Cornish Social & Economic Research Group
» What CoSERG Thinks » General comment » Growth Points
Growth points
As part of the Government’s policy of increasing the number of houses being built, the policy of growth areas and growth points is being pursued. ‘Growth areas and new growth points are part of the Government's ambition to increase levels of housing supply to 240,000 homes a year by 2016. The new growth points initiative is designed to provide support to local communities who wish to pursue large-scale and sustainable growth outside of the growth areas, including new housing, through a partnership with Government.’
What are Growth Areas?
‘The provision of new homes has failed to keep pace with the numbers of new households. The Sustainable Communities Plan (published February 2003) was clear that we needed to take radical action. The current housing pressures in London, the south east and other regional hotspots are acute and ambitious solutions are required if we are to avoid the urban sprawl of the past.’
www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingsupply/growthareas/whataregrowth/
Truro
In Cornwall, Truro has been included as a growth area. A move welcomed by the former leader of Carrick. ‘Not many people will be aware of the dramatic housing market changes and pressures for growth present in modern day Cornwall. We are delighted that the Government has recognised our ambitions and the unique pressures that we face in reshaping our city. Our plans will lay the foundations for a sustainable urban extension that can meet the needs of our local community and will act as a shop window for the whole of Cornwall. We are pleased to be working in partnership with Government to deliver this future’.
Counsellor FDP Greenslade, Leader of Carrick District Council
Including Truro as a growth point raises a number of issues. It should be stressed that demand for such a level of housing reflects the expected level of demand as people continue to move to Cornwall from elsewhere, particularly from South East England, rather than meeting local needs. The impact of the proposed plan will be to substantially increase the population of Truro by about 50%, on land which is greenfield. Such an approach is clearly not sustainable and undermines any attempt to resolve the pressing transport and enviromental issues of the Truro area.