§ The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Lord Rooker)My right honourable friend the First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
I have published today a second progress report on the £22 billion Sustainable Communities Plan, titled Making it Happen: The Northern Way. It looks at the successes since the Communities Plan was published in February 2003, and at the challenges still to come. This follows on from the first statement, published in July 2003 on the Thames Gateway and the growth areas.
The statement reports on the action being taken to regenerate our established urban and rural communities in the north and the midlands. It recognises the new confidence and energy that can be found in many of our northern and midland towns and cities, and seeks to build on this.
We recognise that establishing sustainable communities in the north is as much about economic growth and employment as it is in the rest of the country. The statement makes clear that the north needs a long-term vision to exploit fully the economic and transport corridors connecting it—a "Northern Way", which looks east to west as well as north to south.
This idea of a Northern Way—a bold vision that exploits the economic and transport corridors that bind the north—is an example of the new ways of thinking that we need to tap the potential of the north.
We are convinced of the potential for an economic renaissance in the north, and we have pledged to work 16WS with the RDAs and the regional planning bodies to develop this vision, together with other key partners. This is alongside the other work that the Government are already doing to improve the relative economic performance of the north.
The report I am launching today offers a vision for renewal and growth that will bring the jobs, investment and renewed housing that can create truly sustainable communities across the northern regions.
We are working to revive communities, renew the homes and rebuild the streets in the areas most affected by abandonment and decay. I am announcing today that the Merseyside market renewal pathfinder will receive £86 million and that the Newcastle/Gateshead market renewal pathfinder will receive £69 million until March 2006 to help to tackle the terrible problems caused by low demand. This is in addition to an allocation of £4 million each for an early action programme.
By March 2006, Merseyside expects to deliver: the demolition of over 2,700 redundant and obsolete homes, the refurbishment of 325 homes, over 1,600 new homes built and the widespread delivery of additional management measures designed to overcome the problems of low demand.
By March 2006, Newcastle/Gateshead expects to deliver: the demolition of almost 2,000 redundant and obsolete properties, 100 new homes built, over 2,000 homes refurbished, and around seven hectares of land acquired for potential later development.
Other announcements today include:
27 pilot areas have been identified to receive a share of the £89 million Liveability Fund, and these are listed in the progress report. This will help them to develop innovative models for delivering a high quality local environment.
We are creating a 16th urban regeneration company in Gloucester. Initial targets are to provide 3,000 new homes and 2,000 new jobs and to attract up to £400 million of private sector investment over 10 years.
We are also providing funding to support the creation of a regional centre of excellence in every region. These will be used to improve the skills of people involved in the delivery of sustainable communities.
We will be holding a Creating Sustainable Communities Summit in Manchester at the start of 2005, following on from the successful urban summit in 2002.
The statement includes examples of the excellent work being done by our delivery partners—such as local authorities, English Partnerships, the regional development agencies, the Housing Corporation and urban regeneration companies—and of how we can work together in future to deliver a step change in sustainable communities.
I am also publishing today nine regional annexes, providing short progress reports on the delivery of the Sustainable Communities Plan in each English region.
17WSCopies of Making it Happen: The Northern Way and the regional annexes have been sent to all English Members. Further copies of the report and annexes are available in the Libraries of both Houses, and on the website of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister at: www.odpm.gov.uk/communities.