planning the transport network through its for TfL to reinvest. Policy Framework3 looks to reduce property development framework. the need for travel and to develop TfL is fortunate to still have sites land around transport hubs, so The first sites include a long-derelict on this scale to redevelop, but the housing around stations meets such depot site at Parsons Green, plans ability to take a longer-term view policy criteria as using brownfield for 20 town houses on a strip of land is thanks to freehold ownership. land and sustainable development. close to fashionable Thurloe Square No train operating company (TOC) in South Kensington, land around has that benefit, and the principal The first fruits of the NR/HCA Southwark and Bermondsey stations attempt to overcome that handicap collaborations were announced in is earmarked for about 300 homes in Abellio’s Greater Anglia franchise April, for three sites: 2,500 homes apiece and other locations under has not been replicated in more and 100,000m2 of office space consideration are Harrow-on-the-Hill, recent franchises (it did form part are earmarked for a ‘sustainable Northwood and Kidbrooke. At Bond of the West Coast franchise until new community’ at York; a mix of Street flats are being built above that collapsed following Virgin’s offices, shops, restaurants, cinema, the new Crossrail station. Even TfL’s successful challenge). Taking over hotel and 49 homes at Taunton; Grade I listed headquarters building in February 2012, Abellio Greater and land around Swindon station at St James’s Park, designed by Anglia has stations on a 99-year has been identified for housing and Charles Holden, is being converted full repairing and insuring lease commercial development.4 into 89 apartments. But by far (FRI), designed to facilitate longer- the largest current development term and larger investments which The recent £44 million is Earl’s Court where TfL owns the would be passed on to successive modernisation of Manchester land around the exhibition centre. operators at the termination of the Victoria station, voted in 2009 A partnership with Capco will see franchise period.6 ‘the worst station in the country’, 7,500 homes built on 77 acres.