In addition to this webpage, Non-Governmental Organisations and Environmental Groups have also produced briefings on the Gateway which might be of interest. These include:
Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) briefing
WWF/Bioregional
report "One Million Sustainable Homes Campaign"
"The Thames Gateway in London can be seen as an opportunity to transform a poverty stricken and polluted area into a sustainable vision of the cities of the future based on communities, zero emissions, local services, green spaces and public transport. Or it can be seen as a front for the Government's desire to put housing up at any cost which the private sector is prepared to pay, further ghetoising the poor and failing to tackle problems of social exclusion and bad environment. The Greens are seeking to influence this process in favour of the people of London and the quality of life for future generations."
Originally, the Thames Gateway was a largely local authority lead initiative focussing on the regeneration of East London. In the early days, the Thames Gateway London Partnership (TGLP) was formed as a partnership of 13 local authorities, 5 universities, 2 Health Authorities, the Learning & Skills Council London East and the London Development Agency (LDA). Its remit was to work with the private sector, local communities and strategic agencies to deliver the economic, physical and social regeneration of the area surrounding the Thames in East London.
In 2000, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) selected the Thames Gateway region as a show-case for development and regeneration and expanded its boundaries outside of London, drawing in all the local authorities that border the Thames from central London to the mouth of the Thames (crossing into Essex and North Kent).
The Council's now affected by the Thames Gateway include:Thames Gateway London : Waltham Forest & Redbridge, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Newham, Greenwich, Havering & Barking and Dagenham, Bexley Thames Gateway East (South Essex): Thurrock, Basildon, Southend-on-sea Thames
Gateway South-East (Kent): Dartford, Gravesham, Medway and Sittingbourne |
These areas have been identified as "regeneration zones" for the development of, according to the Government, "sustainable" communities. The vision set out in the Government's <Thames Gateway Framework> was to 'set the framework for a sustained and sustainable programme of economic, social and environmental regeneration.'
Thames Gateway is now the responsibility of the Government-led body: the Thames Gateway Strategic Partnership (TGSP). This represents the following groups:
* 5 Government
Departments (Local Government, Transport, Trade and Industry, Education &
Skills, Health)
* 3 Gateway regional partnerships (London, South Essex, and
Kent),
* 3 Regional Development Agencies (the LDA for London)
* 3 Regional
assemblies (the GLA for London)
* Various NGOs such as the Environment Agency
The
TGSP has named five strategic areas:
*Inner Gateway, (48,000 new
houses and 213,000 extra jobs);
*Outer London Riverside (27,750 homes;
8,600 jobs);
*Central Gateway (47,300 homes; 51,600 jobs);
*South
East Essex, (Basildon and Southend 16,0000 homes; 21,000 jobs)
* Medway
Estuary (40,600 houses;31,000 jobs).
3
Thames Gateway |
| The
TGSP's "five strategic areas" |
LONDON | Canary
Wharf/Isle of Dogs | Inner
Gateway |
Barking/Havering
Riverside | Outer
London Riverside | |
KENT | Medway | Medway Estuary |
Kent Thameside | Central
Gateway | |
SOUTH ESSEX | Thurrock Riverside | |
Basildon | South
East Essex |
Click here for a rough map of
some of the planning bodies involved in the Gateway process in London based upon
Jean's understanding through the meetings of the EQL steering group. For further
information please contact the Thames
Gateway London Partnership.
Click here for guidance on terminology and acronyms
In February 2003, the ODPM published the Sustainable Communities Plan which prioritised development in London. It identified the Government Office for London (GOL), the GLA, local authorities, Housing Corporations, English Partnerships, English Heritage as key partners. It also established a Cabinet Committee (MISC22), overseeing the TGSP chaired by the Prime Minister, to consider the infrastructure and timescale of the development. Infrastructure includes such things as transport/utilities/housing/education/green space/flood management/quality of life.
In London, the TGLP has been identified by the Government as a key player in establishing the planning priorities for the Thames Gateway area inside London's border. However, the TGLPs powers are limited to negotiation and voluntary participation. It has sought to influence:
The drafting of the Mayor's London Plan (working with the GLA).
The drafting of the cross-Borough sub-regional frameworks (East region) - a daughter document of the London Plan.
The drafting of Local Authority Unitary Development Plans (UDPs) (working with the Councils).
The drafting
of investment programmes for the Government Office of London (GOL) and the London
Development Agency (LDA) - the two main recipients of regeneration funding from
the ODPM.
The drafting of Transport for London's (TfL) investment
strategy.
They are also in discussion with the utilities (electricity/water) about their plans for the area, in particular London Electric whom they hope to persuade to lay cables underground along the river.
In addition, they have asked the Environment Agency (EA) to fast-track a provisional decision about which sections of the Thames banks will need to be purchased for flood management. The EA has a six year research programme into the high level flood risk management options for the tidal Thames. However, the TGSP requires preliminary strategic flood risk assessments in the 14 Zones of Change.
Because of the overlapping nature of these strategy documents, a London Thames Gateway Partnership Board (London Board) has been created, comprising members of the TGLP, GLA, LDA, TfL, GOL, Housing Corporations and Borough Councils. This is jointly chaired by the Minister for London (GOL) and the London Mayor (GLA).
The 2003
Sustainable Communities Plan also established a new Urban Development Corporation
(UDC) for the East London region. The focus of the East London UDC will only be
three mostly brownfield areas:
* The Lower Lea Valley
* Barking and Havering
Riverside
* Thamesmead, Belvedere and Erith
How the London Board (chaired by the Mayor) and the East London UDC (under the ODPM) will work together is as yet unclear.
The ODPM is currently consulting on the role of the UDC.
You can download the consultation here.
Closing date for responses is 6th February 2004
In January 2004, the London Board are due to publish the first draft of their London Thames Gateway Development Investment Framework (TGDIF). This will just cover the TG region in London. It is principally being driven by the ODPM's Sustainable Communities Plan, the London Plan and Borough UDPs - the aim being brownfield regeneration, investment and house building. The Government expects to attract a large proportion of this investment from the private sector.
The Green Party of England and Wales opposes government proposals to build more houses in London and the South East region, especially if it is going to encroach upon greenfield sites.
More should be done to provide real employment in other regions where there are large numbers of empty houses, rather than allow ever-greater urbanisation of the Southeast. In the mean time renovation of buildings and brownfield development should be taxed less than greenfield development that will lead to villages sprawling into each other.
However, in the case of East London, there is no doubt that attention needs to be given to the areas bordering the Thames which have suffered years of badly managed industrialisation, pollution, poverty and neglect. If investment is to be made, the Greens believe it must be made in such a way to create sustainable communities, recognise the needs of the local people (employment and services), using energy from renewable sources, zero emissions, localisation, quality of life, open spaces and improved public transport.
Jean Lambert has been invited to sit on the Thames Gateway London Partnership's Environmental and Quality of Life Steering Group (EQL). This Group will advice the TGLP in its dialogue with central government and the London Board.
The TGLP has stated its commitment to sustainable communities with access to quality public services, employment and training and importantly, a safe and clean environment. It argues that the existing environment needs to be enhanced before new developments begin. The TGLP have proposed that a multi-functional Green Grid Network should be integrated into the Thames Gateway and that the new development should be 'sown' into it.
* Regeneration of existing barren
parks in East London.
* Development of areas serving as flood storage capacity,
wind breaks and noise / pollution barriers (wildlife reserves, tourist areas).
* Protecting the banks of tributaries from low-grade industrial use, enhancing
wildlife habitat and establishing a green routeway access to the Thames / adjacent
town centres.
* Identifying and enhancing industrial heritage sites (Lea Valley).
*
Identify demand led green routeways that link green spaces together and to town
centres, schools, high density housing areas (including future developments).
*
Identify partners and funding opportunities.
The Environment Agency has accepted that climate change is a reality and is rethinking the way London manages the Thames. Big concrete flood defences are no longer an option for London. Flood management - characterised by staggered flood plains on land reclaimed from development - will allow a natural overflow from the river. The EA is working with partners in the European Union (particularly Holland) sharing good practice. Its decision on land use will be central to the riverside developments.
The ODPM's Regional Planning Guidance requires the Council's along the Thames - from Tower Bridge to Tilbury - to complete a detailed appraisal of their stretches of the river. Annex 2 of the Draft London Plan also identifies the need for an appraisal of the "Blue Ribbon Network". The partnership established to do this is the Thames Strategy East comprised of the local councils, the TGLP, the GLA, LDA, Environment Agency, English Heritage and the Thames Estuary Partnership. They have commissioned Landscape Design Associates to plan how sustainable, integrated communities and services will be developed in this area - an area that includes all eight of London's Zones of Change and crosses into both Kent and Eastern Region.
The expectation is that the TSE strategy will be ready in September 2004 and should inform all other strategic plans for this area. It will set a framework for mapping and making the best use, access and approach to the Thames and the Thames riverside from Tower Bridge to Tilbury. It is designed to be a tool to facilitate high quality development, sustainable development and fulfil the statutory requirement for the boroughs.
We are waiting to see how this will this fit across the other planning strategies and how will it unravel the paradox between intensive centralised economic growth and biodiversity, habitat protection and sustainable communities.
East London Road River Crossing
The London Mayor wishes to build a "Thames Gateway Bridge" - a six lane strategic road, capable of carrying between 6,000 to 8,000 vehicles an hour - at the site of the proposed East London River crossing, a bridge which has been opposed by local people for over twenty years.
The Green Party is skeptical about merits of the Thames Gateway Bridge, a proposal which affects the whole of East London. The Greens want people to be given the choice of either a small scale, local public transport bridge in a site more suited to the demands of bus passengers, cyclists and pedestrians, or the chance to use this large sum of money on local traffic reduction schemes.
We are unclear as to any evidence that the new jobs which the Mayor claims this bridge will create, will go to local people in East London's poverty-stricken areas. Rather, we believe the bridge could allow commuters from outer London and the Thames Estuary to by-pass East London entirely.
We are also concerned that no Environmental Impact Assessment prior has been published prior to a public consultation. There has been no detailed assessment of the impacts of this new traffic on air quality.
The Greens are calling for housing refurbishment and new build to be brought up to a minimum of BRE EcoHomes "Excellent" standard with further development of "zero carbon emission" developments such as BedZed .
(see also WWW/Bioregional report for further details).
November 2003:
Government publishes new housing paper
The BARKER REVIEW OF HOUSING
SUPPLY is available on the Treasury website:
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consultations_and_legislation/barker/consult_barker_index.cfm
The Green Party would only support a London Olympic bid if it was genuinely environmentally and socially sustainable.
If you live in the affected areas, contact the planning officer in your Borough Council and ask them for information about the Thames Gateway Investment Framework and the Council's own local regeneration priorities.
They should also be able to advise you as to how you can get involved in your Local Strategic Partnership and its consultation with local community groups.
Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
Thames Gateway London Partnership
London
Assembly: What is the Mayor's role in planning?