1. Planning and Regeneration in Hertfordshire
Mark Gaynor
Corporate Director Housing and Regeneration
23 April 2012

2. Planning and Regeneration in Hertfordshire
Economic, policy and political context
What’s happening to planning?
The Housing world
Hertfordshire challenges and response
How can we make regeneration work?
Maylands as a case study
What next?

3. Economic, Policy and political context
Economy

4. Economic, Policy and political context

5. Economic, policy and political context

6. Planning National Planning Policy Framework
Presumption in favour of sustainable development
Danger of out of date plans
Importance of evidence
Neighbourhood Plans
Community Infrastructure Levy

7. Neighbourhood Planning
Must conform to Local Strategic Plan – cannot reduce growth
Prepared by Town and Parish Councils and other neighbourhood groups
District Council has a duty to support
Subject to local referendum – 50% support
If so Local Planning Authority is compelled to adopt as planning policy
Government’s Neighbourhood Planning Front Runners
Evidence to date is that they are not all NIMBY

8. Housing How can the market be stimulated? Affordable Rent Model
Welfare reform uncertainty
Position of lenders going forward
Role of incentives –New Homes Bonus
Capacity and role of HCA
HRA self financing

9. HRA Self-financing
Dacorum Borough Council took on £354M debt at an average 3.27% interest
HRA Business Plan allows Decent Homes plus
£250M investment over 10 years
New Build programme per year and on HCA programme
Remodelling and resource efficiency works
Estate improvements
Opportunity for meaningful investment in regeneration and in communities

10. Hertfordshire challenges and response
Underperforming economy/huge potential
Mixed view on appetite for growth with particular reluctance for housing growth
Many Council’s some time from concluding their Core Strategy and Local Plan
Reduction in capacity and resources for regeneration
Herts Local Enterprise Partnership
Influence of Housing
Collaboration between Planning and Housing

11. Making regeneration work
Clarity and certainty over policy and commitment
Make it more likely that the private sector be interested – overtly pro business
Council to provide the leadership and facilitation
Flexible use of resources
Joint Venture/LABV
New approaches to infrastructure and enabling – TIF, NNDR flexibility, Growing Places Fund etc.

12. Dacorum Borough Council response
Clear prioritised delivery plan
Accelerated new homes delivery
Ensure capacity and intelligence in place
Strong Partnerships
Use of all available resources and powers

13. Dacorum Borough Council response
Add certainty and clarity to potential investors/developers
Business friendly planning
Preparedness to relax through LDOs and appropriate policy changes
Own land/own investment
Work in partnership

14. Maylands Business Park
Maylands potential
Buncefield & the response
The Enterprise Zone bid
Links with the GPF

15. Driving Forward Clear plans already in place DBC resourcing
Strong partnerships
Helping to build on our clear locational strengths
Flexing our policies

16. Growing Places Fund Spencer’s Park – Phase 1
infrastructure for development – Bid £1m
375 New Homes to be built by 2015.
Shovel ready & due to go to market May 2012.
New access and key road

17. Spencer’s Park – Phase 2
Masterplanning for Phase 2 to allow early development of second phase – Bid £0.5m
600 New Homes to be built by 2018.
Will facilitate delivery of the Hemel North East Relief Road to better serve Maylands

18. Maylands Gateway – Site 1
Planning policy change to include new housing
New access and key infrastructure for development
Site in single ownership - HCA
250 New Jobs.
200 New homes by 2018
Work commencing late 2013

19. Maylands Gateway – Site 2
Policy change to meet market demand
New access and key infrastructure- Bid to Growing Places Fund £2m
Site in single ownership - DBC
1000 New Jobs.
Work commencing 2013

20. Heart of Maylands
Project to give Maylands a vibrant mixed use scheme at its Heart.
Site Assembly needed
225 New Homes
250 New Jobs
Site Assembly commencing 2013

21. Outputs Summary
5 Sites
1750 New Jobs
1400 New Homes
250 Construction Jobs
£550 million of private investment

22. What should be done? Local authorities Housing Associations Developers
LSPs
Local Enterprise Partnership
HCA
CLG
Collaborative action/intelligence sharing
Lobbying/selling Herts