Together we can make it a reality (From The Northern Echo)

Together we can make it a reality

10:42am Wednesday 16th July 2008 in Campaigns By Mark Tallentire

EVERYONE must work together to ensure the Regional Spatial Strategy’s (RSS) vision for the North-East in 2021 becomes reality, a planning expert has said.

Pat Ritchie, assistant chief executive at regional development agency One NorthEast, said it was important to set out a positive vision, but targets must be translated into results on the ground.

Following the Shaping the Future campaign, the Government’s planning blueprint sets aspirational goals for improving the region’s housing, transport and jobs up to 2021.

Communities Minister Baroness Andrews said yesterday: “We want to deliver a high quality of life for present and future generations by addressing housing shortages, strengthening the economy, modernising transport networks, protecting the environment and tackling climate change.”

Responding to the comments, Mrs Ritchie said: “I think that’s what we would aspire to. Those involved – local authorities, the RDA and its partners – would aspire to continue economic growth in a way that’s sustainable for the North-East.

“We need to work to ensure it becomes a reality in times, at the moment, where there are difficulties in the economy, although there are still areas of growth.”

Asked about what changes the region will see by 2021, Mrs Ritche said more people could be working in renewable energy, science and technology.

Planners will focus on transport, with the aim of cutting the distance and time people travel to work; and ask whether North-East housing stock is still appropriate.

The key points of the vision outlined in the RSS published yesterday are:

● The building of 128,900 homes by 2021;
● Increasing the region’s Gross Value Added (GVA) rating to 2.8 per cent per year;
● 3,400 extra hectares of land for business use;
● Improved public transport, rail links, parking policies and congestion cutting initiatives, with a focus on the A1, A19 and A66; and the East Coast, Durham Coast and Tees Valley rail lines;
● Improved public transport and affordable housing in rural areas;
● Significant cuts in carbon emissions, with a view to achieving a 60 per cent cut by 2050;
● Generating 10 per cent of energy from renewable and low energy sources, including wind farms;
● Recycling or composting 46 per cent of household waste by 2016;
● The creation of priority areas for development, regeneration and conservation;
● Protecting the World Heritage Sites of Hadrian’s Wall and Durham Cathedral and Castle, while promoting tourism;
● Protecting green belt land around Tyne and Wear, Durham City and Tees Valley.

Mrs Ritchie said: “The region has come a long way in the past ten years in changing its economy. It still has further to go but we can build on that and I think it’s quite important that we set out a realistic yet aspirational vision for continuing growth.”