New research by Centre for Cities is calling for Network Rail land around train stations to be handed to regional mayors to boost housing delivery.
The think tank previously established that millions more suburban homes could be built around stations in the green belt, and that large British cities are missing millions of homes within their inner city ‘urban cores’.
This research uses data on rail station locations and Centre for Cities’ international residential densities dataset to determine how many homes are missing around stations compared to France and Japan. It also examines what policies would help build more homes near stations.
The research found that, compared to French and Japanese cities, Britain’s 12 largest cities are missing at least 2.4 million homes around stations, more than half of which are in inner-city ‘urban cores’.
Also, in British cities, land within a 10-minute walk of a station is often no denser than land farther away.
The research also showed that the average British city built 50% fewer homes near stations compared to peers in France and Japan between 2011 and 2021. 30% of stations in Britain’s big cities saw little to no development near them.
Centre for Cities suggests that the lower density in some British cities is due to a lack of public transport infrastructure. In Leeds, 61% of the station density gap with its international peers is due to missing stations, while in Bristol the figure stands at 64%.
The think tank welcomes the government’s change of policy to make it easier to build near stations, and says that mayors, local authorities and transport operators will all play an important role in changing the built environment and closing these gaps around stations.
To speed up the delivery of new homes around stations, Centre for Cities is calling on the Prime Minister and Number 10 North to create a ‘fast track’ to mayoral control of stations. This would allow mayors to assume control of stations under ‘enhanced partnerships’ rather than a statutory rail devolution application, meaning they could gain the land and customer-facing infrastructure they need to begin regeneration schemes more quickly.
The research also suggests that mayors should use Mayoral Development Corporations and Mayoral Development Orders to densify around stations, using new devolved powers to bring together infrastructure, simpler planning and private developer interests to get new homes and commercial space built.
Centre for Cities also recommends that the government advances the planning reform agenda to enable more development in urban areas, including more funding for local planning teams, raising second staircase height limits and removing Biodiversity Net Gain requirements on brownfield sites.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool City Region, said: “We’re already leading the country on station devolution in the Liverpool City Region – and showing what can be achieved when transport, housing and regeneration are planned together.”
“We’ve made good progress, with 36,000 homes built since I was elected and have a pipeline to build a further 64,000 new homes across 300 sites, but this report shows there is much more we could be doing around our rail network.”
“We want to build on what we’ve started. Giving us greater control over stations and the land around them would open up more sites for development and help us build the homes our residents need, where the transport links already exist.”
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, commented: “We have huge ambitions for Leeds and West Yorkshire, from over 20,000 new homes at Leeds South Bank to our landmark new Weaver Network, which will deliver seamless journeys across the region.”
“But to fully unleash the potential of our people and places, we need to make the most of devolution – joining up our ambitious plans for housing and skills with the transport links our communities and businesses are crying out for.”
“This research is a major vote of confidence in our West Yorkshire way – growing the economy by bringing together affordable housing with the skills training and transport infrastructure we need to build a stronger, better-connected region that works for all.”
