F E AT U R E By Steve McAdam and Gabrielle Appiah
Consultation and engagement in a fast-changing landscape As the consequences of COVID-19 in the use of public space emerge, the impact on different communities needs to be understood argue Soundings’ Steve McAdam and Gabrielle Appiah.
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he COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the importance of public and green space in providing people with a refuge for meeting, relaxing, taking exercise and relieving the mental stresses of crowded domestic environments. In March 2020, the government announced a new slogan – “Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives”. These words formed the start of unprecedented changes to the behaviour of individuals in the way our streets, green spaces and immediate locality are viewed and experienced. According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of journeys made by car and public transport decreased, and the number of pedestrian and cycle-based journeys increased. Individuals tended to make shorter journeys in the local area for essential purposes like shopping. Interestingly this is now matched by those taking exercise outside, possibly a learned behaviour in response to ‘legal use’ of outdoor space. Frequent trips to the supermarket on the way to and from work were replaced by one large weekly shop at the supermarket, supplemented by more trips to specialised shops on the local high street. The relationship between private and public realm changed dramatically as social and physical barriers began 26
1. Exhibition Boards for Brent Cross South Replacement Claremont Primary School Consultation with links to an online exhibition (on display at Claremont Primary School). © Gabrielle Appiah
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to melt while we stood outside and clapped for the NHS on Thursday evening’s, took part in social distancing events with our neighbours, and witnessed children playing outside in the streets and roads due to the spectacular decrease in vehicular use. Though unintended, government guidelines on permitted excursions caused an unusual divide to open up,
one that hadn’t been examined before – the divide between those who had access to private open space, and those who didn’t. ‘Communal’ space became second best, and balconies and front and back gardens suddenly became a luxury. For those who didn’t have their own private space, local public open spaces such as parks became essential. Parks and ‘public
