Government policy should learn from the successful regeneration of West Northamptonshire, according to the latest research from LJMU’s European Institute of Urban Affairs. A report by Professor Richard Evans and Professor Michael Parkinson from the Institute has reviewed the performance of specialist Government body, the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation. It is set to close on 31 March this year, and is the UK’s last remaining Urban Development Corporation.
WNDC was established in 2004, in order to deliver 47,000 new homes and at least 37,000 new jobs. However, as the credit crunch took hold in 2009, it was re-focused on town centre regeneration. Since then, WNDC has supported a £1bn development programme in Northampton, ranging from waterside offices to a new Railway Station. Meanwhile, it has backed a series of improvements to Daventry and Towcester, including the award winning iCon Innovation Centre and the under-construction Moat Lane development.
Professor Richard Evans, Deputy Director of the European Institute of Urban Affairs, says lessons can be learned for UK-wide regeneration policy: “After almost a decade of delivery, spanning three towns and £120m of direct investment, much has been learned from WNDC’s experiences. By common consent it had a very difficult start, as the area simply wasn’t prepared for a massive amount of housing development in terms of infrastructure, planning policy and community support.
“However, once it shifted its priorities and working style, it achieved a remarkable turnaround. Cast in a more traditional role of promoting regeneration, rather than entirely new communities, it has proved to be a real success story. We encountered a range of views during our review, but even one-time critics have come round to accepting that it has been a big plus for the area.”
WNDC is governed by nine Board members, six of which are local authority members, meaning it is locally controlled. According to Professor Evans , the rest of UK can learn from this approach: “We’ve found that development corporations are most effective when they’re locally controlled and focused on regeneration. Alternative types of vehicle are better equipped to deliver major housing settlements. WNDC is a clear example of what can be achieved with the right focus and leadership”
The full report is available at:
http://www.wndc.org.uk/uncategorized/the-uk-can-learn-from-northamptonshire-says-institute/
