Protecting London’s key business districts

[Tim Lund]

There was some press coverage of this

Mayor calls for planning exemption to be preserved to protect London’s key business districts

but on sites such as Inside Housing, where you have to register, or the FT, where there is a pay wall.

I don't want to get into an argument about this - I know how it is likely to go. But can anyone, preferable with a background in planning, give links or references to academic arguments on why there should be business / residential zoning?

I'm far from being a doctrinal free marketeer, but I just can't see how these sorts of restrictions can be justified.

[stone-penge]

Because turning offices into houses doesn't create long term jobs and business rates .Nor will creating new houses from office blocks create homes that address identifiable needs in particular areas.
You may think that planners object to this due to their inherent control freakery instincts or may think that such developments by pass local plans, needs and democratically expressed desires.

[Tim Lund]

Because turning offices into houses doesn't create long term jobs and business rates .Nor will creating new houses from office blocks create homes that address identifiable needs in particular areas.
You may think that planners object to this due to their inherent control freakery instincts or may think that such developments by pass local plans, needs and democratically expressed desires.

Any links or references to follow?

[stone-penge]

No.
but the journal of http://www.tcpa.org.uk/ is good place to start, if you can get hold of it.

[stone-penge]

I would of thought the reason we have planning regulations and therefore planning zones is pretty obvious.

[Tim Lund]

Why there should be some is obvious, but not all.

I was looking for links to texts setting out when zoning is appropriate and when not, hence when designations should change.

[Tim Lund]

I noticed this on the Bakerloo line thread recently

I certainly trust LBB do not authorise building on the green land between Lower Sydenham and New Beckenham. The very small commercial/business area certainly should remain for business only.

It is important to have some work locally.

which made me wonder again if there is any kind of rigourous justification for such positions, and if so the leel of granularity at which business zones should be defined. Some googling brought me to this

The Economic Theory of Zoning: A critical review

Is there anyone on this Forum with a training in Town Planning who might have had to study this sort of stuff? Any other recommendations?

[Tim Lund]

I don't know if any trained Town Planners on this Forum are able to offer a comment on this, but Shaun Spiers, CEO of CPRE is recommending this recently published book



which

seeks to recover the utopian roots of planning, ‘a civic art expressed in music and poetry as well as design and architecture…. more than just a way to help you object to your neighbour’s conservatory…. focused not just on where we should live, but on how we should live’

Source here

I may well be asking Santa for a copy, even though I realise it may not help answer the particular question I'm seeking enlightenment on here.

Please help