New Levelling-up funding for the North while Mayor of London warns of house building slow down
Sheffield - Fargate public realm improvements (CGI from Sheffield City Council) Future Cities Forum will be discussing the proposed investment in Sheffield and Wolverhampton - part of the UK government's levelling up programme, which involves 20 places in England being transformed through regeneration with £120 million for Mayoral Combined Authorities to deliver 7,800 homes in the North and Midlands on disused brownfield land. The announcement stated that in Sheffield, new re
Cultural cities and eco tourism - Part 1 report
The re-vitalised Burrell Collection, exterior space - CGI courtesy Glasgow Life Future Cities Forum held its 'Cultural Cities' event this week with discussions on the value of the arts to re-invigorate the high street, the growth of eco-tourism and the importance of high quality public realm to attract visitors and workers back to the city centre. Chief Executive of Wigan Council, Alison McKenzie-Folan spoke of the funding that the council has received from the UK government
The making of the modern city: new models for retail assets and the day/night economy
Consumer patterns supporting physical retail in the UK continue to change. Will the re-building of the M&S flagship store on Oxford Street with two and half floors devoted to new offices herald a new model for destination retail districts ? (Image: Pilbrow & Partners) At our 'Making of the Modern City' forum discussions were held on the future of retail and in particular the shopping centre. Chief Operating Officer at abrdn's UK real estate division, Simon Moscow explained th
New data shows tourism may not recover until middle of decade
The Burrell Collection, Glasgow - proposed refurbishment (Image from Glasgow Life) Our first 'Cultural Cities' forum of 2022 will focus on the survival of cultural and eco-tourism in the UK post Covid-19 and the recent variant Omicron. The Mayor of London has announced that tourism in London may not return to pre-pandemic levels until the middle of the decade according to new analysis, and has urged the Government to come forward with a comprehensive package of measures which
A return to the office - but what environment will employees demand?
Central Saint Giles development in London (designed by Renzo Piano)- bought by Google for $1 billion in January 2022 - viewed from St Giles-in-the-Fields Church - described by Peter Ackroyd as 'a place of entrance and exit for those visiting the great (medieval) fairs of the City of London' The UK government has urged employees to talk to their employers about returning to work in the office as Plan B measures against Covid-19 have been lifted. Future Cities Forum discussed
Moving towards a green and healthy city - transport measures to calm emissions
Empty centre? Lime electric bikes and London diesel bus on Lower Regent Street, mid-morning in May 2021 Future Cities Forum's transport and energy forum next month will look at improving city infrastructure for healthy lifestyles and future plans for meeting net zero targets. Questions will be asked on how public transport might need to flex in order to cope with the return to the office commute, following the UK government encouraging employees to consider the traditional p
The future for government/private collaboration in EV infrastructure
Image: Hybrid forum at Bow Bells House London in operation with (on screen) Matthew Vickerstaff (IPA), Neil Slater (abrdn), Lloyd Lee (Yoo Capital), Craig Wright (abrdn), Iain Jenkinson (CBRE), Owain Lloyd-James (Historic England), Gareth Mason (Stride Treglown) and Gavin King (Chapman Taylor) - and (in room from left) - Ben Walker (LDA Design), Fred Pilbrow (Pilbrow & Partners), Heather Fearfield (Future Cities Forum), Simon Moscow (abrdn), Angela Dapper (Grimshaw) and Gavin
HS2 celebrates big carbon saving on UK's longest rail bridge
The HS2 Colne Valley Viaduct (CGI from Jacobs) Deputy Chief Executive at the Infrastructure & Projects Authority, Matthew Vickerstaff, joined Future Cities Forum discussions last week on 'The making of the modern city' at abrdn PLC and commented on the speed at which the HS2 construction phase was progressing. He was invited to talk as part of our ongoing series of debates and reports around the economic levelling up of the UK. Future Cities Forum will be taking its discussio
Government awards £6.2m to Mersey Heat Network
View from inside the Museum of Liverpool northwards to the Three Graces (Photo courtesy Ant Clausen) Future Cities Forum is holding its 'Infrastructure, transport and energy 2022' event next month, where key leaders in these areas will be debating the way forward for planning intergrated cities, joined up housing and transport as well as the greenest and most efficient ways of heating our cities, so we wanted to feature some important news around government funding of a poten
Infrastructure and Projects Authority to speak at our 'Making of the Modern City' forum
EV charging point in Woolwich, London SE18 The Infrastructure and Projects Authority's Deputy Chief Executive, and Head of the Government's Project Finance Profession, Matthew Vickerstaff, will contribute to our discussions this month at an event called 'The Making of the Modern City', speaking about the important transition for the UK in electric vehicle infrastructure. The UK government continues to drive more efficient transport and energy infrastructure for 2022 with the