Boris Johnson as Mayor - what are the implications for London's development?

[wjfox]

[Bena Gyerek]

I think the real question here is whether south London (Waterloo/Bankside/Ldn Bridge/Vauxhall/E&C/Battersea/etc) should turn into one huge skyscraper cluster over the next 30 years, like NY's Midtown.

Personally, I think it would be ideal. Throw in southern extensions to the Bakerloo, Victoria and Northern (Charing X) lines and you have a whole new "metropolis" area that combines business, residential and leisure.

Seems like EH, Westminster and Boris' pet wanker don't want this area redeveloped, at least not with high-rise. But I don't understand why not.

[Officer Dibble]

...

[Officer Dibble]

Originally Posted by Officer Dibble

I'm going to give this site a miss for a few weeks.

OK, make that a few days - I'm bored of my self-imposed exile. Still a bit of hysteria around, but at least my post was well-received - thanks for nice comments.

[Black Cat]

The reasoning for why Westminster does not want skyscrapers in the Waterloo / Southbank area seems pretty obvious: They will be highly visible from Westminster, particularly when viewing east in St James Park (note visual impact of the big wheel), from the Embankment, Somerset House, Palace of Westminster, the bridges, etc. Imagine much higher structures behind/adjacent to the wheel. This seems to freak out Westminster borough politicians. Where the towers are further away, CW, City, E&C, east end boroughs, there is much less interest.

While impact on views may be the expressed reason, frankly I wonder if Westminster is worried about being upstaged by new glamourous areas/boroughs to live in. The South Bank (Lambeth/Southwark) by the Thames is very strategic, enables easy walking access to the river, the City and the West End, has many great institutions (cultural, health, etc), great rail links, and could develop a serious commercial retail district with a little more smart mixed development at London Bridge and Waterloo. In the long term, the South Bank could see very high density high rise residential development, and perhaps some Westminster politicians are uncomfortable with this.

[DarJoLe]

New mayor plans to cut skyscrapers
9 May 2008
bdonline.co.uk

London’s newly elected Tory mayor, Boris Johnson, took a step toward halting the spread of skyscrapers in London this week with the appointment of a key adviser opposed to Ken Livingstone’s planning policies.

Westminster City Council leader Simon Milton, who has been highly critical of tall buildings and has argued against new planning powers won by Ken Livingstone, will advise the mayor on housing and planning policy.
The appointment follows a campaign by Johnson which included plans to reinstate and strengthen protected views of historic buildings such as St Paul’s Cathedral and the Palace of Westminster.

Milton, who also chairs the Local Government Association, has strongly supported the outer London boroughs that resisted Livingstone’s preference for high-density and high-rise projects.

Tory Assembly member Tony Arbour, former chair of the London Assembly’s Planning & Spatial Development Committee, claimed Milton’s appointment would mean many skyscraper projects “in the pipeline” could be scrapped.

“Some tall buildings proposed which are not yet secured will be affected,” he said. “There will be many schemes on the drawing board which clearly will have to be reviewed.”

James Gurling, Lib Dem councillor and chair of Southwark Council’s planning committee agreed. “The conduct of Westminster and the appointment of its leader as the mayor’s adviser is a cause for concern for developers,” he said.

BD understands that a decision on any future role for Richard Rogers, Livingstone’s chief adviser on architecture, is unlikely before further appointments are announced. But Arbour hinted that the Labour peer was unlikely to keep the position.

Terry Farrell has been tipped by some as a replacement.

[potto]

Originally Posted by Bitumastic boy

Obviously hit a raw nerve with that one. It is easy to get the impression reading some of the entries on this forum that the masses are still being trampled on by toffs on horse back. It's clearly no longer the case. Do you think there is still a class war on? Anyway I'm off for Pimms with the boys down the Conservative Club. Night night.

sorry from your ill-informed posts you just come across as someone with absolutely no idea about what London looks like or feels like today. We are talking urban here. Please post some photos, preferrably skyline views or draw some diagrams of your treasured viewpoints outlining your fears. I would love to discuss this topic further.

perhaps you could start your journey of enlightenment here,

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=531899

[potto]

Originally Posted by Black Cat

While impact on views may be the expressed reason, frankly I wonder if Westminster is worried about being upstaged by new glamourous areas/boroughs to live in. The South Bank (Lambeth/Southwark) by the Thames is very strategic, enables easy walking access to the river, the City and the West End, has many great institutions (cultural, health, etc), great rail links, and could develop a serious commercial retail district with a little more smart mixed development at London Bridge and Waterloo. In the long term, the South Bank could see very high density high rise residential development, and perhaps some Westminster politicians are uncomfortable with this.

Of course, if Central South London ever gots its act together it could trample Westminster into the ground and give the City a run for its money too. Ever wondered why Westminister have a strange love hate relationship with the West End? They know they need it just they dont understand it.

[Bitumastic boy]

Originally Posted by potto

sorry from your ill-informed posts you just come across as someone with absolutely no idea about what London looks like or feels like today. We are talking urban here. Please post some photos, preferrably skyline views or draw some diagrams of your treasured viewpoints outlining your fears. I would love to discuss this topic further.

perhaps you could start your journey of enlightenment here,

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=531899

I've got a drawing I wish to post on file but when I try to insert an image I'm ask for a URL. I've tried copy and paste but that won't work either. How do get this picture on my post?

[DarJoLe]

Upload it to flickr or another image hosting site.

[potto]

I use http://xs.to/ for very quick and free uploading abilities

[Isaac Newell]

Originally Posted by potto

Of course, if Central South London ever gots its act together it could trample Westminster into the ground and give the City a run for its money too. Ever wondered why Westminister have a strange love hate relationship with the West End? They know they need it just they dont understand it.

You would need to move about 20 theatres, plus Selfridges, Liberty, Bond Street, Green Park, St James's Park, Soho, Barclay Square, Trafalgar Square, Manchester Square, Marylebone High Street and Chinatown, all across the river before Central South London could begin to trample Westminster into the ground.

[Astounded]

London and New York announce new partnership

9-5-2008 230

Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg have today announced a new partnership between the two leading cities.

At a successful meeting between the Mayors, an agreement was made to establish an exchange programme designed to share best practices in government innovation.

Mayor Bloomberg travelled to London on Friday to meet with Boris Johnson to discuss how leading officials could work together to explore lessons learned by both administrations and help in the implementation of key initiatives.

The Innovation Exchange Programme will focus on designing practical, efficient, and effective policies, overcoming implementation challenges, and evaluating success in making government more transparent, accountable, accessible and efficient, with an emphasis on public safety and emergency management.

Maybe Bloomberg will tell Boris how to speed up the planning process.

[El_Greco]

South Central has no chance in hell to trample the West End East End on another hand has.It already is a home to numerous theatres clubs bars galleries cool shops etc and its close to the City.Now that we have a guy whos stuck in the 19th Century as a planning advisor I bet East End will become an even more popular destination for developers.

[Bitumastic boy]

Here you go.

[IMG]http://http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs227&d=08195&f=mary876.jpg[/IMG

Will send a serious reply tomorrow.

[DarJoLe]

Oh dear.

[chest]

if we are all being honest the days of any new 250m+ towers being proposed were probably over anyway who ever got in power. Of course Canary Wharf will be unaffected by any review of development policy which is likely to last about 2 years apparently.
The good news is that there are so many fantastic towers with full planning permission and several under way that in about 2 years time London will look like its under some knd of skyscraper boom frenzy the likes of which we have never seen (yes we know contracts haven't been signed blah blah blah but all developers are committed). The new towers to come in to development will probably be around CW - the new 23 floor one at Churchill Place and the Baltimore Wharf tower and probably a host of others.
In the mean time Boris Johnson will probably have warmed to the developer community and fall in line with the ultra powerful City Corporation because believe me if you heard Ken Livingstons rants against developers when he first came to power the most optimistic of us would have suggested SSC.COM might as well shut its London thread.

[london lad]

Lol- It gets worse - Mr Miltons other half is cheif planner in Westminster

Conflict of interest’ fears raised over Boris appointment

16:49 | 09.05.08

Westminster labour leader Paul Dimoldenberg has asked the council’s standards board to draw up a protocol to govern the interaction between Boris Johnson’s new planning advisor and Westminster Council’s head of planning.

By Deirdre Hipwell

Sir Simon Milton, leader of Westminster Council, was appointed to Johnson’s team as senior planning advisor earlier this week and is married in a civil partnership to Westminster cabinet member for planning Robert Davis.

Today, Dimoldenberg sent an email to Colin Wilson, Westminster’s director of Legal and Administrative Services, in which he expressed concerns about a comment made by Cllr Robert Davis during the ‘Question Time’ on Tuesday in which he ‘said he is looking forward to having ‘pillow talk’ conversations and a ‘word in the ear’ with Cllr Milton about how Westminster planning matters will be dealt with by Mayor Johnson.’


Protocol needed
Dimoldenberg said he wanted a protocol issues detailing how the council would ensure that 'Westminster planning matters are dealt with openly and transparently by The Mayor and his advisers, given Councillor Milton’s continuing membership of the City Council and his relationship with Councillor Davis’
Click here to find out more!

Davis and Milton have declared their relationship in the register of interests and it is thought that Milton, who is an advisor to Mayor Johnson, will not have any direct role in decision making nor will be involved in Westminster planning decisions. Strategic planning decisions that affect Westminster as a whole are handled by Cllr Alaistair Moss, chairman of the planning and city development committee.

Conflict of interest can be avoided
A spokesman for Westminster City Council said: 'The council considers that any potential conflicts of interest can be avoided. Councillors fully declare personal and professional interests. Sir Simon Milton is yet to take up his appointment but will be abiding by the GLA Code of Conduct.

'As a councillor he will not be participating in planning matters affecting Westminster City Council and when he takes office will establish a protocol to ensure that there are clear rules about any potential conflicts of interest.

'Strategic planning applications at Westminster are dealt with through the major applications committee which is chaired by Councillor Alistair Moss, not Councillor Robert Davis. Council planning decisions are open to public scrutiny and based on officer, not member reports.'

[london lad]

Boris’ threat to tall buildings

2008 Issue 18

By Dan Stewart

Developers wait to see if new London mayor will act on promise to scrap capital’s skyscrapers

The fates of several high-rise developments in London are hanging in the balance after Boris Johnson’s election as the first Tory mayor of the capital.

Johnson had previously pledged that Ian Simpson’s Beetham Tower, Allies & Morrison’s Elizabeth Street development and Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands’ Doon Street scheme would not be built under his leadership.

The Greater London Authority could not confirm that any of these would go ahead as planned as Building went to press. Wilkinson Eyre’s two towers at 20 Blackfriars Road have also been called in for inquiry, it emerged on Wednesday, giving the mayor the opportunity to oppose them.

Former Westminster council leader Sir Simon Milton has been named as Johnson’s chief adviser on planning. Milton has been a fierce critic of tall buildings and his council has previously objected to the Beetham Tower on the grounds that it would obstruct historic views.

Simpson’s tower is likely to be the first scheme Johnson will give a public opinion on. A public inquiry is imminent, at which the mayor’s office will be required to present evidence.

Lord Rogers’ role as chief design adviser to the mayor’s office was also thrown into doubt by Milton’s appointment.

“Lord Rogers’ role as chief design adviser to the mayor is also in doubt.”

A source close to the mayor’s office said: “Rogers and Milton would clash a lot. I can’t see Rogers continuing in that position with someone like that in charge of planning.”

It is understood that Sir Terry Farrell is being lined up as a possible replacement for Rogers. However, Farrell and Milton have an uneasy history – Westminster council was instrumental in the scrapping of Farrell’s Paddington Health Campus in 2005.

Neither Rogers nor Farrell would comment on speculation that a new design adviser would be sought for the mayor’s office.

Peter Bishop, director of the mayor’s architecture and design body, Design for London, said this week that it was “business as usual”.

[potto]

Oh look now that is proper cronyism, Boris has been friends since school too. Ken was accused of it when he brought on Rogers. At least Rogers is world renown and suited to his chosen position! Wonder what colourful expressive language the Evening Standard will use for this one.