Parliament debate: Regeneration

Linda spoke in the debate on 3 March.

“Mistakes were made in the past in the planning of communities. The peripheral estates that started to appear in the middle of the previous century tore the heart out of communities. Lots of houses were created, but there was no infrastructure that would enable people to feel that they were part of something. It is certain that the architectural and planning communities have learned from those mistakes and are now talking about place making. That is not just another term that is loosely thrown about. We missed the importance of place over the decades and we must get our heads round what it means. Communities that feel that they are part of something have a sense of security, of belonging, of history and of continuity…

“I am delighted that the Government and the minister recognise the value of the housing co-operative as a social and economic model around which communities can be built. As the minister said, we have had so many initiatives: the GEAR, the cities growth fund and then the town centre regeneration fund. Some successful work was done under the latter fund. The North Lanarkshire town centres received more than £2 million for a worthwhile cause and East Kilbride & District Shopmobility received £100,000 for soft play and the sustainability of the organisation.

“The sustainability of communities is at the heart of this debate. It is not just about pumping in money through some new initiative then cutting the initiative off because it has been successful and looking for something else. It is about sustainability and continued growth.

“In my last minute, I will consider the new towns as an example of what has been carried out. I am fortunate to represent two new towns: Cumbernauld and East Kilbride. East Kilbride is held up as Scotland’s most successful new town—it is certainly the oldest one, having been established in 1947. It works in the place making sense that I talked about. Part of the reason why it works is that the new town was built round an existing community, albeit a small village community—East Kilbride village—with a recognition of the rural community that was round about the area. Its wonderful history—I commend Mr Bill Niven, our East Kilbride local historian, who documents it all well—gave the town the important sense of place, the security of belonging and the sense of continuity that define a sustainable place that people feel proud of and want to make and keep successful.

“My plea for today is that we recognise that people need places where they feel comfortable and happy. They need not only a roof and a job but somewhere where they feel at home.”

Read the full debate here.