Housing the 99%

The front cover of architectural magazines are often graced by the latest Rogers, Foster or Hadid building.  This is no surprise, just as Vanity Fair prefers Lady Gaga to Joe Public.  Glamour projects often grab the headlines as they tap into human nature’s interest in the exciting and the daring.  This also goes for politicians, as Sir Simon Jenkins has recently shown (see here), who often become obsessed with glamourous skyscrapers from big name architects. 

But the majority of people do not live or work in these types of buildings.  Even those who do work in London’s signature office towers will jump on a commuter train at the end of the day to their 2 up 2 down in the suburbs.  So why doesn’t architectural and planning commentary in the media focus on what really matters – run of the mill family housing?  Or to borrow a phrase, the homes of the 99%.

This issue came to my attention following this review of Kevin McCloud’s foray into house building.  For those readers outside the UK, McCloud is a designer who has gained fame through his Grand Designs television programme.  In the show he documents the construction of a house from initial plans through to construction and completion.  Through this exposure he has become in the last 10 years one of the most prominent talking heads on issues of architecture and planning.  So it was interesting to see him attempt to undertake a housing development by himself. 

The Beauty of Small - Urban Acupuncture

Seeing a disused rail line in the vicinity of West 8th Avenue and Arbutus Street got me thinking about the oft forgotten smaller urban spaces.  Though this specific rail line has been converted to a community garden on part of West 6th Avenue (see here), it remains under-loved in other parts.  It was therefore timely when I stumbled upon the design concept of 'urban acupuncture', as featured in The Guardian here.

The term urban park commonly conjures images of Hyde Park, Central Park or Stanley Park.  Yet this neglects the importance and role of smaller 'pocket' parks.  These smaller parks are often more convenient to use and can easily provide the children's facilities or sun bathing spot we demand.  This is where urban acupuncture plays a part.  The concept of urban acupuncture focuses on smaller design interventions in the urban fabric, in lieu of major urban redevelopment proposals.  This could take the form of de-cluttering a sidewalk or providing allotments on a disused green space.  It focuses more on the everyday spaces that could be improved by simple design solutions and community interest. 

The disused rail line in Kitsilano, Vancouver

This re-focusing on the smaller parts of the urban environment is especially enticing at a time of pubic sector cut backs.  With Government less likely to pump-prime large development schemes through the provision of up-front transport infrastructure or remediation, these schemes become less viable than five years ago.  Though large urban redevelopment projects receive the support of politicians for the anticipated tax dollars and Kodak moments, we must not forget the beauty of small and its role in improving existing neighbourhoods and kick-starting the development sector.

Musing Urbanist in Architects' Journal - Localism

In this week's Architects' Journal I have an article published on the role architects can play in the forthcoming Neighbourhood Plans.  The article can be seen here (subscription required).  I argue that the new neighbourhood level of planning policy requires the expert input of architects because planners do not have the necessary design skills to promote and protect the interests of clients.

Neighbourhood Planning - the case of Bermondsey

Yesterday saw the announcement of 17 communities that have been chosen by the Government to be Neighbourhood Planning Vanguards.  In line with the planning reforms expected in the Localism Bill, neighbourhoods will play a greater role in formulating planning policy.  The 17 vanguards will therefore be eligible for £20,000 from DCLG to help organise themselves into a recognised body and begin work on a Neighbourhood Plan.

Life before Google Maps

How local is too local

Apart from identifying the vanguards and allocating the cash, DCLG has purposefully resisted issuing too much guidance on how the neighbourhood planning process should operate.  In the spirit of localism, it is now up to Local Authorities and the relevant communities to chart their own course.  This is a welcome change.  The planning profession has been shaped too much by over prescriptive rules and regulations from national, regional and local government.  This has led to a loss of creativity in the planning sector where professionals are too eager to dive into Circulars and PPS' to decide what is best for a neighbourhood.  By shifting the onus onto neighbourhoods, Local Authority planners will be tested to understand the aspirations of local residents and not just the generic results of technical reports produced ad nauseam by outside consultants.  

Mistakes will be made as the 17 vanguards pilot neighbourhood planning.  But this should be expected. Planning is a messy and political minefield - just like life itself.  However, I am confident that in some instances a neighbourhood will show true inspiration and allow a forum that engages with those members that have previously not connected with planning.

Working in the City

The Shard viewed from St Thomas Street

Of the 17 vanguards named by Greg Clark MP, one stands out. Bermondsey.  Whilst the majority of the neighbourhoods chosen fit with the parish council model often evoked by Eric Pickles MP, Bermondsey is an inner London neighbourhood characterised as much by large social housing estates as by the Shard.  From an initial inspection it appears that the neighbourhood forum is already up and running and has clealry set a timetable for the production of a Neighboruhood Plan.

However, from reading the Localism Bill and hearing Eric Pickles MP speak (see here), I often have the impression that Conservative planning policy is based on the rural idyll with a parish council, village hall and local pub.  This scale of settlement allows a neighbourhood to come together and make minor decisions on the use of the village green or the preservation of the local post office.  Yet Bermondsey is nothing like this and falls within a recognised Opportunity Area (see the London Plan) where existing planning policy promotes regeneration, economic growth and tall buildings.  The area surrounding London Bridge is one of London's fastest changing cityscapes with the Shard, London Bridge station redevelopment, the 32-storey Quill and other iconic developments in the pipeline.  This is an area which neccessatates strategic planning - with strong input from the Mayor and the Greater London Authority.

But the strategic nature of London Bridge and Bermondsey should not exclude the local residents.  It just means that neighboruhood planning in this area is sure to create more tensions compared to vanguards in Banbury or Dawlish.  Property developers require certainty in planning policy so that investment can be guaranteed and schemes can be designed appropriately.  In the case of Bermondsey it is unclear how the forthcoming Neighbourhood Plan will sit alongside the existing draft Supplementary Planning Document which encourages tall buildings and considerable development opportunities.  The Localism Bill makes clear that Neighbourhood Plans cannot be anti-development, but they can shift the emphasis of planning policy.  It will be interesting to see how the case of Bermondsey develops over the coming months and whether the parish Council model of neighbourhood planning is suitable for an inner city environment.  The Musing Urbanist will be keeping a keen eye on Bermondsey to see how this episode of neighbourhood planning sits within the existing and proposed planning regime.