Our town needs state intervention to save it from further decline
Seventy years ago, East Kilbride was a village of 2500 people.
Today, as home to over 77,000 people, it is one of Scotland’s largest towns.
Designated as Scotland’s first New Town, it rapidly became home to thousands of people and became a desirable and dynamic place to live, work and play. Of course, this was no accident.
A potent combination of vision, planning and public investment combined to make the EK project a success. Like all towns today, EK is facing challenges.
Economic decline is not an inevitability but when local residents hear about another shop closure or a factory laying off staff, the future can feel gloomy.
Scottish Labour believes the Scottish Government should have a dynamic industrial strategy that is committed to ensuring a brighter future for EK.
Too often, government and council leaders simply react to economic shocks instead of working to prevent them. EK is far too important to Scotland’s economy to allow this complacent approach to continue.
For EK to have an optimistic future, the people who live here must have a stronger say in decisions that affect the town. No one knows the challenges and possibilities facing EK better than those who call it home. Locally and nationally, there is a role for strong leadership to help local communities fulfil their potential, backed up by the right investment and powers.
At Holyrood, the Scottish Government has brought forward new legislation to reform the planning system. I’ve been busy trying to improve it at the committee stages because a shake-up of the planning system presents opportunities for towns like EK.
EK urgently needs strong state intervention to save it from further decline.
It needs a robust plan for the future to attract sustainable inward investment. This is not forthcoming – SNP ministers have not taken up my pleas to support the town, and they have prevented a chance of real, revolutionary progress with their timid approach to the new Planning Bill in Parliament.
Despite knowing what is best for their area, communities who have suffered defeat in the planning system are left feeling that big developers and big business are able to override locally agreed plans.
I called for the new Planning Bill to give communities more say in developments, including the right of appeal when developers try to get around the local plan, but the SNP blocked this with the help of the Tories who abstained on the vote.
The impact of uncontrolled development that does not properly consult local people has far-reaching consequences – we see roads that cannot cope demand, unbearable pressure on GP waiting lists and our schools.
Too often, planning applications promise jobs and economic growth but once approved they fail to deliver on these promises.
Planning decisions about EK must support people to achieve good health, protect our environment from harm and ensure our economy works fairly for people.
A clear and ambitious town strategy with an investment plan to match holds the key to reviving EK and we must learn the lessons of the past – good and bad – to ensure the town has a vibrant future.
Scottish Labour will not give up fighting for radical change in how we plan and run our economy. We will continue to call for a better deal for EK and planning reform that works for communities.
We believe a community right of appeal will add some much-needed checks and balances, making decisions more accountable to the people. The legislation comes back to Parliament in the new year. Please get in touch with your views.