8. Regeneration

Why is this a strategic objective?

8.1 Notwithstanding the fact that Warwick District is generally an affluent area, there are pockets of deprivation. There are four areas within the District ranked in the top 30% most deprived nationally, namely Lillington East, Brunswick South East, Brunswick South West & Kingsway in Leamington, and Packmores West & The Cape in Warwick. These areas suffer deprivation particularly linked to income, education, skills and training. Rural deprivation is also a problem within the District but is often more isolated and dispersed across the rural area.

8.2 Regeneration can help to reverse economic, social and physical decline in areas where market forces will not do so without public sector support. It can tackle barriers to growth and unlock potential to help improve places to make them more attractive to residents and investors in order to improve opportunities. The Council in partnership with other bodies will continue to work to help regenerate the deprived wards by providing more economic and social opportunities for its residents, as well as improving the environment.

Evidence:

Participation

8.3 In response to the public consultation on the "Issues Paper", the majority of respondents considered that maintaining high levels of economic growth, including through the regeneration of deprived areas, was a high priority. Reducing poverty and social exclusion was also regarded as a high priority by over 60% of respondents. The importance of regenerating deprived areas has also been highlighted in meetings held in conjunction with work on the Sustainable Community Strategy with voluntary groups, the police and other interest groups.

Research

8.4 The following documents provide further evidence of the need for regeneration and the strategies currently in place:

• The English Indices of Deprivation 2007: Warwickshire County (Warwickshire Observatory) 2008 provides a relative ranking of areas across England according to their level of deprivation;
• Locality Profiles 2008 (Warwickshire Observatory) gives the latest indices of deprivation for wards in the district and highlights those within the top 25% deprived areas in the country. Information for population, deprivation, employment, education, health and other characteristics has been extracted from national statistics and a summary made for each of the towns and rural areas of the district to give a indication of individual strengths and weaknesses; and,
• Warwickshire Regeneration and Competitiveness Strategy 2006/2010 seeks to ensure that those in disadvantaged neighbourhoods can access training and employment opportunities which will improve their employability skills so that they can secure work.

National and Regional Planning Policies

8.5 Relevant national planning policy is contained within Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development (2005). This requires local planning authorities to promote urban and rural regeneration to improve the well being of communities, improve facilities, promote high quality and safe development and create new opportunities for the people living in those communities. They should also seek to integrate activities related to development and regeneration with other relevant strategies and programmes. Further guidance is given within 'Strong and Prosperous Communities' which strengthens local authorities ability to tackle disadvantaged, discriminated against and vulnerable people and communities through regeneration.

8.6 Regional planning policy within the RSS requires local planning authorities to work with community organisations, in partnership through the Local Strategic Partnerships, to deliver the urban renaissance. This includes facilitating the co-ordination of land use and investment decisions of service providers in order to ensure improved service delivery, including concentrating development and investment in areas where there is greatest need. Emphasis should also be given to locating growth where it can serve the needs of local regeneration areas.

What are the Options?

8.7 The Core Strategy must include policies to promote regeneration of its most deprived areas, which have been defined as those in the top 30% most deprived nationally. It is, however, a strategic document and it is not the purpose of the Core Strategy to set out the detailed policies and allocations required to improve those specific deprived areas. This would be more appropriately undertaken at the local level working with communities through the development of an area action plan or supplementary planning document for specific areas of the District.

8.8 The only option available for the Core Strategy is to therefore incorporate a strategic policy which sets a framework for subsequent more detailed work to be undertaken by the Council, its partners, and the local community within the deprived areas. This is therefore the Council's preferred option for the Core Strategy.