RIA_Station_Investme...
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Courtesy Network Rail
85% of the UK population live within 5km of one or more of the UK 2,500 stations. These offer the potential to drive area regeneration and increase housing supply. The Government supports place-based schemes for growth and new homes, recognising that transport infrastructure improvements unlock these opportunities.
Flagship projects like Kings Cross St Pancras showcase successful regeneration where there has been a three fold increase in employment in the area and a four fold increase in the Gross Value Added due to increased economic activity.
Replicating these benefits across communities remains challenging due to limited funding.
The Rail Industry Association has proposed in a recent report Station Investment Zones: A new model for investment in transport, housing and growth that a fresh approach is needed for improving existing station areas, especially smaller community stations that may not attract tailored investment. The association argue that strategic, well-planned developments with community involvement can draw private investment, enhance station revenue, and support sustainable railway finances by addressing maintenance backlogs and encouraging rail travel. It is thought there are 100+ potential intermodal hub stations across the UK suitable to launch a new investment model, and 1.2 Million new homes could be provided within 10 minutes’ walk of stations outside major conurbations.
The report proposes a delivery model that does not rely on new Government funding but leverages commercial and retail income, land value capture, farebox revenues, and various public grants. It also aims to align with ongoing changes in devolution, planning, tax, infrastructure, and rail reform to enable this new approach.
The report can be found at the foot of the post.
Centre for Cities
The RIA paper has similarities to an earlier paper produced by the Centre for Cities, Homes on the right tracks: Greening the Green Belt to solve the housing crisis. This paper whose authors have had a influence on recently announced changes to the planning system highlight the possibilities of using rail stations as existing transport hubs to enable development of new housing.
The report can be found at the foot of the post.
Application to Guildford.
Both reports from their different perspectives highlight what a valuable resource stations can be, Guildford has long planned developments at the East and West of the town and identified the need for two stations in the local Plan at Merrow and the Research Park/Royal Surrey Hospital. Very limited progress has been made, in fact, the eastern station has come a more distant prospect if the recent plans for Gosden Hill are approved. The rail corridors around Guildford are underutilised and don't involve the land take required for new roads.
The station in the heading photograph will serve the growing Beaulieu and Channels neighbourhoods to the north-east of Chelmsford, it opens on the 26th October.
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