A leading consultant in urban studies today told the London Assembly that if capital’s suburbs were apples, many of them would be bruised and past their sell-by date.
Speaking at today’s meeting of the Planning and Spatial Development Committee Dr Nicholas Falk, Director of the Urban and Economic Development Group, warned that intervention was needed to prevent the decline and ‘rot’ of London’s suburbs.
Tony Arbour AM, Chairman of the Committee, also warned “the future of many of the capital’s suburbs is at risk. If something is not done to revitalise them, they may become merely dormitories. We want to keep them as vibrant communities.”
Members of the Committee were told there were a number of ways in which suburbs could be made more sustainable and revitalised including ensuring that their role of “local centres” should be protected to ensure smaller suburban shopping centres are able to compete with larger centres.
London’s local authorities were urged to encourage residents to have “pride of place”. In addition there were calls for suburbs to provide jobs as well as homes.
