The Guardian: "Superblocks to the rescue: Barcelona’s plan to give streets back to residents"

"The Catalan capital's radical new strategy will restrict traffic to a number of big roads, drastically reducing pollution and turning secondary streets into 'citizen spaces' for culture, leisure and the community"

Link to web site

"In the latest attempt from a big city to move away from car hegemony, Barcelona has ambitious plans. Currently faced with excessive pollution and noise levels, the city has come up with a new mobility plan to reduce traffic by 21%. And it comes with something extra: freeing up nearly 60% of streets currently used by cars to turn them into so-called 'citizen spaces'.

"The plan is based around the idea of superilles (superblocks) – mini neighbourhoods around which traffic will flow, and in which spaces will be repurposed to 'fill our city with life', as its tagline says.

This plan will start in the famous gridded neighbourhood of Eixample. That revolutionary design, engineered by Ildefons Cerdà in the late 19th century, had at its core the idea that the city should breathe and – for both ideological and public health reasons – planned for the population to be spread out equally, as well as providing green spaces within each block.

"Reality and urban development have, however, got the best of it, and as the grid lines became choked with cars, the city’s pollution and noise levels have skyrocketed. What was once a design to make Barcelona healthier, now has to be dramatically rethought for the same reasons."

Secretary of State Patrick McLoughlin on HS2

Albert Room, Leeds Town Hall
Speech to launch ITC’s new report ‘High speed rail and connected cities - accessible places for growing economies.’

High speed rail and
connected cities

"I’m delighted to be here this morning, and to be joined by my PPS Stuart Andrew MP, a local MP who is well in touch with what is happening here in Leeds.

I’m delighted to be here today for the launch of the ITC report this morning and I’m grateful to Matthew, John and everyone at the ITC who helped put it together."

Cities and HS2

"There is no doubt in my mind that major cities like Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield – now I’ve got to be careful here because I don’t want to miss anyone out – Liverpool, Newcastle are, without any doubt, where a lot of our country’s wealth is generated.

Where we see inward investment directed.

And we want to see most jobs created.

So it’s no surprise that Britain’s journey over the past six years, from recession to recovery, has been driven by our city regions.

Yet compared with the majority of major cities on the continent, ours have been suffering from a distinct disadvantage.

While we continue to rely on an overcrowded Victorian railway network, western Europe worked out a long time ago that in our modern world the best way of carrying large numbers of passengers between cities – quickly, efficiently, comfortably and reliably – is high speed rail.

But although we’re late joining the high speed club, we do have one very important advantage: we can learn from the experience of others.

From the design, construction and operation of their high speed railways, but also from the cities which host high speed stations, and their success in stimulating economic growth, so we can make HS2 the very best high speed railway in the world."

Commitment to HS2

"I know there have been various reports in the papers, about; whether HS2 is going ahead, whether it is going to Leeds and going to Manchester?

I can tell you today that it is going to Leeds and it is going to Manchester. Because we are totally committed to the whole of the high speed network.

Of course it’s controversial. It’s controversial in certain areas, which will have a train line going through where they wouldn’t have had one before, perhaps with no station so they feel they’re not going to get any direct advantage.

I understand that, and I don’t dismiss these concerns.

But it is worth remembering, when the very first railway between London and Birmingham was put before parliament it was defeated in the House of Commons, because the canals were considered perfectly adequate.

As has been said earlier on – and it’s important to remember this – we’re not talking about a railway for next year, we’re talking about a railway for 20 years time.

We’ve got to get the planning, and we’ve got to get the investment right. These projects do take time to actually implement.

But I can tell you this: that if the government was considering planning a brand new motorway from the north to the south, it would also be incredibly controversial.

There is no major infrastructure project which is not controversial at the time of construction.

But there aren’t any major infrastructure projects that I can think of, that once they are there, that people turn round and say: “No, you shouldn’t have built it.”

So I’m not dispelling some of the problems that there are.

Of course we have to keep an eye on the costs. We’ve had to keep an eye on the costs on Crossrail, or as we now call it the Elizabeth line. And HS2 is Crossrail’s answer for the northern cities.

It’s about addressing the balance between transport infrastructure investment between London and the north.

There are those that think its unequal. Judith (Councillor Blake) might complain – in fact I’ve heard her complain! – that there is not enough investment in some of our cities.

I have some sympathy with that.

But I would point out that some of the improvements we’ve seen, for example at King’s Cross Station and St Pancras Station, actually benefit northern cities too.

These stations used to be places where you didn’t want to spend a minute longer than you needed.

Today both St Pancras and King’s Cross are destinations in their own right. And if you arrive half an hour early for your train, you really don’t mind."

Listening and continually improving

The fact that we are now just a year away from construction means that the report being launched today is well-timed.

Given the size of the project – the biggest infrastructure scheme in this country for generations – it’s critical that we continue to develop and hone our plans.

Indeed, the HS2 project has always been about listening to people’s views, and continually improving.

Since 2010, when we set out our plans for a new high speed railway HS2 has never stopped evolving. It’s included: the biggest public consultation in government history; a massive programme of engagement with local communities; and of course, rigorous examination as the Bill passes through all its parliamentary stages.

At every stage we have listened, learned, and adapted to make HS2 the very best it can be."

ITC - guiding principles

"And that process continues. That’s why we’re here today.

I’m pleased the report reinforces the message that HS2 will not just improve transport and not just speed up journeys – it will also improve capacity too.

I have to confess that being called HS2 can sometimes overshadow what it’s also about.

In 1992, 750 million people a year used our railways. Last year 1.7 billion people used our railways. Capacity on some of our networks is saturated.

When people call for more local services, they don’t seem to appreciate that once built, HS2 will give us that capacity.

But it is also a catalyst for revitalising and regenerating our cities.

I welcome the emphasis it puts on close engagement and collaboration, the importance of improving transport connectivity around HS2 stations, and the need to be responsive to change.

And I echo the advice that cities with HS2 stations need to show leadership, so each of them grasps the unprecedented opportunities that this extraordinary project offers.

These are the guiding principles of the ITC report.

And it’s good to know that many of them are already in evidence – particularly for Phase One of the scheme."

What we’re already doing

"We’ve seen Birmingham set out ambitious regeneration plans around Curzon Station and the Old Oak Common and Midlands Growth Strategies have now been completed.

Leeds, Manchester, East Midlands, Crewe, and Sheffield are also preparing for the construction of Phase Two.

Just as government has been engaging and listening, so have HS2 cities; working closely with local businesses, local authorities, and local people.

And where necessary adapting their programmes.

Here in Leeds, a station redesign has delivered a much more integrated and successful result.

We’ve seen blue chip companies for example choosing to move to HS2 cities.

While HSBC has relocated its retail banking headquarters from London to Birmingham, and cited HS2 as a significant factor in its decision.

For businesses, HS2 means they can access new markets, draw their employees from a much wider catchment area, and - perhaps for the first time - consider moving offices away from London.

The benefits of working in cities like Leeds are self-evident: more affordable housing; a higher standard of living; quick access to beautiful countryside – whether it be Yorkshire or Derbyshire!

In Doncaster and Birmingham, construction of our High Speed Rail training colleges has begun. Councils are saying that school leavers are already applying for places at the college.

A recent article in the Financial Times reported how hotels in Crewe are already seeing an upturn in business, and quotes Cheshire East council saying that the difference HS2 is making to the town already is 'tangible'.

So the economic benefits of HS2 are clear, even before a single track is laid."

European Lessons

"So it's heartening that many aspects of the report reflect work that is under way here in the UK, but it also provides fresh insight that I’m sure will be valuable to all our HS2 cities – particularly the detailed study of high speed on the Continent:

How Bordeaux launched a competition to find the best way to build 50,000 homes in the region;

How Utrecht collaborated and worked with residents;

And how different European cities have sought to attract a new generation of young people to support regeneration around stations.

I also know the report’s illuminating analysis of each city region here in the UK will be of real value.

Quite rightly it shows how each location faces distinct challenges.

But also how HS2 cities can benefit by working together and sharing knowledge."

Conclusion

"But most of all it reinforces the message, that when HS2 construction begins – and that is next year, actual construction by the way.

Sometimes people ask me when you will start work on HS2.

Every time I go and see HS2 Ltd in their office and I see for myself there is a vast amount of work going on, a vast amount of expertise that’s already being engaged, because a lot of the work is in the planning.

But construction will begin next year.

And we will be building something much bigger than a new railway. We’ll be investing in our economic prosperity for the next half century and more.

Now sometimes perhaps there’s a feeling that everything has to be done on a 30 year basis.

In that case the Jubilee line, when its BCR was 1, would never have been built.

The Limehouse Link, which had a BCR of 0.47, but has been absolutely essential for the regeneration of The City, would never have been built.

So sometimes BCRs are not the only thing we have to address when we’re looking at such investments.

We need to look at future capacities, for our northern cities, around the midlands, not just for the next 20 to 30 years but for the next 60, 70 or 100 years.

So I very much welcome this report today, and I very much welcome this conference, in helping move forward the debate.

You’ll read various things in the newspapers: some of them are accurate but some of them are completely inaccurate; most of the things I read are wholly inaccurate.

Of course there will always be pressure to look at costs, and to make sure we’re getting the best value for money – it would be insane not to do so.

But it would also be insane not to say ‘what is our transport system going to look like in 30, 40, 50 years time?’ and to make sure our great cities have those same opportunities that London has, and make sure that young people look to those cities to base their lives on, and not to move away from them.

Thank you very much indeed."

Independent Transport Commission: "High Speed Rail"

"High Speed 2 (HS2) is the biggest infrastructure project in Europe and the importance of this investment for the economic future of Britain is clear. The improved connectivity and rail capacity that will come from its services between London, the Midlands and Northern England, will help our rail system cope with rapidly rising demand, and free other parts of our network for enhanced passenger and freight services.

"However, the case for such investment goes well beyond rail transport improvements. We know from evidence in other countries where High Speed Rail has been built that it can, with the right supplementary initiatives, help to revitalise cities, act as an engine for their regeneration, and enhance their international competitiveness. The challenge now is for our great cities and city regions to capture the opportunities that HS2 investment will bring.

"As a Patron of the Independent Transport Commission (ITC), I am very pleased therefore to commend this new report, which explores how the benefits of HS2 can be captured by the city regions it will serve. Drawing from the evidence and insights captured in the ITC’s 2014 report Ambitions and Opportunities, which explored the impacts of HSR in various European countries, this report uses those findings and applies them to the cities in Britain that will be connected by HS2. Several recurring themes emerge:

• Successful cities have a coherent sense of identity and a shared ambition of what they wish to achieve from enhanced connectivity
• Investment in improving local transport connectivity is vital if the benefits of HSR investment are to be shared throughout a whole region
• Benefits are more easily captured when there is widespread cooperation and collaborative working, ensuring that not only local government but also civic society and citizens are able to contribute and take a central role in the redevelopment of their city regions.

"The message from this report is clear – there is no reason why our great cities in Britain cannot enjoy the same benefits from HSR that cities in other countries around the world have enjoyed. As the transport infrastructure begins to be built, I recommend that our great cities and their citizens use this ITC report to help plan for the arrival of HS2, ensuring that this major investment better enables our cities to compete on a global stage to the benefit of all.

Lord Adonis

ITC HSR Connected Cities Final Small[1] by scribdstorage

"... At Old Oak and Park Royal, the Grand Union Alliance organised workshops and hands-on planning groups to shape a future strategy for community participation over the next 20-30 years to ensure 'opportunity for all'."

Transport for London notices there's a new mayor

Planning Resource: "Old Oak development corporation boundary 'could be redrawn', chief executive says"

"The footprint of west London's Old Oak and Park Royal Mayoral Development Corporation could be redrawn to include Wormwood Scrubs Prison, the regeneration corporation's chief executive has said."

"Victoria Hills told an event hosted by law firm Fieldfisher that failing to include the Victorian jail within the remit of the development corporation - OPDC for short - was a 'missed opportunity'.

"However she said the decision could be revisited, particularly in the light of justice secretary Michael Gove's plans to sell off some of the country's older prisons for redevelopment.

"Giving an update on progress on the corporation area, which covers a total of 650 hectares and is set to host an interchange for the High Speed 2 rail line and Crossrail, as well as 25,500 new homes, in the coming decades, Hills said she expected things to 'continue to move and evolve' with the site.

" 'The prison was within the boundary that we consulted on, and we did want to include it in our boundary but there were three aspects of that boundary that the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham couldn't live with,' she said.

" 'The prison is in the news almost daily, so in some respects I'm quite glad that it's not within our boundary, but it has been announced that it is on the list for estates release, so from my perspective, it's a bit of a missed opportunity.

" 'But it doesn't mean that we couldn't go back and have another go. We can go back and consult on our boundary in the future and relay the statutory order to include things that we would like to have put in there.'

"Hills said the same situation could apply to original plans to include part of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the OPDC.

" 'They were part of the original partnership, but when the then-mayor couldn't guarantee their Crossrail station at Kensal, they withdrew,' she said.

" 'If that station comes back on again, they might come back into the MDC.'

"Earlier, Jamie Kerr - managing director of the government's HS2 Growth Partnership, created to support regeneration along the new high-speed route - said the organisation was looking at ideas to involve the private sector in land assembly at sites around new stations that would be created on the line.

"Kerr said that, while there was not a problem at Old Oak Common, where the bulk of the core regeneration area was in public control, there was a need to 'avoid land-banking' and drive forward development at the same time that the new railway was delivered.

" 'We want people to arrive and feel that something is happening at all of the cities,' he said.

" 'We're trying to create a venture fund that will purchase land, fund pre-development costs, get to that stage where "place" is created, and give investors the chance to own what is going to be some of the primest real estate in the regional cities.'

"Kerr said the redevelopment of the area around King’s Cross Station in the capital was driving thinking for the areas around HS2's stations."

OPDC and Stewie share something: They Are Both One.

Original

Old Oak Common images from HS2 Ltd.

High Speed 2 at Old Oak Common: state of the art

2016-05 OOC presentation 100516-1 by scribdstorage

London Borough of Ealing's submission to the OPDC draft Local Plan

Councillor
Julian
Bell

---

OPDC LP Response by LBE by scribdstorage

Railway Engineer: "Taking HS2 to completion"

Link to web site

"So far as many people are concerned, HS2 is a high-profile project that hasn't started yet. True, there have been some route plans published, many of which are being criticised by those who live close to the proposed alignment. But then, no-one likes a railway at the bottom of their garden.

"There have also been complaints from passenger groups who want the money spent on the classic network, improving capacity for commuters rather than allowing the fat-cats to travel from Birmingham to London ten minutes quicker. And also grumbles from the rail freight community whose trains won't be allowed on the new lines at all.

"On the other hand, other lobbyists are asking why, if it is all about capacity enhancement, the new railway won't have four tracks instead of just two.

"Then there is the fact that the new railway will terminate at Euston, with no access to HS1 and the continent, and will cause half of Camden to be flattened to accommodate it. But construction isn't due to start until 2018 and not be complete until 2025 – if it doesn’t overrun badly as large projects tend to do. No doubt there will be a lot of changes in that time, if this expensive white elephant gets built at all."

The Guardian: "Tiny and £1,100 a month: corporate answer to flatsharing in London"

Squeeze in to web site

"The rooms are tiny, the rent is about £1,100 a month, tenants have to share kitchens – and the view is over one of London's bleakest skylines. But the creators of what they claim is the world's largest 'co-living' scheme, opening next week, believe it is the 21st-century alternative to that traditional rite of passage for twenty-somethings arriving in the capital – flatting.

"The Collective, a new 550-bed tower in Old Oak billed as 'a new way to live in London', is the corporate answer to the dilemma facing new workers in the capital hunting for a flat and someone to share the costs. It claims to give tenants – the first move in on Monday – a hassle-free, collective life similar to a student hall of residence, but for people starting out on their career.

"Its sleek modernity is a far cry from the Young Ones, but it's also a long way from the New York shared living of Friends. The majority of rooms are just 10 sq metres and relatively expensive compared to the traditional flatshare in London’s inner suburbs."

Link to web site

"Collective living's fine for students but for everybody else it stinks"

"The government may have shown no interest in improving the lot of renters, but luckily for them, the private sector has. The Collective promises to be a 'new kind of property company', and its website pitches it as a cross between a Silicon Valley startup, a worker’s soviet and the Polyphonic Spree. 'As the UK's first and the world's largest co-living provider,' it tells us, eyes fixed on the horizon of a bright new dawn, 'we create innovative living and working spaces for the creative and ambitious.' What this means in practice is that you get a room in a student hall of residence for grownups overlooking Willesden Junction freight yard.

"There are many things about all this that are anger-making, but the first that leaps out at you is the price. The rooms are going for the low, low price of £1,083 a month, or almost exactly half of the average Londoner’s take-home pay. And for that, remember, you don’t get a house or even a flat. You get a room that’s about three metres square, which is fine if you’re a sulky teenager but not great if you're 30; as well as a bathroom, and a two-ring kitchen hob you share with a neighbour."

Transport Minister visits Wells House Road, Midland Terrace and the Old Oak Lane Triangle estate today (it keeps him out of mischief)

The Guardian: "More rent than pay a mortgage: the Tory dream for London has crashed and burned"

"The capital is now a city of tenants, proof that the Thatcherite property hegemony has had its day"

Limk to web site

"Politics often lags behind reality. But when the two get too badly out of sync, what’s produced is disaster. For proof, look at the catastrophe that is housing in London. We are in the final strait of the capital's mayoral race. An odd, ugly and racist contest, it is also a remarkable one – perhaps the first housing election ever held in postwar Britain. Housing is the thing that Zac Goldsmith, Sadiq Khan and the rest of the candidates bang on about the most – rightly so, as it’s the biggest topic for voters. Yet the terms used by politicians are as inadequate as the policies they devise.

"Take one of the lines most commonly trotted out: that this is a crisis for London’s young, who can’t afford to get on the property ladder. One of Britain's most respected thinktanks, the Resolution Foundation, has been digging through the government's own figures and given me exclusive access to its analysis for the capital. Perhaps its single biggest finding is this: the proportion of Londoners who own a home with a mortgage has been sliding since the early 90s – and has now dipped below the number who rent privately. In John Major's time, less than 20% of all Londoners rented privately, now that is in the mid-30s, and marching up to 40%."

CityLab: "A One-Stop Guide to Designing the Streets of the Future"

"A recently published report by the National Association of City Transportation Officials includes insights from dozens of officials and practitioners across North America."

Link to web site

"Not all urban planners or city governments agree on what kind of street designs are best. But one thing remains clear: Cities who want to plan for the future must prioritize transit accessibility.

"To aid this process, the National Association of City Transportation Officials has devised a Transit Street Design Guide, which contains insights from 18 different transit agencies, as well as officials and practitioners in 45 North American cities.

"The guide functions as a one-stop shop for designers, city planners, and all those interested in improving the safety and efficiency of their streets. While it serves as more of a toolbox than a prescriptive rule book, here are some of the main takeaways..."

Scrubs Lane: Aurora Developments Ltd. ("The company will be brought on-shore from Guernsey.")

North Kensington Gate Panels f WEB[1]

L&Q Housing Association: Report on Use of Outdoor Spaces

"The research indicates that a key barrier to greater use of the outdoor spaces is that the purpose of the space is unclear, and as a result it is putting people off using the spaces or wanting anyone else to use them. The lack of clarity about the purpose of these spaces is creating tension as people’s different expectations are not being met.

"The interviews revealed that management approach is usually to identify the cause of the problem and prohibit or prevent the problematic activity so that the source of conflict is removed.

"However as a result of this management strategy, the outdoor spaces are becoming more like ornaments, peaceful places for looking at, as opposed to a functional social resource.

"Despite the incremental restriction on uses, this 'look but don’t touch' feel of the spaces seems to have been intentionally integrated into the design."

LQ Report Final Short for Publication[1]

Construction News: "Simon Kirby on safety, skills, cost savings and HS2's future"

Old Oak Common station [Hmm.]
Link to web site

"2016 is already shaping up to be a crucial year for High Speed 2.

"Its £350m engineering design partner has been chosen and nine bidders for phase one’s £11.8bn civils packages have been shortlisted. Perhaps most importantly, its hybrid bill has passed through the Commons.

"Now, HS2 chief executive Simon Kirby can turn his attentions to the companies that will build the UK’s biggest infrastructure project.

"Speaking exclusively to Construction News, his message is clear: 'Contractors should expect to go way beyond where they have on any project like this'."

Boris's London Cycling Legacy: Lessons for Old Oak Common and Park Royal

Human Streets 0[1]

Construction News: "CN Briefing: Old Oak and Park Royal CEO takes part in Construction News Twitter debate" (Debate? That's somewhat over-egging the pudding)

"Asking the CEO of a major client to sit behind a desk for an hour and do nothing but look at Twitter is not a typical Construction News request.

"Even less so when that CEO happens to be in charge of the UK’s largest future regeneration project - one that will deliver 25,000 homes, 65,000 jobs and an HS2 and Crossrail-connecting transport hub that will rival King’s Cross.

"At 650 hectares in size, the Old Oak Common and Park Royal scheme is serious business, and Victoria Hills, at the helm, is intent on its eventual success.

"But in these early stages of the project's progress, success is as much about communicating clearly with local residents, businesses and authorities in the areas nearby - something Ms Hills is equally serious about.

"The CEO spent an hour to take part in Construction News’ Twitter Q&A session about the mammoth scheme.

Contractors’ chance to shine

"Ms Hills fielded a question on what her client, Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation, are looking for in contractors interested in the working on the regeneration.

"Her answer? Firms that are committed to working in smarter ways and which demonstrate 'exemplar' sustainable credentials.

"For contractors that step up to the mark, 'this is an opportunity to shine on a global stage,' added the CEO.

Skills crisis = opportunity

"Positively, for a scheme that will generate in the region of 65,000 jobs, the opportunity to make significant headway in closing the skills gap is not one the DevCo will be passing up.

"Businesses and educational institutions can expect a call - indeed, some may have already had one.

" 'We’ll work with employers to map skills needs, and colleges to ensure [the] right courses are in place,' tweeted Ms Hills.

" 'We already have agreement from [council partnership West London Alliance] @WLA_tweets, seven boroughs, seven further education and two sixth-form colleges to address [the] skills gap.'

Early engagement

"With a consultation period recently closed, the vision for this flagship regeneration has taken a step closer, though a further consultation to be held later this year means work on the ground isn’t expected to start for some time.

"Despite that, here is a client commited to engaging early and openly, not just with the industry, but with the public, too.

"With communities becoming smarter, better connected and more informed, this is perhaps an indication of how major clients can make their plans more visible - led by those at the very top."

Catch up on the whole Twitter Q&A session here.

Socio-economic regeneration in the OPDC area

Our Socio-economic Regeneration Strategy Outline

This stategy was approved by the board in January 2016, focusing on the following objectives:

• Establishing a liveable new place at Old Oak, with new homes, accessible facilities and attractive neighbourhoods enjoyed by residents, employees and visitors
• Delivering a new commercial centre for London that attracts investment, supports established, new and innovative businesses to thrive and grow, creating thousand of new jobs
• Protecting and strengthening Park Royal industrial estate and supporting its future competitiveness
• Providing education and training to improve life chances, and equip new and existing residents to compete in the economy of the future
• Promoting good health and well-being in the planning and development of the new neighbourhood.

Projects in development

We are building the evidence base and relationships with the boroughs and key partners to develop projects to unlock the regeneration potential of the area for local people and businesses. These project include:

• Park Royal Business Plan – engaging with local businesses to develop practical actions to remove barriers to growth and create long-term opportunities
• West London Construction & Future Skills Campus – upskilling local residents to fill apprenticeships and vacancies created through early developments on site, the HS2 construction programme, and regeneration projects across West London
• Supply chain development – building capacity among small, medium and large businesses to compete for contracts generated from new infrastructure and investment in the area
• Future talent pipeline – informing, inspiring and equipping young people to make successful careers in construction and London's future growth sectors
• Innovation hubs to stimulate new economic activity within the new developments at Old Oak, and through intensification of Park Royal.

A Socio-economic baseline of Old Oak and Park Royal was published by GLA Economics on 17 March. Commissioned by OPDC, it will be used to measure the impacts of the major regeneration project at Old Oak and wider area over time:

• The objective of Working Paper 74 is to provide a baseline of socio-economic and demographic indicators against which to measure the impacts of the Old Oak and Park Royal regeneration project over time.
• It analyses a number of different socio-economic indicators of the immediate area in and around the Old Oak Park Royal Development Zone, the wider region that surrounds the Development Zone, and compares with indicators for Greater London.
• This baseline will be used as a reference point in future years to measure changes in these indicators to assess the impact that the regeneration project is having on the Old Oak and Park Royal area.

Working Paper 74[1]