LDN Weekly – Issue 332 – 20 September 2024 – Merseybeats, Oxford Street and Standard Toil

MERSEYBEATS, OXFORD STREET AND STANDARD TOIL

Dear Reader,

Strictly Come Dancing back on TV and the arrival of party conference season are two sure-fire signs that summer is disappearing fast and autumn is arriving. This weekend, the Labour faithful gather up in Liverpool - the first time in power since 2009. The mood up on Merseyside seems likely to be a strange cocktail of jubilation at July’s landslide election win mixed with a growing unease at the problems at the heart of the government. You can read more of my thoughts ahead of Labour Party Annual Conference here.

While obviously an important date in the political calendar, this year’s party conference feels less significant – certainly compared to last year, and definitely with respect to the coming Budget on 30 October and the Spending Review that follows. Labour’s adherence to the rules around the 13 weeks the Office for Budget Responsibility take to scrutinise spending plans is laudable – but the consequence is that major decisions on tax and spending come over three months after Labour took power. This has left a vacuum, which has been filled by much media speculation over what might and might not be announced. Many ministers have been left with little to say about some of the key challenges in their briefs. If the pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves wasn’t already intense, this weekend could see it ratcheted up even higher.

Elsewhere, and as we cover in detail in today’s LDN, the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street looks back on the agenda after a dramatic intervention by the Mayor – backed by Secretary of State, Angela Rayner – to seize control of the road and, by default almost, the surrounding area. It’s an idea that has a chequered and politically troubled history over many years, and Sadiq Khan’s audacious move is just the latest chapter. While the backers point to this being the fruits of a Labour Mayor and Labour Government working together, others point to the third leg of the stool – the Labour local council – one of which is, it would seem, less enamoured with the proposals.

Today is also a milestone for the capital with the Evening Standard’s final ever daily print edition. Some will regret the Standard’s demise and what it says about a global city – and a capital city at that – left without a daily printed newspaper. But the truth is that the way Londoners – and particularly commuters – consume their news is changing very fast, perhaps too fast for the Standard to keep up with. The Standard returns from next Thursday as a new weekly “London Standard”.

A team from LCA – including me – will be up in Liverpool. Do say hello, and if we can help with anything, let us know – we’re very happy to meet up for a coffee.

Nick Bowes, Managing Director, Insight

nb@londoncommunications.co.uk 

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OXFORD STREET

Paving the way – in a shock development, shelved plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street look to be back on after a major intervention by the Mayor Sadiq Khan and Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner.

Up on the roof – crowning the announcement, Khan and Rayner paid a flying visit to the terrace high up on top of John Lewis’s store on Oxford Street to survey their new territory.

New vehicle to no vehicles – in a press release, Khan and Rayner announced the establishment of a Mayoral Development Area covering Oxford Street, with closing the road to traffic at the heart of proposals. A Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), similar to those at the Olympic Park in Stratford and Old Oak Common in West London will be set up, with new planning powers.

A reminder…. previous plans to close Oxford Street to traffic were abandoned in 2018 after the then Conservative-run Westminster City Council pulled out of the joint scheme with City Hall, a move which Khan at the time dubbed a ‘betrayal’.

Further back than that… In the 1970s, the GLC first proposed closing the street to traffic… Lib Dem Mayoral candidate Simon Hughes pledged pedestrianisation in 2004…. in 2006 then Mayor Ken Livingstone floated the idea alongside a tram the length of the road.

And breathe…. Despite being Mayor for eight years, Boris Johnson finally announced plans were being drawn up in January 2016… following the May 2016 election, Sadiq Khan kickstarted plans for pedestrianisation… and after the 2018 collapse of these plans, a series of streetscape improvements, short of closing the road to traffic, were put forward by the local council. 

Not happy – now the leader of the Tory opposition on Westminster Council Paul Swaddle has told the BBC he was ‘shocked’ at the plans, with former Tory MP for the area (and leader of the council when the 2018 scheme collapsed) Nickie Aiken accusing the Mayor of trying to railroad the scheme, and urged the council to standing up to ‘bullying’.

Happy – John Lewis Executive Director Peter Ruis… ‘delighted’ at the plans… New West End Company’s Chief Executive Dee Corsi… ‘encouraged by the renewed commitment’…. with UK Hospitality, BusinessLDN and the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry all positive.

Notable by absence – no quote in the Mayor’s press release from the local political leadership in Westminster, with reports suggesting the plans were sprung on the council just last Thursday. Needless to say, it has certainly led to friction in relations between Westminster’s Labour leadership and City Hall. Instead, it fell, somewhat unusually, to the council’s Chief Executive Stuart Love to issue a statement and intends ‘to work constructively with the Mayor and the Government’.

Interesting timing – all this comes just as voters today choose a new local councillor in a by-election in the West End.

Freewheeling – Guaranteed to upset the cycling lobby, Khan confirmed bikes would be banned from a pedestrianised Oxford Street.

Devil in the detail – a MDC requires a formal consultation, and approval by the London Assembly before Rayner gives the final greenlight. Questions remain over what form the MDC will take and how wide the boundaries will be drawn. Given the large cost attached to the plans, will it include some form of locally-generated income stream?

Shovel ready plans – questions over where this leaves Westminster Council’s live £90m proposals for Oxford Street.

Next door – a small corner of neighbouring Camden around New Oxford Street could form part of the plans. Might there be a quid pro quo and Camden council get a development corporation for the stalled Euston/HS2 project in return? One to watch.

*STOP PRESS* – Adam Hug, Labour Leader of Westminster Council, has written to Rayner and Khan warning of ‘substantial practical challenges’ with the Mayor’s plans and 10 key areas of concern, including compensation for the council’s investment to date in its own scheme. No sign of peace breaking out any time soon.

POLITICAL ROUNDUP

New kids on the block - The Government has unveiled the full membership of the New Towns Taskforce. Headed up by Sir Michael Lyons and Dame Kate Barker, the group includes Bill Hughes of L&G, Dame Dian Coyle from the University of Cambridge, local authority CEO Eamonn Boylan, Grainger’s Helen Gordon, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation Kate Henderson, former London Labour MP Nick Raynsford, architect Sowmya Parthasarathy and town planner Dr Wei Yang.

A reminder - The group has been tasked with identifying sites for potential new towns in the next 12 months, as well as looking at ways that investment can be secured.

More new faces – Cllr Ergin Erbil has been elected as the Leader of Enfield Council, following the resignation of Nesil Caliskan, who was elected as the Labour MP for Barking at the General Election. In Barking and Dagenham, Cllr Dominic Twomey has been elected at the new Council Leader following the resignation of Darren Rodwell.

Sour - Brent Council is threatening to ban Lime bikes from the borough entirely. The local authority has come up with several demands that the operator must agree to, including the introduction of parking bays for the bikes, or it will face a ban from 31 October. The council believes that the bikes, which are often left discarded on pavements and parks, are dangerous and hazardous. Other boroughs will be watching Brent closely.

Shamed - Former CEO of Lambeth Council Bayo Dosunmu has been sentenced after pleading guilty to drink-driving earlier this year.

More Met misery – Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley has said that London ‘risks becoming less safe’ as fewer officers are willing to do the ‘high-risk jobs’ and are handing in their Tasers and firearms. The Commissioner also warned politicians against publicly criticising the police, saying that it ‘can have a detrimental effect on the public perception of police impartiality’.

Lib Dem land - Following their party conference earlier this week, the Lib Dems announced changes to their frontbench team with London gaining good representation. Twickenham MP Munira Wilson has been appointed as the spokesperson for Education, Children and Families, Richmond Park’s Sarah Olney is Cabinet Office spokesperson, MP for Wimbledon Paul Kohler leads on Transport and Sutton and Cheam’s Luke Taylor takes the London brief.

• Croydon Council has granted planning permission to Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield for the refurbishment of the Allders department store building in central Croydon. The plans include ‘minimal’ alterations for the 530,000 sq ft centre to rejuvenate the centre’s frontage and deliver two new food & beverage units and five new shops and food outlets on North End.
  
  
• Regal is to redesign the consented residential development at 100 Avenue Road, Swiss Cottage acquired from Essential Living earlier this year. Following the acquisition in March, Regal intends to deliver a 25-storey building with 236 homes (35% affordable) for market sale instead of Essential Living’s original planned Build to Rent scheme. Essential received planning permission from Camden Council in February 2016 to deliver a 24-storey BTR scheme with 184 homes (29.3% affordable) with up to 2,391 sqm of community and flexible retail space.
  
  
• Ealing Council will not be contesting John Lewis Partnership’s appeal against the council’s non-determination of its plans at West Ealing to deliver four buildings above its Waitrose store up to 20 storeys delivering 428 homes (19% affordable). The developer originally submitted the plans in June 2023 before appealing to the Planning Inspectorate in July 2024.
  
  
• The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation has acquired a 15,000 sq ft former industrial warehouse in Old Oak for redevelopment into an innovative energy centre and waste heat reclamation facility. The OPDC will commence its redevelopment in 2026, subject to planning permission, with the site to be transformed as a ‘meanwhile-use’ circular economy hub operated by Republic of Park Royal in the interim.
  
  
• The Greater London Authority has launched its new LAND4LDN platform and Call for Sites service providing a new digital approach to understanding London’s land supply. Launched by Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service, Jules Pipe, the platform will enable developers and landowners to identify sites for potential development, with the 2025 Strategic Housing Land Assessment being conducted via a live online system for the first time.
  
  
• It's not only Party conference that is taking place next week, but back in London we will also be going to LREF! If you haven’t already registered, you can do so here.

• The Government Property Agency has formally appointed Mark Bourgeois as permanent Chief Executive, having held the role as interim CEO since November 2023. He succeeds Steven Boyd who held the position for over four years.
  
  
• Related Argent has announced that after 17 years with the company, Executive Directors Michael Lightbound and Nick Searl will be leaving at the end of 2024. The ongoing Related Argent senior management team comprises Chief Executive Director, Tom Goodall, Chairman, David Partridge and Executive Directors, Morwenna Hall, André Gibbs and Oli Rifkind, as well as recently appointed Senior Advisor, John Forrester who joined the business in May 2024.
  
  
• Director of ESG at Canary Wharf Group, Sophie Goddard, has been named Chair of the British Property Federation’s Sustainability Committee. She succeeds Blackrock’s Katherine Sherwin who has held the position since 2022.
  
  
• Hub has appointed Ty Turner as Head of Investor Relations, strengthening the developer’s delivery pipeline for mixed-use and residential schemes. Turner joins from Knight Frank where he specialised in acquisitions in the agency’s Capital Advisory Team.
  
  
• Chief Investment Officer and Head of Funds Management at Nuveen Real Estate, Michael Neal, has left the company after 16 years. Neal led Nuveen’s European real estate investment strategy for five years and is planning to take on a new role in the sector.  
  
  
• Broadcaster, writer and entrepreneur Loyd Grossman has been reappointed as Chair of The Royal Parks for a further year, while the charity seeks to appoint a new, permanent Chair. Grossman has been Chair of the charity since 2016 and is also the Chair-elect of the Royal Society of Arts. The previous Government’s appointment of Mary Archer as the new Chair will now not proceed.
  
  
• Chair of the Labour Party, Ellie Reeves, has appointed 27 Labour MPs to act as ‘mission champions’ for the Government’s policy programme. Separated into regions and policy areas, London’s champions are Danny Beales (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) and Natasha Irons (Croydon East), while Dan Tomlinson (Chipping Barnet) becomes champion for Growth.

WE RECOMMEND

• London’s first dedicated LGBTQ+ cinema.
• The latest artwork to be installed on the Fourth Plinth.
• Marley, resident cat of a central London safe house, who has been named as National Cat of the Year.

EARLS COURT MASTERPLAN APPLICATIONS GO LIVE 

Our client The Earls Court Development Company celebrated a big milestone this week with the validation of their hybrid planning applications by LB Hammersmith and Fulham and RB Kensington and Chelsea.

The plans will transform the long empty site into a new neighbourhood with c.4,000 new homes, and 12,000 jobs all set within 20 acres of new public open and green space.  Reflecting the site’s legacy as a hub of innovation and entertainment, the masterplan includes three new cultural venues and 2.5m sq ft of workspace which will be a showcase for clean and climate innovation.  The hybrid applications include detailed proposals for the first six buildings, including a 42-storey landmark residential building designed by Sheppard Robson. The applications are the result of four years of consultation with local communities and LCA is proud to have supported three of these, as well as providing media management, securing headline coverage from the FT and the Evening Standard for this latest milestone. Let the countdown to committee commence!

Photo courtesy of ECDC

 MAKING HEADLINES IN THE SUNDAY TIMES  

Elliot Gill, Senior Technical Director at Stantec, was interviewed about the principles of ‘sponge cities’, (already popular in China) to help alleviate the impacts of flooding. The double-page spread highlights the growing need for nature-based solutions in cities across the UK as the weather changes and expected rainfall increases. As Elliot said, “the term ‘sponge’ is a little misleading because we don’t just want to soak the water up in situ. We need to move it as well.”

We also secured an exclusive feature on the launch of The Ariel, the first collection of homes in the final phase of White City’s Television Centre, the former home of the BBC. We arranged for Melissa York, assistant property editor, to be given a tour by Peter Allen, Director of Sales and Marketing at Stanhope, and interior designer Tatjana von Stein. The article highlights The Ariel’s exceptional amenities, designed by von Stein, along with her innovative design choices, while also exploring Television Centre’s transformation from a broadcasting hub to a dynamic mixed-use destination, with three active TV studios.

FUTURE OF LONDON

On Tuesday morning, we welcomed mentors from Future of London to our offices for one of our regular political presentations. Jane Groom, Partner and Co-Managing Director of Politics, Engagement & Planning, and Nick Bowes, Managing Director of Insight delved into the results of both the Mayoral and General elections, as well as what they mean for planning, housing, and the built environment.

If you and your organisation would like a political presentation, please do get in touch with LCA’s dedicated Insight Team!

LCA AT LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE 

At the weekend, a top team from LCA will be heading to Liverpool for the sold-out Labour Party Conference! Please get in touch if you would like to meet with any of the team.

LDN CONTRIBUTORS 

LCA prides itself on its intelligence-led approach to PR and communications and our dedicated insight team monitors London politics, news and issues as it happens.

If you would like to know more about LCA or anything in this edition of LDN – London in short please get in touch. 

Nick Bowes

Managing Director, Insight

Robert Gordon Clark

Senior Advisor and Partner

Emily Clinton

Account Manager, Insight 

 Daniel Reast

Insight Executive

Design:  Aroa Maquedano Pulido:

We strive for balance and accuracy at all times; however, if you feel we have made a mistake, omission or have misrepresented a story or issue please alert the team by contacting the LDN team by using the details above.

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