4 minute read
Future City
Connected, Liveable London
CSB’s Matt Barker asks if enough is being done to create the conditions for a bigger, better, and sustainable built environment
As a member of a London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) group called “Connected, Liveable London”, I have a special interest in how London serves its inhabitants, workers, and guests.
Growing cities are exciting places, and civic leaders like to envision shiny futures for them. But urban expansion often runs unchecked with growth manifesting itself as a hodgepodge of uncoordinated, piecemeal development, that is more chaotic and dystopian than organised and visionary.
As the No.1 Global City in several indexes (second only to New York in others), home to over nine million people, and the economic heart of the UK, it is essential that London’s growth and development is appropriately safeguarded and guided.
Covid temporarily stalled things, leading to some pessimistic commentators suggesting that the Elizabeth line, an icon of the city’s strategic growth, would turn out to be unnecessary. In fact, the line is so popular that one in four Londoners have used the Elizabeth Line, and over 22 million journeys have been completed already, i proving those concerns to be unfounded.
London is growing again, but to do so for the better the built environment must be planned, sustained, coordinated, socially aware, green, and efficient.
The most obvious starting point for these initiatives is the green environment. That means not just contributing to tackling climate change and safeguarding green spaces but recognising London’s global influence and capitalising on it for the better.
Then there is the physical environment. What kind of place do we want to live and work in, and for visitors to experience? Key factors include air quality, transport links, accessibility, and road safety.
Lastly, if our housing, workplaces, and infrastructure are to be truly joined up, we need a planning system that works for everyone from growing businesses to residents.
When it comes to the built environment, government and local authorities naturally focus on big schemes such as regeneration projects. But they should also be demanding good practice in planning and construction with a promise to support growing businesses.
This is a vast challenge with issues ranging from tackling climate change and cleaner air, reducing congestion, improving road safety, getting the right strategic plans in place, and overhauling the planning system so that it is a good fit for the 21st century.
The UK government has repeatedly picked up and then rapidly dropped reforms of planning laws when hit by backlash from voters, and the squeeze in cost of living has led to planned environmental protections being rolled back. It’s becoming more the business of local councils and community groups to lead the charge in these areas.
Sir David Attenborough was right when he told the COP26 climate conference we need a mixture of government policy and grassroots innovation. One will always need to go hand in hand with the other; the government can’t drag people on a journey, it needs to have people willingly getting on the bus with them. Likewise, grassroots activism will always be limited in effectiveness if it doesn’t have a large proportion of the voting public (therefore bringing along the government) on their side.
Businesses can play their part as well, by making sure it’s not just profits that are a priority and putting staff-wellbeing and sustainable practices at the heart of their strategies. Businesses may also consider joining the Better Business Act Coalition (see page 6).
Ultimately, we all need to work together, and with our eyes on longterm payoffs, rather than short term inconveniences, to make sure that London, and the rest of the UK, works for everyone.
