星空传媒

One of the hot topics is set to be the regeneration of Oldham and Rochdale, and how it will be hit by the Department for Transport鈥檚 shelving of the Metrolink tram extension (HT 30 July, page 7).

Critics have censured the government for a lack of 鈥渏oined-up thinking鈥� in Manchester but those of us working in regeneration need to reflect on how joined-up our approach to delivering sustainable communities is.

How many of us are pursuing opportunities at transport nodes 鈥� not just the principal locations such as King鈥檚 Cross or Stratford in London but in the satellite town centres?

There are still hundreds of failing, small town centres built in the 1960s that have struggled to become vibrant places in which people want to live. They have good public transport connections but are frequently surrounded by council estates that haven鈥檛 been able to generate enough spending power to sustain quality shopping and leisure facilities. As a result, local jobs were lost.

It is now accepted that, if reliable public transport is provided, people will get out of their cars and move back into town centres.

While many wait for Crossrail in London and other major transport projects to be funded by the government, existing opportunities to deliver homes and jobs in town-centre locations should be sought.

We can鈥檛 accuse the government of not making housing a priority: it鈥檚 been many decades since housing has been so high on the national agenda. Gordon Brown and even Tony Blair have acknowledged the importance of the sustainable communities agenda. ODPM minister Keith Hill has driven through a new planning regime while accepting amendments that were seen as critical by the public and private sectors. New processes, more money, consistent commitment and political priorities have been delivered.

The major test at the 2005 summit will be: has this translated into the delivery of more new homes in mixed communities with the necessary infrastructure?

It is disappointing that other government policies are likely to undermine the scale of housing delivery 鈥� or at least delay it

It is somewhat disappointing, therefore, that other policies are emerging that are likely to undermine the scale of delivery 鈥� or at least delay it. Housing and mixed-use developments are being asked to provide a wide range of social and physical infrastructure and community benefits at a time when interest rates are rising rapidly to slow down the housing market.

Many construction-related policies, such as the hazardous waste regulations and increased building performance standards will add to project costs. These are all standards we need to aspire to for 21st-century buildings; it is the speed of change that needs to be moderated.

In London, mayor Ken Livingstone鈥檚 insistence on 50% affordable housing in residential and mixed-use schemes has come at the same time as the restriction on section 106 planning gain schemes. This is exacerbating the length of time taken to conclude planning negotiations.

It is somewhat puzzling that these demands do not extend to commercial developments, even when such schemes generate jobs that, in turn, will stimulate the need for new homes.

This is likely to result in land 鈥� mainly in central metropolitan areas and other local town centres 鈥� being secured for commercial schemes rather than for homes or mixed-use developments. Such policies are likely to result in yet more locations where people cannot live close to their workplace.

The summit may be closely followed by the next general election. Wouldn鈥檛 it be fantastic if, between now and then, all the strategic sites in the planning system could be granted and the constant policy changes reviewed.

In this way, the government could show it is well on the way to delivering the step change so desperately needed.