Transcript What happens to the achievements of planning?

RTPI planning convention 2015:
The new politics for planning
The politics of inequality: challenges for the
profession(s)
Michael Edwards, Bartlett School, UCL
[email protected]
Societycould.wordpress.com
@michaellondonsf
Images
Edwards/Taylor
Scope:
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How the achievements, often egalitarian or emancipatory in intent, of planning come to be
appropriated as commodities and can thus become tarnished, toxic, elements in a highly unequal,
exploitative society – even instruments reinforcing inequality.
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Green belts and fine protected landscapes
Conservation areas
Covent Garden
Contemporary instances of these mechanisms at work
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Viability testing in plan-making and development decisions
“social mix” policies in housing / estate “regeneration”
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Agglomeration economies and the fashion for “cities”
What is to be done?
London Plan EiP in session (image: JustSpace.org.uk)
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What happens to the achievements of planning?
• Green belts, AONB etc
– Initial intents
– Assimilation by property markets
– Significance today
Edwards image
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What happens to the achievements of planning?
• Conservation areas; [ environmental areas ]
– Initial intents
– Assimilation by property markets
• Ahlfeldt, Holman & Wendland, An assessment of the effects of conservation
areas on value, LSE 2012 [ map extract below ]
– Significance today
• Role in sorting by social class/income
• Protection from intensification
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What happens to the achievements of planning?
• Covent Garden
– Initial intents of defeat of GLC CDA plan
– Assimilation by property markets
• Abolition of GLC  sale of GLC retail space by London Residuary Body
• Market allocation of space
– Significance today
• A much-loved district
• Population & social housing double pre-plan levels
• Constrained corporate takeover
< Edwards
GLC>
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What happens to the achievements of planning?
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Mechanisms
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Falling wage/salary share of GDP since
mid-1970s
Growing inequality of incomes among
households
Financialised surge of land and house
prices
All treated at length in
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Edwards, M, Prospects for Housing,
Land and Rent in the UK, part of
the Government Office for
Science’s Future of Cities project, 1 July
2015
societycould.wordpress.com
Or at
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio
ns/future-of-cities-land-rent-and-housingin-uk-cities
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Contemporary instances of these mechanisms at work
• “Viability” testing
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George Turner v Shell, Canary Wharf Ltd, Qatar, Mayor, SoS
Greenwich Peninsula
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Erosion of social housing provision
Putting profitability ahead of all other considerations
Strong critiques by
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George Turner (Vauxhall Resident, reclaim.london)
Bob Colenutt (University of Northampton)
Stephen Hill (RICS etc)
Image:Just Space
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Contemporary instances of these mechanisms at work
• “social mix” policies in housing /
estate “regeneration”
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Selective application to council estates only
Mask for expulsion of low-income communities
Evidence base?
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Cheshire’s “faith-based” critique
London EiP Panel recommendation rejected by Mayor
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Cross-party consensus cemented by Adonis
Heygate Estate Southwark
Images: 35%
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What is to be done?
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Growth? Growth of what? GDP/GVA? alternatives
More critical self-reflection on history of planning, plans
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Compare with medicine: counter-indications
Serious impact analysis on policies, projects
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Existing IIAs a joke, & not open to scrutiny
• Planners, elected members, inspectors really to pay attention to
ordinary citizens, to ‘consultation’
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Be aware of what inoculates a plan against inequality
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Process issues
Defence of social housing
Bravery in confronting government and power
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Contempt too common, Aarhus and Gunning principles flouted
Resources for citizen groups
Threat of TTIP
PDR
“affordability”
Planning as a profession committed to serving the whole society
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systemic, cultural or professional?
Structures are reproduced by agents…
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: 'In 1941 Lord Reith, who then was Minister..., asked the
London County Council to prepare a plan and to work it out
without paying overmuch respect to existing town planning
law and all the other laws affecting building and industry but
with a reasonable belief that if a good scheme was put
forward it would provide reasons—indeed more than
"reasons"— the impulse and determination to bring about
whatever changes in law are needed to carry the plan into
effect.’ The County of London Plan explained (1945)
Are we doing enough? No
Gypsies & travelers making representations at EiP 2010; image LGTU
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