§ Ross CranstonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the incentives he provides for people to live in town centres; and if he will make a statement. [14330]
§ Ms KeebleGovernment planning policies (particularly PPGs 3 and 6) provide incentives by encouraging authorities to prepare town centre strategies, and to promote high quality, safe, attractive developments and places. Planning policies also encourage the provision of a wide range of housing types and sizes in urban areas, so as to meet the requirements of the whole community, including those in need of affordable housing.
PPG3 (Housing) gives priority to re-using previously developed land within urban areas in preference to the development of greenfield sites. This significantly increases the attractiveness of town centre locations to residential developers.
To support the redevelopment of vacant and under-used space over shops and other commercial premises, Budget 2001 introduced 100 per cent. capital allowances for owners and occupiers for the costs of creating flats in these locations for letting, enabling them to obtain up-front tax relief on their spending.
In addition to these national measures, there is plenty of locally targeted activity sponsored by English Partnerships and the regional development agencies. In the centre of Newcastle the city council, English Partnerships and the One North East Regional Development Agency have provided incentives through the "Living Over The Shops" project, supporting creation of new flats in upper floors of commercial buildings. The aim is to double the population of the Grainger Town area of the city centre by 2003. Yorkshire Forward is working with city of York council to redevelop land behind the city's railway station as 'York Central', a mixed use development creating jobs and nearly 3,000 new homes, to provide a new business district for the historic city.
Encouraging people to live in town centres is not just about housing, but also about the services and facilities they will find there. In Manchester city centre for instance the North West Development Agency has invested £1 million to enable the conversion of eight derelict railway arches into a vibrant leisure and retail development at Deansgate Locks.
The renaissance of city centres has taken on its own momentum. Again in Manchester, following the substantial investment by the Central Manchester Development Corporation and the North West Development Agency, new developments now take place without public subsidy, and market-led growth continues. Manchester's city centre population has grown from 300 in 1998 to an estimated 6,000 in 2000.