Where are the jobs in 'regeneration'?

26 Jul 2006

I ATTENDED the badly scheduled Kent Science Park meeting and took in what was said. Having duly picked up a copy of their glossy flier, taken it home and digested its contents, the blindingly obvious dawned on me (and many others, I suspect). Great – 5,000 jobs, a country park, a new link road, houses for all and facilities to service them.

Hang on a minute. They're selling this under the banner of "regeneration". Kent Science Park's website also states it will more or less level the wonderful nature reserve at Highsted chalk pits since they are (according to them) a "derelict industrial area". As Andy Hudson commented, this is countryside already and doesn't need regenerating.

On top of the plans to ride roughshod over Swale's own designated areas of importance, let's have a quick look at the figures. With 5,000 homes comes a conservative 11,000 people — let's assume 9,000 adults. At 100 per cent take-up of jobs, that makes an increase in jobless for the town of 4,000. But we know it's only going to be a take-up of 42 per cent at best, considering the new, improved motorway access, it is likely to attract more commuters than before.

So Sittingbourne's jobless figure shoots up by a whopping 6,900. It may well be a sustainable package for LaSalle Investments, but it is
certainly not for town's future.

Nick Haddock.
Ruins Barn Road, Tunstall.

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