UDC shake-up will recast planning roles

A Government review of Urban Development Corporations is set to strengthen delivery arrangements and increase local planning responsibilities, communities ministers Shahid Malik and Ian Austin have said.

The shake-up will affect the Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation (TTGDC) and West Northamptonshire Development Corporation.

Under these new arrangements TTGDC staff dealing with several large regeneration projects in Thurrock will be incorporated into the Homes and Community Agency (HCA).

The TTGDC team will continue to be based in Thurrock and will be bolstered by additional HCA support as they work on redevelopment projects in Purfleet and the London Gateway port in Shellhaven.

The London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC) will continue in its current form until after the Olympic Games and work with partners on regeneration at London Riverside but concentrating increasingly on the regeneration of the Lower Lea Valley.

LTGDC will work with the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) on helping to secure a lasting legacy from the Games for east London. A review of its future will take place at the time the ODA is wound up and the ODA's and LTGDC's planning responsibilities discharged.

In a related development the London Boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets and Hackney have been invited by Communities and Local Government to submit proposals for a new planning regime for the Lower Lea Valley. CLG has also asked the two London Riverside boroughs of Havering and Barking and Dagenham to propose a new planning regime for their area.

Meanwhile, CLG has decided that the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC), which supports regeneration in Northampton, Daventry and Towcester, will now concentrate on strategic delivery of key projects with more joint working with partners.

One consequence will be that WNDC will return planning responsibilities to the local planning authorities. It is currently responsible for applications of 50 or more homes as well as most applications in the centre of Northampton.

From April 2011 it will concentrate on planning applications for schemes of 200 homes or more and major commercial schemes across the area.

Thames Gateway minister Shahid Malik, responsible for regeneration in the London and Thames Gateway said: "The new arrangements will ensure we continue regeneration in these areas during these tough times. Not only will the changes improve efficiency they will help us drive forward key regeneration projects such as the Olympic Park, the London Gateway port at Shellhaven and the redevelopment of Purfleet, in the coming years."

Regeneration minister Ian Austin, responsible for regeneration in West Northamptonshire, said: "The regeneration and sustainable growth of Northampton, Daventry and Towcester remains an important priority and will benefit from a stronger, more focused UDC working closely with local authorities and communities.”

Read the CLG press release

Roger Milne
21 January 2010