Comments on: shrinking cities http://www.nickwrightplanning.co.uk/shrinking-cities.htm planning, community engagement and regeneration Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:54:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 By: Anthony Hume http://www.nickwrightplanning.co.uk/shrinking-cities.htm#comment-94 Anthony Hume Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:31:48 +0000 http://www.nickwrightplanning.co.uk/shrinking-cities.htm#comment-94 Have a look at Detroit, where the economy collapsed 40 years ago and population decline has been an endemic feature ever since. As elsewhere, the decline has followed a predictable path: those with get up and go have done just that, and fled the city limits. Those left behind are, in the main, poorer, less well educated and with more health and social problems affecting their lives. Those who work struggle to see a brighter future for their city. Property values, often the barometer of how well or badly a place is doing (albeit a crude indicator at best) have in some places reached the ridiculous. You can buy a house for 1 dollar in some streets. Negative equity is the norm. They call in Detroitification and it is a phenomenon that is stalking many of America's post-industrial urban areas. Could it happen here? See the Sunday Times Online: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article4881309.ece Have a look at Detroit, where the economy collapsed 40 years ago and population decline has been an endemic feature ever since. As elsewhere, the decline has followed a predictable path: those with get up and go have done just that, and fled the city limits. Those left behind are, in the main, poorer, less well educated and with more health and social problems affecting their lives. Those who work struggle to see a brighter future for their city.

Property values, often the barometer of how well or badly a place is doing (albeit a crude indicator at best) have in some places reached the ridiculous. You can buy a house for 1 dollar in some streets. Negative equity is the norm.

They call in Detroitification and it is a phenomenon that is stalking many of America’s post-industrial urban areas.

Could it happen here?

See the Sunday Times Online:

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article4881309.ece

]]> By: Nick http://www.nickwrightplanning.co.uk/shrinking-cities.htm#comment-53 Nick Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:00:01 +0000 http://www.nickwrightplanning.co.uk/shrinking-cities.htm#comment-53 There's an increasing literature about the shrinking cities phenomenon, and responses to it - particularly based on the German experiences mentioned above. See: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shrinking-Cities-v-Regins-Bittner/dp/3775716823/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2UOJBJQKXOMKT&colid=3DVZL2DE3I399" rel="nofollow">Shrinking Cities (vol 1)</a> edited by Philipp Oswalt, 2005 <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shrinking-Cities-Interventions-v-2/dp/3775717110/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I20P3PFZCGZ3MU&colid=3DVZL2DE3I399" rel="nofollow">Shrinking Cities (vol 2: interventions)</a> edited by Philipp Oswalt, 2006 <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Atlas-Shrinking-Cities-Tim-Reiniets/dp/3775717145/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I12WBKKOQ6QD5L&colid=3DVZL2DE3I399" rel="nofollow">Atlas of Shrinking Cities</a> edited by Philipp Oswalt, 2006 There’s an increasing literature about the shrinking cities phenomenon, and responses to it - particularly based on the German experiences mentioned above. See:

Shrinking Cities (vol 1) edited by Philipp Oswalt, 2005

Shrinking Cities (vol 2: interventions) edited by Philipp Oswalt, 2006

Atlas of Shrinking Cities edited by Philipp Oswalt, 2006

]]> By: nick http://www.nickwrightplanning.co.uk/shrinking-cities.htm#comment-51 nick Fri, 13 Jun 2008 07:12:28 +0000 http://www.nickwrightplanning.co.uk/shrinking-cities.htm#comment-51 Author's update: another idea for temporary use of urban land has been piloted in Middlesbrough over the last year - urban farming, turning over under-used land to growing food for local consumption. Read more in <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/26/cityfood" rel="nofollow">The Guardian</a> or on the <a href="http://www.dott07.com/go/food/urban-farming" rel="nofollow">project website</a>. Author’s update: another idea for temporary use of urban land has been piloted in Middlesbrough over the last year - urban farming, turning over under-used land to growing food for local consumption. Read more in The Guardian or on the project website.

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