Margaret Ford prepares to take her leave

Baroness Ford is possibly the most important person in regeneration right now as she is charged with setting up the government’s new housing and regeneration agency Communities England. However, this will lead to the end of English Partnerships – the organisation she has chaired since April 2002 – and Ford has said she will not stay on at Communities England.

What new approaches to working with the private sector are you looking at for Communities England?

The transition planning team [that Ford heads] will look at models that progressively move from subsidy to investment. We want to see the uplift in land value being shared through joint ventures with the private sector such as housing associations and developers. We want to modernise the way we use land – particularly surplus government land.

We also want to work much more with local authorities to help them use their assets more productively. We will work up models with them to do this.

What projects do you want to see through before you leave English Partnerships next year?

I feel attached to some things such as the Coalfields Programme [regenerating former mining towns]. Its 10-year anniversary is coming up just now and we have been able to do two-times the original business plan due to the receipts generated. Also there will be a brand new international conference centre opening next year in Liverpool in the Kings Dock. I am definitely looking forward to it because when I arrived at EP we were in unarmed combat with Everton Football Club over the site.

What will you do after English Partnerships?

I have enjoyed the regeneration sector immensely and will definitely look to stay in it in some capacity. I have nothing arranged at the moment though – I have too big a job to finish here.

What has been the biggest change in regeneration since you started?

It is a lot easier to do business now. It felt very fraught five years ago as there was a lack of clarity around who did what. It now feels much better – I hope the private sector feels the same way, too.

Source

RegenerateLive