The London Assembly Planning and Regeneration Committee recently published a report highlighting that existing social value, provided by and embedded within London’s existing places and spaces (e.g., in arch-based businesses and markets), is still too often neglected in regeneration and development. These places and their social value should be intentionally maintained, protected and enhanced in planning — not threatened, ignored and dismantled. This report was produced following an open call for evidence, to which several Protect our Places (POP) members responded.
Latin Elephant, Friends of Shepherd’s Bush Market, Friend’s of Queen’s Market and PlushSE16 all contributed substantive evidence to the London Assembly. Latin Elephant also shared evidence in an initial discussion with Matty Hadfield, GLA Policy Advisor, and at a London Assembly Planning Committee meeting panel discussion in October. POP collective contributions are quoted and linked throughout the document.
This report calls on the Mayor to give Londoners the power to protect markets as community assets. It includes seven recommendations for sustaining and supporting social value through planning policy.
We hope that POP evidence will continue to inform London Assembly reports and recommendations, particularly around issues relating to the impact of regeneration on local communities.
Some excerpts from POP written submissions:
“Once it [social value] has been destroyed, it cannot just be put back in”. – Shepherd’s Bush Market written submission
“We believe that social value must be defined by what local people value, what they fight to protect, and what they would grieve to lose.” – Plush SE16 written submission
“Any definition [of social value] must also include intentional reference to spaces which serve racialised and migrant communities and diverse working class communities, in particular. Any definition of social value which does not seek to ameliorate the disproportionately negative impact of regeneration and development on such communities and the spaces they feel are important is inadequate.” – Latin Elephant written submission