Innovacion

Barking up the wrong tree

The halting of the development of the light rail extension needed for 11,000 new homes at Barking Riverside throws up a number of questions about our appetite for seeing through major developments in urban brownfield locations.

In November 2008 the Mayor of London halted the public inquiry process for the proposed Docklands Light Rail (DLR) extension to Dagenham Dock to give time for DLR to negotiate with the Mayor’s office and the Government over who will fund the ongoing developmental costs as well as the final £500 million bill. This pause gives the opportunity to reflect on what the DLR scheme’s progress to date tells us about our appetite for bringing forward major urban developments and transport infrastructure schemes, and what this means for the policy that espouses such an approach.

Rumfitt A; "Barking up the wrong tree"; Town & Country Planning (March 2009)

Download Barking up the wrong tree (TCPA March 2009) 

How Sunderland got 91% of its young offenders engaged in education, employment or training and exceeded the national average by 20%

By obtaining comprehensive and timely data, creating a Difficult to Place Panel, developing an innovative New Direction programme and agreeing restorative justice contracts with 60 local firms Sunderland City Council's Youth Offending Service has increased the proportion of young offenders in employment, education or training from 76% in 2004 to 91% in 2008, 20% above the national average.  The New Direction programme is an award winning unpaid work scheme for long term unemployed offenders that develops ‘trade skills’ in young people.

Read more in Innovacion's case study in IDeA's Partnership and Places library

How Tower Hamlets successfully integrated their Local Development Framework with their Community Plan

Following the withdrawal of their first Local Development Framework Core Strategy in 2006, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets has linked a new version with their Community Plan.  Planners have been closely involved in revising the Community Plan for the area to 2020 and turning the Local Development Framework into the delivery plan for the vision of creating "One Tower Hamlets" and improving social cohesion.  The innovative spatial idea is re-inventing the 24 hamlets of the Borough through detailed place plans whose delivery will be managed through the Local Strategic Partnership.

Read more in Innovacion's case study in IDeA's Partnership and Places library