Aimhigher and ruralcoastal regeneration in the South East

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Aimhigher and rural/coastal regeneration in the
South East

• by Lawrie Taylor (September 2007)

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Historical geography of the South East a
traditional society

• Historically coastal and rural
• Coming of the Railways
• Communications mainly North/South
• South Coast ports - major trade and passenger
  routes to Europe.
• New light engineering industries in the 1920s
  (Reading, Slough, Brighton)
• Growth of suburbs around the same time in Surrey,
  Kent, Bucks,
• However, South East stubbornly traditional
  until early 1960s

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A changing society

• Growth of air travel, holidays abroad and
  expansion of Heathrow, Gatwick
• Decline of holiday towns around the coast from
  Margate to Littlehampton
• New jobs in travel, tourism, hotels, catering,
  transport
• Expansion of the City and jobs in commuter belts
• The take off of IT industries in the Thames
  Valley and rapid growth (Maidenhead, Bracknell,
  Reading, Newbury)
• Decline of military/naval bases (Chatham,
  Aldershot, Portsmouth) - Growth of high-tech
  (often defence related) research-based industries
  (Blackwater,Farnborough)
• Impact of new towns (Bracknell, Milton Keyes,
  Basingstoke)
• Channel tunnel challenges the airlines and ferry
  companies and stimulates economic development
  around Ashford

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Coastal areas the impact of change

• Decline of the majority of Kentish and south
  coast holiday resorts
• Offshore fishing industry slowly dying out as
  European competition overwhelms it
• Closure/contraction of naval/military bases leads
  to loss of jobs and economic problems
• Rise of air travel leads to end of Southamptons
  transatlantic/South African/Australasian liner
  traffic
• Container revolution draws even more traffic away
  from Southern ports to East Anglia, Rotterdam
  
• Growth of sailing/marinas/water sports/week ends
  away/second homes/ future wind and tidal energy/
  ro-ro ferry trade to France and Spains western
  ports

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Rural areas the impact of change

• Transformation of many older market towns/cities
  into modern, prosperous centres of business and
  commerce (finance, public and private services,
  retail, construction)
• Expansion of towns and cities as economic growth
  leads to population growth (inward migration from
  all over UK, EU and abroad)
• Farm labourers/small farmers a dying breed
  replaced by heavily mechanised, large scale
  agri-businesses
• Traditional farming communities replaced by
  wealthy city commuters and second home owners.
• Rural isolation if dependent on public transport
• Infrastructure/quality of life in South East
  under heavy negative pressures

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The paradox of the South Easta divided society

• Fast growing and one of the richest regions in
  the world ?
• Levels of illiteracy, innumeracy and percentage
  without qualifications high too many NEETS,
  areas of low participation and inter-
  generational economic exclusion and deprivation
• Many schools/ colleges still performing well
  below national average in terms of GCSEs and
  A/AS
• Poorer communities/institutions concentrated in
  coastal and rural areas.
• Decades of under-investment in the built
  environment and physical infrastructure
• Coastal area is under-performing low activity
  rates, a weak skills base, a high incidence of
  deprivation.

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Mapping poverty and low participation

• The map derived from IMD statistics shows where
  the pockets of deprivation are - mainly coastal
  fringe and rural with pockets of various sizes in
  the larger towns and cities (Blackbird Leys
  estate, Oxford, Whitley Wood, Reading).
• The second map show where the schools/colleges
  are - reflecting again the coastal/rural patterns
  of deprivation

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Why are coastal areas underperforming?

• Relative remoteness (offset by telecoms)
• High levels of deprivation
• An ageing population
• Poor quality housing
• 180 degree hinterland
• Low level skills / underclass

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Coastal areas regeneration

• Training of local people for employment at
  Bluewater, Dartford
• Chatham naval dockyards (housing, offices,
  University Campus)
• Coastal Towns East Kent - home workers in high
  quality living environments, with greater
  connectivity (telecoms, CTRL)
• Opportunities linked to the CTRL stations at
  Ebbsfleet and Ashford
• Revitalisation of Hastings - HE Learning Centre
  in middle of town a catalyst for change
• Brighton Hove - transformational growth over
  past decade due partly to cultural/creative
  industries linked to two Universities
• The re-development of Shoreham harbour a current
  major project
• Southampton/Portsmouth - new attractive
  retail/housing developments
• Potential for advanced (knowledge based)
  manufacturing exists across urban South Hants but
  will need engagement of HEIs and other research
  bodies.

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Rural areas regeneration

• Many former rural areas have been swallowed up by
  rapidly growing towns (Guildford, Reading,
  Newbury/Thatcham, Didcot) and new towns
• In less prosperous smaller towns/villages
  education/work requires travel by bus, car.
• Many scenic villages in Thames Valley, Hants,
  Surrey, Oxford, Kent are now inhabited by
  commuters
• Employment on the land is open to very few young
  people
• Farmers/land owners are developing barns/other
  property to let out to small businesses.
• Pockets of poverty exist, particularly on some
  rural housing estates/social housing in country
  towns.
• Middle class dominance - quality of
  education/training is good and areas in general
  not as remote as in SW / NW / NE.

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Aimhigher South Eastcoastal and rural approach

• No specific policies relating to coastal and
  rural
• Current approach based on targeting of low
  performing, low participating schools/ colleges
  across the South East (coastal, rural, urban,
  suburban)
• Targeting outcomes agreed with LAs, institutions
• Data collected and reviewed bi-annually to
  determine which institutions remain in and which
  no longer qualify for support
• The region can demonstrate that on average all
  target schools have benefited from Aimhigher
  including coastal and rural

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Issues

• Should there be a coastal/rural premium in next
  round?
• How would it be formulated?
• Would we want it in SE if it unsettled the
  current balance of funding as between the areas
  of high and lower deprivation (could lead to
  disappearance of Surrey/ reductions in
  Berkshire?)
• Very few handouts in SE. SEEDA one of poorest
  RDAs and has never provided any funding to Ah.
• Targeting fine but how will Ah relate to LAAs and
  work even more closely with regional/local
  regeneration projects.
• Do we need to focus our funding differently?

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