Very good two days of discussion in a workshop of the EU 6th Framework programme concerning innovations in social inclusion (or prevention of exclusion). Very impressive group of people old and young working on this and very good range of methodologies and integration of theory and praxis. Particularly good discussions on the need for abstraction from local cases rather than generalisation; on why terms like social capital and human assets should not lightly be used; useful grouping of ‘existential fields’. The material will be on their web site http://katarsis.ncl.ac.uk/index.html Then there was an excellent field visit to northern suburbs of Athens organised by Dimitra Siatitsa who is also playing a key role in our October conference of INURA http://inura08.wordpress.com/
Author: Editors
Editor
Planning under Boris Johnson
There is much discussion about this, including some wry jokes about how little Boris will need to change in Ken’s Plan (and even less in his actual practices). Peter Eversden and Mike Back at LFCAS have done digests of what the Mayor said in his campaign http://www.londonforum.org.uk/news/governance/whats_new_with_borisand another document which I’ll put up shortly. Clearly there will be less social rented housing produced, more favours for small shops and suburban areas….
The Art of Rent – Italian meeting Horus Occupato
As housing crises spread across Europe I’m discovering that there are whole strands of activity and thinking which I was completely unaware of. Silvia Macchi at the University La Sapienza in Rome invited me to speak in a 2-day even at a squatted social centre in the eastern suburbs of Rome – a mix of young activists in various autonomist movements and intellectuals and politicians. Partly a campain meeting, partly self-education, partly celebration of this squat having lasted a year (though it is now facing the facist mayor’s promise to evict such social centres).This phrase ‘The Art of Rent’, which strikes me as weird, Continue reading “The Art of Rent – Italian meeting Horus Occupato”
Good new book, good publishing story
From: Stale Holgersen
Hi!
Last year I submitted a thesis on the urban development and planning
process at King’s Cross in London. And currently I work as a
city-planner in Norway.
Last fall I received an e-mail from a German publisher – VDM Verlag.
They had read my thesis on the Internet (www.kxrlg.org.uk <http://www.kxrlg.org.uk>), and
proposed to publish it as a book. This book is now a reality, and can
be purchased online. The book is called “Class Conflicts and Planning
– A Case Study of Contemporary Development at King’s Cross in London”.
Ken Livingstone's mayoral term ended by [what? widespread stupidity + the Evening Standard ]
You did a lot of fine things in your 8 years, including
transforming transport from a downward spiral to an upward one,
good anti-war and foreign policy,
good on equalities, the living wage and so on.
But your Faustian pact with big business alienated a lot of your support, made many people grit their teeth while they voted for you, and has actually caused a lot of damage and intensified exploitation.
PGS / roof tax / S106
Mark from This Land is Ours sent round the pnuk list a resume on why the government has rejected PGS. I replied and outlined a better alternative….. (NB if you want to comment send an email to m.edwards [at] ucl.ac.uk because I have switched off the comment facility in this blog to reduce spam.)
Mark from This Land is Ours sent round the pnuk list a resume on why the government has rejected PGS. I replied and outlined a better alternative….. (NB if you want to comment send an email to m.edwards [at] ucl.ac.uk because I have switched off the comment facility in this blog to reduce spam.)
Stopping Crossrail and London's centralised growth
On Thursday 20 Sept the government was reported as making yet another attempt to get private interests, especially those which stand to profit most, to contribute heavily to Crossrail – as a condition for government funding. They published this letter from me next day and we’ll see whether it generates any flow of further stuff, … Continue reading “Stopping Crossrail and London's centralised growth”
On Thursday 20 Sept the government was reported as making yet another attempt to get private interests, especially those which stand to profit most, to contribute heavily to Crossrail – as a condition for government funding.
They published this letter from me next day and we’ll see whether it generates any flow of further stuff, either on crossrail or on what kind of growth London needs…
Continue reading “Stopping Crossrail and London's centralised growth”
Comments on Planning White Paper
Two major criticisms – of the Planning Commission and its powers to replace decisions based on local public inquiries; and of proposals to weaken public participation in planning, Serious failure to create a new emphasis on positice implementation based on collective long-term ownership of land value growth. See the detail below.
Two major criticisms – of the Planning Commission and its powers to replace decisions based on local public inquiries; and of proposals to weaken public participation in planning, Serious failure to create a new emphasis on positice implementation based on collective long-term ownership of land value growth. See the detail below.
King's Cross Judicial Review Fails
Today in the High Court Mr Justice Sullivan decided against our judicvial review of Camden Council’s grant of planning permission for Argent’s scheme. Full details of the judgement will follow. In the mean time…. we have to find £10,000 and you can help with that at http://www.kxrlg.org.uk Some further comments….
Today in the High Court Mr Justice Sullivan decided against our judicvial review of Camden Council’s grant of planning permission for Argent’s scheme. Full details of the judgement will follow. In the mean time…. we have to find £10,000 and you can help with that at www.kxrlg.org.uk
Some further comments….
King's Cross again
March 07: The High Court (Mr Justice Collins) has now approved our request for a protective costs order so we can afford to go ahead (just – if everyone helps by subscribing). Camden tried to prevent this going through but backed off in the end. Argent, the developer, has been trying to get the Court … Continue reading “King's Cross again”
March 07: The High Court (Mr Justice Collins) has now approved our request for a protective costs order so we can afford to go ahead (just – if everyone helps by subscribing). Camden tried to prevent this going through but backed off in the end.
Argent, the developer, has been trying to get the Court to lift the order it made to prevent historic buildings on the site being demolished pending the JR and we are resisting that.
More about all this – and some excellent press coverage secured by our indomitable press officer Diana Shelley – at www.kxrlg.org.uk , including how to donate or pledge.
If you want to comment email m.edwards[at]ucl.ac.uk because I switched off the auto-comment facility in the blog software – it was drowning me in hispanic garden furniture and car insurance.
michael edwards 