Urban Regeneration.
The Dockland scheme is an example of Re-generation. This involves partnership and the rebirth of an area.

With the aid of labelled maps and satellite images, locate London’s Docklands
London's Docklands is the name for an area that lies in the south east of the City of London in England. The area covered by the London Docklands Redevelopment Corporation stretches from Wapping and Tower Bridge in the west to The City Airport and Becckton in the east, and is built on the legacy of the trading power of the British Empire.

Explain why the “East End” (Docklands area!) fell into decline
After World War 2 London experienced net outward migration where people moved out of the city into surrounding towns and villages. This is known as counter-urbanisation. It was caused by the clearances of slums and bomb damaged areas. It was also down to the green belt, an area of land around London where development was banned or restricted, this meant people had to move further away. It was then found that there was a rapid increase in the amount of people moving to towns and villages around London, mainly commuters and there families. Following on from this came De-industrialisation. Most of the factories being in and round the docks due to materials passing through the docks themselves. After the 1980’s Thatcher’s government shut down most of the mines as it was too costly, therefore factories that relied on materials from mines and other sources no longer got them, so moved abroad where labour and materials were cheaper and more accessible like China. The end of the docks came quickly around 1960 and 1970. And by 1980, all of London's docks were closed, leaving around eight square miles of derelict land in East London. Unemployment was high, and poverty and other social problems were common. This quick fall of the docks came very quickly due to many different reasons. Firstly the shipping industry adopted the newly invented container system of cargo transportation. London's docks were unable to accommodate the much larger vessels needed by containerization and the shipping industry moved to deeper and wider water ports nearer the coast such as Tilbury and Felixstowe.

What were the Docklands like prior to the regeneration scheme?

Who was involved in the process of regenerating Docklands?
The LDDC, established on 2 July 1981, was an Urban Development Corporation (UDC), the second of 13 to be set up in the UK. From 1982 to 1992, the LDDC was supported by the designation of the Isle of Dogs Enterprise Zone which played a significant part in the overall regeneration outcome. The LDDC was expected to need 10–15 years to complete its task. In October 1994 the LDDC began to withdraw from the Docklands in stages (Figure 3). This process ended with its withdrawal from the Royal Docks in March 1998, although its task was not fully complete. The LDDC was formally wound up on 30 June 1998. Main achievements of the LDDC were: the creation of Isle of Dogs Enterprise Zone which allowed free rates and other benefits for businesses willing to move to Docklands, there were 8,000 new jobs created, 15,000 new homes that were converted from where houses for uni students or other occupants , there were millions of square feet of new office space which could create a new image for business – TV companies, newspaper companies, Computer technology, Insurance and Bank headquarters, Public Relations and Media companies, Docklands Light Railway was created to help commuters travel along with, STOLPORT a ferry port a M11 extension into eastern end – transport infrastructure improved and an extension onto the jubilee line. And finally the very attractive and well maintained office complexes such as Canary Wharf.

How did the government support the scheme?
In 1982 the government created the isle of dog’s enterprise zone which offered a 10 year period free of rates, building grants and loans for site preparation, grants for buildings and machinery, planning applications from companies wishing to locate are given top priority. Tax relief was also given to companies who locate there which offered businesses that wanted to invest in the area tax breaks; they could obtain huge tax breaks on any building that was built there. These incentives were designed to attract companies to invest and still exist. After this the Thatcher government deregulated the financial city of London, where business had previously been restricted to UK banks and insurance companies, this meant that any bank could locate its offices in London, Hence today’s presences of banks like HSBC in the financial centre. Then in 1998 Blair’s government refused to sign up to European working time directive, which limited working hours to 48 per week. The banks in docklands argued this would restrict trading in the financial and investment markets in the South-East Asia.

Use the information on p177 to show the outcomes of the Canary Wharf re-generation.
London’s biggest asset was undoubtedly its docklands, a 21km stretched of land parallel to the Thames and available for redevelopment. No other city in the world had such a vast amount of land close to its financial heart, the city of London. Regeneration there has been spectacular. Key features include the Canary Wharf complex, with No 1 Canada square as its flagship building. Tenants in the canary wharf complex include HSBC and other banks. Newspapers like Trinity Mirror and professional services firms which carry out business consultancy and accounting. 100,000 commuters now travel to work in these office towers each day, adding to the 325,000 who work in London. To get all of these commuters to work transport developments have been too completed to ensure they can get to work. These include; extending the London Underground jubilee line, developing the Docklands Light Railway, new road links such as the Lime house road link and the creation of the London City airport 6 miles outside central London providing easy access for outside visitors.

Evaluate the success of the regeneration?

| Successes | Failures | Economic | * New jobs created – new skills for young. * New image of modern, hi tech business centres. * New transport infrastructure (STOLPORT airport, DLR light railway, Jubilee Line, Lime house Link road) * Property values rose quickly. * New income from tourism | * Skills mismatch for local residents of area * Poor loose out, because they cannot afford new housing at £200,000 - £500,000 * Local residents often didn’t have skills / qualifications to take new jobs. * Some families lost homes through compulsory purchase. | Social | * New leisure facilities e.g. water sports, London Arena, millennium dome ! * New shopping facilities. * Improved transport / access around east end of London. * Community Action groups formed and this increased sense of community. | * Tension between extremes of wealth & poverty. * Restricted access to riverside area * Much new shopping targeted at rich daytime occupants * Poorer local residents feel free health services will be pushed out e.g. hospital closures & new hospitals will be private ones. * Resentment of government action – local people were not consulted and People’s Plan was rejected. | Environmental | * Improved visual quality * Attractive buildings * Sharp reduction in derelict land * Image improved * Housing improved in quality & appearance, some new heating, windows, security | * Increased cases of asthma – when Canary Wharf was built dust affected health & bronchitis cases increased (successful court action against developers) * Complaints that funds for council house improvements were used only for cosmetic facelifts – unhealthy housing still exists. * Funding slowed in recession – eastern areas still neglected & derelict * Noise pollution increased & complaints about airport noise and accident risk. |