Earlier this year, I decided to push my boundaries in listening to locals, and agreed to stand in the May local elections as a Conservative candidate for Richmond Council in SW London, representing the area where I live, Mortlake & Barnes Common. I had three motivations. First, I live adjacent to a major redevelopment site (the largest in Richmond and one of the largest in London) which has finally received planning consent after more than a decade of negotiation and a seri

In response to the housing crisis facing London and across the country , a growing number of voices are calling for an uptick in housing density . A popular approach to this discourse is “ gentle density ”, a form of residential development which sits between high-rise, urban, apartment-style developments and low-rise, suburban housing. Advocates include Create Streets , who argue that gentle density is the 'missing middle' of place-making—a network of beautiful streets

News about data centres seems to be everywhere in recent weeks and months, reflecting a spectrum of views ranging from their absolute necessity as critical infrastructure to their inherent threats to our environment and wellbeing . There are approximately 500 data centres in the UK , with growth projected at 20% over the next five years , driven by AI and cloud computing. The Times reported last weekend that nearly 100 centres are currently going through planni

Two weeks ago over 1000 people gathered at the O2 centre in London to launch a growth agenda for the UK. Looking for Growth (LFG) describes itself as “a political movement to push Britain out of decline. We build, we pressure politicians, we influence policy, we organise, co-ordinate and improve Britain, bit by bit”. Amongst speeches and panel discussions delivered over the course of the evening, an announcement was made about a separate initiative which embodies the ambit

Following the government’s cabinet reshuffle earlier this month, the new Housing minister, Steve Read, issued a “call to arms” to “build...

The Aylesbury estate is in the London Borough of Southwark. It was built between 1963 and 1977, and is one of the largest public housing...

It’s been a hot summer across Europe and much of North America, and this has generated lots of discussion about the impact of heat on our...

Last week the BBC reported from Bath that a lack of public toilets in the city has left elderly people in tears and pushed customers...

I’m recently back from a few weeks in San Francisco and, as tour guide to a group of first-time visitor friends I duly showcased the...

Martin Prince-Parrott, the author of recently published Urban Healthonomics, is a man on a mission. He’s also a walking contradiction....

Does objecting to a new housing development in your local community, on the basis that no provision is made for new or expanded GP...

With a new year comes a media spotlight on self-improvement, “healthy ageing” and “longevity” feature highly in both social and...

Happy new year! Here’s hoping that sincere wishes for happiness and prosperity in 2025 are met with acknowledgment of some significant...

It wasn’t long ago that these words would look out of place in the same sentence. Why should property developers care about health, or...

On April 15, 2019 the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris was severely damaged in a devastating fire – and this week, five years on, its...

On Tuesday this week, World Toilet Day was celebrated across the world – laugh if you want, but it’s a long-established event led by...

In the wake of Lord Darzi’s report on the NHS , the IPPR report on the nation’s health , and the government’s renewed focus on...

The Life Sciences industry is comprised of companies and organisations that research, develop and manufacture pharmaceuticals,...

Our new government has pledged to limit tax rises while at the same time promising to invest in our NHS, education and energy...

Over the last year I’ve seen more and more reports of the tensions in local communities created by new housing development and the...