Urban Regeneration (Hansard, 1 December 1987)

§ Mr. Heddle
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in theOfficial Report (a) the number of applications received for urban regeneration grants since introduction of the scheme, (b) the number of grants given, (c) the total amount of all grants given and (d) (i) shortest, (ii) longest and (iii) average time taken to process applications for grant.

§ Mr. Trippier
Since the introduction of urban regeneration grant over 30 schemes have been discussed with the Department, 13 of which are being appraised. A £3.25 million offer of grant was awarded on 19 October for a scheme at Round Oaks steelworks, Dudley. Detailed discussion with the developer commenced during May of this year.

§ Mr. Heddle
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the condition of 20 acres as the cartographical criterion for an urban regeneration grant.

§ Mr. Trippier
We shall shortly review the progress of urban regeneration grant.

§ Mr. Heddle
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in theOfficial Report specific details of each scheme administered by his Department and directed towards inner-city renewal arid urban regeneration in both public and private sectors.

§ Mr. Trippier
Details of the programmes operated by my Department to encourage urban regeneration and inner-city renewal are as follows:The Urban Programme
The urban programme is a special allocation of resources to selected local authorities to support a wide 549W range of projects aimed at economic regeneration, improving the environment and relieving social need in urban areas. Local authorities receive grant at 75 per cent. from central Government towards the cost of approved projects which must form part of a co-ordinated inner area programme for a district.
Urban Development Grant
The urban development grant scheme is used to encourage the economic and physical regeneration of inner urban areas by attracting private sector investment projects which would not otherwise take place in such areas, which strengthen the local economy and bring land and buildings back into use. Assistance offered is the minimum necessary to make a project commercially viable. Since 1983, £127 million of UDG grants have been approved which will lever at least £526 million of private investment.
Urban Regeneration Grant
Urban regeneration grant is intended to promote the economic and physical regeneration of older urban areas affected by industrial change, by enabling the private sector to redevelop large sites and refurbish large groups of buildings. It differs from UDG as it is specifically targeted at large scale schemes and grant is paid direct to private sector owners and developers and not through local authorities. UDG and URG are not available for schemes which appear profitable and feasible without Government help.
Derelict Land Grant
Derelict land grant is designed to encourage the re-use of land which has been so damaged by former industrial or other development that it cannot be used without treatment. In assisted areas and derelict land clearance areas grants for reclamation are paid at 100 per cent. to local authorities and at 80 per cent. to private sector owners. Elsewhere, the rate is 50 per cent. for all applicants. Priority is given to schemes which will provide land for housing, industry or commerce.
Land Registers
Land registers of unused and underused land owned by public authorities are held by the Department to help prospective developers to obtain the release of particular plots. The Department has powers to direct public owners to sell land, which is registered, on the open market.
Urban Development Corporations
Urban development corporations are set up by the Government with the objective of regenerating their designated areas. They have powers to acquire, reclaim and service land, to bring land and buildings into effective use, to promote new development, and the creation of housing and social facilities. The London Docklands and Merseyside development corporations have been in operation since 1981. Four more development corpora-tions were set up in 1987: Trafford Park, Teesside, Tyne and Wear, and the Black Country.
Enterprise Zones
As an experiment to encourage development by deregulation, 17 enterprise zones have been set up in England since 1981. These help to unlock land for industry and commerce by removing tax burdens and relaxing administrative and planning controls. The zones have led to the development of 700 hectares of land. £90 million has been spent to improve their infrastructure and unlock their potential.
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Simplified Planning Zones
Under the 1986 Housing and Planning Act local planning authorities can encourage development, par-ticularly in older urban areas, by establishing simplified planning zones. SPZs provide planning permission for a 10 year period for those types of development specified in the scheme for which there is no planning application fee.
Estate Action
Estate Action was launched in June 1985 to work with local authorities to develop innovatory solutions to the problems arising on their run-down housing estates. It encourages a wide range of approaches. These include:

(i) new ways of running estates (such as tenant management co-operatives and trusts);

(ii) measures to diversify tenure;

(iii) the involvement of private sector financial resources and skills;

(iv) estate based management initiatives which give tenants greater involvement and control (such as Priority Estate Projects and Community Refurbishment Schemes).