Gentrification - Transforming London

[Bowater]

An interesting trend here, especially if you consider rising car ownership/congestion as one of the initial causes of decline in the inner suburbs.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/trans...h-8389053.html

Camden joins Islington and Southwark to cut road speed limits to 20mph

A central London borough is to slash its speed limit to 20mph.

Some of the capital’s most congested streets will be affected after a blanket borough-wide zone was agreed by Camden’s cabinet last night.

The borough decided to push ahead with the limit on every road, despite a backlash from residents, who supported it near schools and at accident blackspots.

It will cost up to £1.5 million, including new illuminated speed signs and follows similar moves by Islington and Southwark.

Other boroughs, such as Hackney, have introduced residential road-only 20mph zones.

Some more here on Islington's scheme:

http://www.islington.gov.uk/services...mph_limit.aspx

[ill tonkso]

Lower speed limits are brilliant. They just lowered the M275 into Portsmouth to 40mph and people are saying the traffic is flowing a lot better now. The roads in the city have lower speed limits than other cities and it does feel safer since they introduced them.

[Bowater]

Stroud Green Beautification





Taken from: http://www.stroudgreen.org/discussio...utification/p2

On Street View: http://goo.gl/maps/QxI5u

[El_Greco]

Thats Aldgate.

[Brightondan]

Are there any more examples of gentrification within the very centre of London. Hopefully once the centre has been cleaned up and gentrified then it would spread to the outer areas. Its all positive !!!

[DarJoLe]

Gentrification is not all positive. Essentially it's just pushing those on lower incomes elsewhere, but obviously that's an easy view to take. The reality is a lot more complicated, especially in this city with its constant flux of people and wealth.

For example, the rise of the BNP several years back in Barking could be attributed to the pushing out of the immigrant community from areas around Stratford, Bow and Whitechapel, forced to move out to cheaper areas. But then this movement of population has been going on in London since its beginnings, so it's not a new phenomena by simply saying opening a Starbucks in zone 2 causes racial tension somewhere else in zone 4.

London stretches far enough to enable this constant flux of movement about itself. In a way, its success in absorbing all these areas of differing wealth values is probably due to the social change inflicted by the war and how industry changed rapidly throughout the 20th century. Those areas that saw industry disappear degenerated and essentially got to a point where the only way is up.

Maybe there is a case there that for future generations having a 100% regenerated and gentrified London is not necessarily a cause for celebration. Or is it a goal that every district in London must have coffee shops, Artisan bakeries, art galleries and a Little Waitrose on the corner?

[Bowater]

Originally Posted by El_Greco

Thats Aldgate.

Whitechapel to be exact. ; ) Found that out afterwards.

http://www.hlf.org.uk/news/Pages/Res...x#.UQ_nuqWEx5M

[No Expert]

Originally Posted by Bowater

Whitechapel to be exact. ; ) Found that out afterwards.

http://www.hlf.org.uk/news/Pages/Res...x#.UQ_nuqWEx5M

Yes. Its part of the High Street 2012 historic building works. The next section is about to be revealed west of Whitechapel Station to Valance Road.

http://www.highstreet2012.com/

[The Champ]

Some nice ones in that link





Apparently they are now turning their attention to the shitty shopfronts, the scourge of many a high street

[Gavrosh]

Hackney council is just about to embark on a very similar scheme to those in Whitechapel and Leyton:

http://www.hackney.gov.uk/hc-shop-fr...provements.htm

Theyre also seting up a 'fashion village' in the arches beneath the overground line and theyre reconnecting Hackney Downs and Central station with a bridge that replaces one torn down just after the war.

As with other areas, there's a fair amount of friction between the new arrivals and original inhabitants. I live in Clapton - i have done for years - and its quite odd to see sourdough pizza restaurants next to chicken shops and bookies, which are ubiquitous. There's also a market on Chatsworth Road, which resembles an even more poncey Broadway market. The Guardian did a piece on it last year that kicked up a shit storm amongst the Nu-Yups.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/ju...gentrification

[CornockES]

Wonderful news. Whitechapel would be an excellent place to tidy up. I hope this extends into the residential areas to the south, around tayyabs and commercial road.

[El_Greco]

..

[486]

Originally Posted by DarJoLe

Or is it a goal that every district in London must have coffee shops, Artisan bakeries, art galleries and a Little Waitrose on the corner?

That's a superb notion - I wish it was in the London Plan!

(must add 'clean streets' to the list though)

[spindrift]

Re-post of similar projects in Leyton:









I can see the whole of East London undergoing a fairly rapid gentrification in the next decade.

[mouldss@hotmail.co.u]

the question is will people keep the buildings/shop fronts looking good or will they go back to what they were and money wasted. is this taxpayer funded.

[Gavrosh]

Originally Posted by mouldss@hotmail.co.u

the question is will people keep the buildings/shop fronts looking good or will they go back to what they were and money wasted. is this taxpayer funded.

I believe they are heavily subsidised or free but the store owners that opt in must conform to fairly strict requirements as to what they can display and so on.

[i_like_concrete]

I find it slightly galling that the council pay for the upkeep of private buildings.

[Bowater]

Originally Posted by i_like_concrete

I find it slightly galling that the council pay for the upkeep of private buildings.

It's a business. The council spends £x million on fixing up the high street, then more properties are developed with higher council tax bands and the council rakes in more cash.

These new residents withdraw little from the council funds but inject much.

Not to mention the existing middle class tenants might appreciate a small proportion of their council tax being spent to benefit them and not just the less well off.

[i_like_concrete]

Oh yes, the poor middle classes.

[mouldss@hotmail.co.u]

Originally Posted by Bowater

It's a business. The council spends £x million on fixing up the high street, then more properties are developed with higher council tax bands and the council rakes in more cash.

These new residents withdraw little from the council funds but inject much.

Not to mention the existing middle class tenants might appreciate a small proportion of their council tax being spent to benefit them and not just the less well off.

higher council tax, no thanks.