Whew, that's a relief then! According to Mike Hayes we're all on the same page in urging stability: "Change the policies; but not the process and let the IPC, HCA and LDF's find their feet."
I genuinely did sleep a bit better last night as a result of his response (when one gets through life relying so much on instinct and emotional intelligence, it is indeed a huge validation to be told that the boffins are in agreement with your analysis) and my New Best Friend, Leonora Rozee (another Big Banana at RTPI and - until recently - senior gal at the Planning Inspectorate) can write any time.
I've already nicked her "It has never been more important to have a robust, effective and confident planning system than now when we face national and global economic, social and environmental challenges on an epic scale. Planners need to step up to the plate and demonstrate their willingness to make the systems we have been given work" for a speech I'm giving in the new year.
Wonderful stuff from a genuine leader in her field (and sorry, Leonora, no royalties will be forthcoming; this is the blogosphere after all).
A cri de coeur for stability is definitely in vogue in our industry. And another cri de coeur must be to, please, get real.
Recognising the much smaller public purse for regeneration going forward, we will certainly need to forego our preoccupation with scale: much of the Grand Projets type of regeneration seen over the last decade or more is detached from community delivery and benefits.
We don't need any more Dubai-from-the-skies. We haven't got capacity for another Canary Wharf. Being hung up with large scale (in terms of volume delivered, timelines, regional/ national importance) has reduced the quality of local engagement and benefits.
Instead, BURA is advocating a return to Community-based Regeneration Initiatives and will be pushing for the re-introduction of "Local" Challenges (much as the old Heseltine "City Challenge" model). We will be looking at micro-financing programming (encouraging communities to be innovative with small pots of money similar to the Grameen Bank) and genuinely starting from the premise of uplifting the quality of life for the poor.
This next Brave New Year will be focused on refining the Public/Private Partnership Approach. BURA is in a unique position to advise on this as we know who is getting this right out there. The problems are centrally about an alignment of investment return horizons with much longer-term public good requirements that are less measurable (eg. social well-being, streetscape improvement, safety, vibrancy, etc).
Local Asset Backed Vehicles (LABVs) or their (rather cleverer) sibling Local Incentive Backed Vehicles (LIBVs) may have a part to play here but how this is packaged up in a four or three letter acronym is of secondary importance.
The regeneration sector urgently requires solutions now. Instead of being hung up on acronyms, there are already workable solutions which have been developed bottom up: BURA exists to share best practice on those solutions and we will be showcasing case studies of alternative models so that our members and the regeneration sector can begin to deliver again.
As Leonora says, let's get robust. And I say, while we're busy getting robust, guys, let's also get real.
Jackie
Great - and I'm with you on small scale community based initiatives as the way forward.
Best
Mike
Jackie - delighted to have provided some words for you to use. I also agree that a community focused approach is the best way forward, especially if we are to overcome the natural inclination for communities to oppose what they feel is being imposed on them. All power to your elbow!