Starmer and Rayner visit Nansledan with the King. (No, silly – Elvis is well dead!). This is the housing development promoted by Charlie when in charge of the Duchy coffers! Anyway, enough sniping, it is very well regarded – we just wait to see if the Government can force the cowboy firms into a similar high standard. Rayner talked about Garden Cities but we have seen plans disappear in the past – maybe this time?
As long as someone enforces a big view it will be OK. Government using compulsory purchase, then selling at higher price to developers to pay for infrastructure should work. I have some experience having lived in Stevenage for a while. My main gripe was that it was too organised! (this is where you play, this is where your dog shits, etc.). Although they did leave some wild’ish areas between ‘neighbourhoods’. The neighbourhood shopping areas however were soulless and cold. I am not sure how to solve this. the subways did not help – crossings would have been better, even if disrupting traffic.
Perhaps – idea – enable out of town shopping centres with access to electric carts. Then in the centre a pedestrian walkway with trees, etc, and seats. Teenage threats? are real! but provide for them with athletic/cultural facilities nearby or embrace them – cafes, mini-job centres (where young could be hired to carry shopping, do gardening, clean cars in a guaranteed setting)? Just an idea?