Working With Planners

I was confused to hear that Shoreditch is in Tower Hamlets, the area I know as Shoreditch is mainly in Hackney, I don’t know if you agree? That area is to which I referred when asking a question in the ‘Working With Planners’ lecture with Jamie Ounan and Leigh Herington, about Shoreditch LAP 1 and 2. The actual document seems very noble in its outlook but the way it was described and seemingly its only practical application would be that of a developer’s brochure for the area. So this is progress from the UDP. The area has developed with seemingly little strategic intervention from planners from a dilapidated quarter to that of a extremely vibrant one, with many different cultural and economic centers and a good range of interest. This process did not come to being because of any planning consideration but market factors. It is rather a waste of energy to try and squeeze out some more value when it is very capable of fostering its own growth and development. Instead, there are many areas of the country and especially a Borough such as Tower Hamlets which could do with some support and crucially better understanding to aid improvement. Particularily further East in places like Bow, Stepney, Shadwell, Limehouse, Millwall, Blackwall. Already, the Shoreditch effect is spreading this way but these places have individual character of their own, perhaps you could encourage the development aspect but promote its existing qualities here, before it is lost.
The other point being that actual Shoreditch, as I would define it lies in Hackney, East of Old Street Station to around Kingsland Road. This area consists of arterial routes, populated by the drinking dens of the youngish middle class population, with the bits in-between these arteries and behind the pubs being housing estates of extremely low deprivation, relative to anywhere in the country. For the shining beacon of the report to be the regeneration of Bishopsgate Goods Yard is very frustrating. As I said then, let developers build what they want and demolish the arches, let them pay out of their ears in Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy money and do something worthwhile in these estates.