The Horncastle Observations on this important document
We understand that the purpose of this current consultation is to review three elements one being the soundness of the plan. On this aspect we have the following observations
First we simply don’t believe in the 21st century that it is really possible to plan fifteen years ahead, but given that there is a statutory requirement to do so, yours must be as broad and accommodating as possible.
Next we think the plan draft makes assumptions that do not take in to account barriers and challenges that may well not be overcome, should this prove to be the case does the plan have sufficient flexibility to allow organic growth to freely take hold and develop.
For example
(1) The plan employment land allocations go some way to reflect the recent concept of energy estuary as one of our reasons for being yet we don’t have an open and competitive port network. Realistically unless the ports become more competitive certain allocated sites, principally those with Enterprise Zone status will not come forward. What then, and of the EZ sites in the city region one relatively benign landowner controls the lions share?
(2) The premise that the regions growth opportunity is ports, renewables, and chemicals, the core of other plans is flawed and it would appear that much of this local plan relies on these sectors. If the region is to properly attend to market failures and create jobs and opportunity for our population (young and mature) a much wider view is necessary, that could mean accommodating businesses in other places. What flexibility does the plan have to allow this?
(3) The plan does not properly reflect the interrelatedness that exists between Hull and the East Riding over which there is actually one economy albeit with two councils and an artificial political boundary. Hull and East Riding depend on each other. Is there really a place for separate plans?
(4) The plan does not in anyway correlate to what is likely to happen in the real economy, nor can anyone forecast what that will be over such a period. Should it not simply be about facilitating and encouraging enterprise and opportunity to create local wealth and jobs?
You should consider the role of cities in the 21st century and look at successful city regions. We have a dying city, which in many ways has lost its purpose and needs to find and develop anew. A key component mentioned in the BBC’s recent programme mind the gap is highly relevant. London’s growth wasn’t the result of a plan, it is the result of allowing growth to happen in whatever form and nurturing it – how does this plan facilitate that?
Consider Bernard Manderville ‘Fable of the bees” of 1714 – you need some chaos and misbehavior as ingredients to any successful economy. Shouldn’t ‘lots of structure’ be replaced with ‘northern city region needs to survive’ and all plans should support that survival and growth.
(5) Castle Street the main corridor for commercial traffic through Hull is a well-known problem, East Riding as much as the Hull Council cannot ignore that. This plan is a fifteen-year one, and the Castle Street improvement may take a decade of that. What happens in the meantime?
(6) Has the cost of opening up sites been fully considered and has a full review been carried out as to provision of services and in dealing with abnormal’sand local market failure? What happens to East Riding towns that have lost their original purpose?
(7) Were does economic growth sit in this plan, are we actively going for growth or managing further decline? I hope for all local peoples sake it is the former but don’t see it.
(8) The policy on housing numbers may well be due to an attempt to limit East Riding build in favour of encouraging more house building in Hull. But what is to be done to encourage improvement in Hull Schools, the main reason why those who can afford it move to the East Riding when children reach school age. Again what about the inter-relatedness between the city and East Riding and social issues that are at work?
(9) Doesn’t the East Riding affordable policy contradict (8) in any event, in so far as the East Riding policy will serve to compete with low cost housing that is available in Hull?
Finally what about a more proactive approach to making things happen, rather than having specified enterprise zones, why not consider the whole of Hull and East Riding as an area that is open for enterprise and opportunity, so that the much wider job and wealth creation the regions people need becomes the key focus of everyone.