The UK property sector must change the way it looks at London, particularly the east of the capital, according to urban planner Sir Terry Farrell.
Farrell delivered a keynote speech on development potential in the capital at today’s Estates Gazette Offices Summit, in association with the British Council for Offices.
He said: “London has changed considerably, all on the basis of making new places. But we need to adapt how we look at certain areas. For example, we run London’s docks as if the boats were still there. There is no reason to spend vast amounts of money on towering, high bridges. The only way to make east London work is to redevelop the docks using low, walkway bridges so pedestrians can easily cross from one side of the river to the other.”
Farrell added that Vauxhall Cross would soon have a population larger than that of Ashford or Tunbridge Wells as a result of plans that will see the area have “the biggest collection of tall towers in London outside of Canary Wharf”.
Other speakers at today’s conference included Peter Ferrari, managing director of Heron International, Martin Jepson, senior vice-president of developments and investments at Brookfield Office Properties and Jonathan Weinbrenn, head of global corporate services at Search Office Space.
emily.wright@estatesgazette.com
