One year after the Campaign to Protect Rural England’s (CPRE’s) [1] 2006 report on the Thames Gateway, half the boroughs in the area show either regression or no progress in respect of five out of 10 key indicators.

This is the conclusion drawn by CPRE’s second report on the growth area, Focus on the Thames Gateway 2, published today (Monday). [2] The report shows that at least half the local authorities show regression or no improvement on:

• unemployment rates;
• educational attainment;
• access to local amenities and services;
• town centre renewal;
• green space management.

The record on green space management is particularly poor. [3]

However, the report also shows that most local authorities in the Thames Gateway achieved improvements in:

• using brownfield land for housing;
• using brownfield land for business development;
• making efficient use of land for housing;
• protecting environmentally designated sites;
• promoting good design.

Hilary Newport, CPRE’s spokesperson on the Thames Gateway, said:

‘This report shows there is still a long way to go in delivering our shared aspirations for the Thames Gateway.

‘The Government likes to talk about its ambitions for the Thames Gateway, but what really counts is what changes in the daily lives of ordinary people. We welcome progress in some important areas, but no amount of fine words can cover up important failures elsewhere.

‘All of the five failing trends we have identified will be of concern to the Government. But the particularly poor record in green space management presents a powerful challenge to the Thames Gateway Parklands project. This welcome initiative is intended to bring well-managed, accessible green space within easy reach of all Thames Gateway residents. But unless serious efforts are made by local authorities and Government to raise their game, it looks like it may be doomed to failure.’

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England. We advocate positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside. Founded in 1926, we have 60,000 supporters and a branch in every county. President: Bill Bryson. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen.

2. A hard copy of Focus on the Thames Gateway 2 is available on request from CPRE’s Press Office (tel 020 7981 2880).

3. Key trends identified in Focus on the Thames Gateway 2 are:

Unemployment rates
11 out of 18 boroughs show an adverse trend in respect of unemployment rates.

Educational attainment
Only nine out of 18 boroughs show an improving trend in respect of the achievement of NVQ level 3 or higher.

Land use (housing)
13 out of 18 boroughs show an improving trend in respect of the proportion of new housing built on previously developed sites.

Land use (commerce and industry)
12 out of 18 boroughs show an improving trend in respect of the proportion of new offices, shops and factories built on previously developed sites.

Access to local amenities and services
Only four out of 18 boroughs show an improving trend in respect of the proportion of new housing within easy reach of local amenities.

Town centre renewal (retail, office and leisure)
Only two out of the 15 boroughs where development has taken place are able to show that more new retail, office and leisure developments have been located in or close to town centres.

Housing - raising residential densities
10 out 18 boroughs show an improving trend in respect of the proportion of new residential dwellings that are built at densities in excess of only 50 dwellings per hectare.

Environment (green space management)
None of the boroughs are able to demonstrate an improving trend in respect of the percentage of total eligible green open space managed to Green Flag Award standard.

Environment (designated sites)
10 out 18 boroughs show an improving trend in respect of the protection of environmentally important sites.

Urban environment (design quality)
There has been a net increase of three (from seven to 10 out of 18) in the number of boroughs who have a councillor nominated to champion high design quality.