Green Issues Newsletter - 26 June 2002
New report underlines community involvement as 'crucial'
Developers must raise their game and increase public participation - or
face further conflict and dispute in the planning process. That is the message
of a major new report to be launched at the House of Commons today by Green
Issues.
The report has been co-authored by Ian Christie, former Director of the
DEMOS think-tank, Diane Warburton - independent researcher / consultant on
sustainability, community and participation and Perry Walker of the New Economics
Foundation.
Taking a lead from the urge for increased public participation highlighted
in the Planning Green Paper, the report highlights the increasing pressures
on land and housing. It examines the national policy factors such as affordable
housing and transport infrastructure that add to 'a climate in which developers
and local communities are almost automatically geared up for confrontation
when proposals for local development are made'.
The report then looks at some of the innovative techniques used to promote
community participation, in the public and, increasingly, the private sectors.
It concludes that the development and construction industries lag far behind
other sectors, in terms of policy and of involving the public in decision
making over development.
Tom Curtin, Director of Green Issues said that 'community consultation
is and will become even more of a prerequisite for developers wishing to
avoid damaging and costly conflict with communities.
'Our experience is that consultation saves time and avoids conflict. The
potential for such conflict is getting greater by the day - even though fewer
and fewer people are taking part in public life.
'This report underlines how far communities and the voluntary sector have
come in encouraging people to take part in decisions affecting their area.
With housebuilding at an 80-year low, it is crazy for developers not to grasp
this agenda and get talking.'
Given the nature of the planning process, and the likely changes to speed
up the system resulting from the Planning Green Paper, this pressure is only
likely to increase.
To download a copy of the report visit www.greenissues.com
UK house building hits 'catastrophic' low
New Housing Minister Lord Rooker has condemned the low level of new house
building in Britain, calling the new-build rate 'nothing short of a national
disgrace'. Lord Rooker used his first speech since the reshuffle to warn
that unless more homes were built there would be problems for future generations.
Lord Rooker, who will be keen to make his mark on his department, added
that he is looking to the Treasury for funds to help address the current
problems – despite calling them penny-pinchers earlier this year. His
remarks were made following the recent revelation that the housing market
has reached a watershed - the number of households has overtaken the number
of homes for the first time since records began. This is coupled with the
fact that the current level of house building is the lowest since 1924.
Lord Rooker commented: 'We are the fourth largest economy in the world.
[The current level of] house building is nothing short of a national disgrace.'
He commented that homes in England are being replaced at the rate of only
0.1% a year, compared to 1% in the rest of Europe. If this continues, British
houses would need to last 1,000 years.
Lord Rooker's comments show a significant shift from his predecessor, Lord
Falconer. He aims to give the industry the boost it needs before the shortage
of housing spirals out of control.
Working with communities
At Green Issues, we recognise the potential problems that developers can face
when managing projects. Our aim is to help developers gain successful outcomes
particularly from contentious projects. We offer expertise particularly in the
areas of community liaison, local politics and crisis management.
For more information, please contact our Business Development Executive,
Lisa Turner on 0118 959 1211.
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