I have heard London Mayor Boris Johnson speak publically twice and love the way he teeters between outrageousness, buffoonery and insight. The secret is a true comedian’s timing (something I share, so those who have heard some of my regeneration ideas say).
But the main point is that he is an international draw, and as long as London can follow through on delivery, that gets the edge in a competitive market. Pleased to hear the backing for High Speed Rail too.
I suppose it begins with an anxious wait for a taxi at 4.30 am, but really it begins four hours later on a packed flight from Brussels, where I speak half French, half English to my neighbour, who has just taken on a role as urban designer for the Brussels region: 1.1 million people, same size as Tyne and Wear, but divided into 19 municipalities, of which Brussels itself is the largest, and the same size as Newcastle.
My new acquaintance tells me he thinks the crisis between Flemish and Walloon regions is not as intense as it was, but relations with neighbouring regions, different in politics, nationalisms, and language, remain difficult.
It is easy to take partnership for granted in Tyne and Wear. A reminder, then, that we shouldn’t and it is one of the strngest selling points when I speak to developers.
David
That’s the question I was asked by Renaissance NewcastleGateshead magazine and the short answer is “Not yet”. However, David Slater, Harvey Emms and more recently Kath Lawless at Newcastle council have set the framework for it to improve, so the jury is out. They understand the weaknesses and have clearly demonstrated a commitment to deal with the issues.
Hopefully, following the recent involuntary euthanasia at the Civic Centre, those remaining who report to David and Kath will focus on delivery and heed the message that development is fundamentally good for our city.
As the fragile market starts to stabilise and improve slightly this is an important time. Stock is low. If we are to stand a chance of attracting inward investment, which is the only real way to grow our city meaningfully, we must have buildings of scale and quality. We must demonstrate that these may be delivered with the public sector being part of the team and not an opposing force.
The market is fragile and improving very slightly. We need to use this opportunity, and avoid being caught up in minutiae. The tail has been docked…
