Build ECO cities in the Thames Gateway: concentrate urban development--not suburban sprawl.BACKGROUND Much has been made of the housing shortage in London and the need to build new housing in the Thames Gateway The Thames Gateway is an area of land stretching 40 miles (60 km) eastwards from East London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary. The area, which includes much brownfield land, has been designated a national priority for urban regeneration. . We are adamantly committed to the idea that London's growth should take place within London and that there is enough room to do so. What then of the plans for the urban settlements in the existing towns and cities, and the future ones within the Gateway itself? Historically, this is an area that though once the seat of fine rural and country towns has, during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, suffered severe decline. In this respect, it is one of the few examples in the South-East to mirror the experience of England's industrial north. Both the urban and rural landscape are degraded by unemployment, pollution and lack of economic growth. The time has come to begin large-scale regeneration of the estuary towns. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PROPOSITION Extending the sprawling London metropolis into the Thames Estuary The Thames Estuary is a large estuary where the River Thames flows into the North Sea. The estuary is one of the largest inlets on the coast of Great Britain and parts of it constitute a major shipping route. is not the answer. Ecologically consolidated urban areas that are truly urban would do more to regenerate the area, particularly if based upon a largely locally generated economy. Local industries could exploit the area's recreational and tourism potential, along with agricultural and maritime food production (farmers' markets  It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles. , fish farming Fish farming is the principal form of aquaculture, while other methods may fall under mariculture. It involves raising fish commercially in tanks or enclosures, usually for food. , seaweed farming and a mega nursery
for sea bass). The new infrastructure should integrate flood defences,
habitat creation, waste management, energy conservation and physical
connectivity. This would form the basis of regenerating existing towns
and creating new ones.
Clearly identifying those areas where existing settlements can be regenerated is an exercise in its own right, but should also be carried out in tandem Adv. 1. in tandem - one behind the other; "ride tandem on a bicycle built for two"; "riding horses down the path in tandem" tandem with looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. new opportunities. Settlements either side of the Dartford crossing Coordinates: The Dartford Crossing joins Dartford and Thurrock across the River Thames, to the east of London. It consists of two tunnels under the river, normally used for northbound traffic, and the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, used for in Kent and Essex, the river towns of the Lea Valley and the five Medway towns should be connected and consolidated. In addition, a new town should be created that sits on the barrier islands. If these are based upon new industries, they will require more inter-regional infrastructure, and rely less on commuter links into London. This would mean improving local bridges and extending links to East Anglia East Anglia (ăng`glēə), kingdom of Anglo-Saxon England, comprising the modern counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. It was settled in the late 5th cent. by so-called Angles from northern Germany and Scandinavia. and the south, as well as making better connections across and along the banks of the Thames. All of this will create a truly regenerated region of a different character to the model currently proposed for a series of satellite towns that would be, at best, dormitories for London. Part of the National Parks This is a list of national parks ordered by nation. Africa
The new park would not simply run around the perimeter of the town, but would include the urban habitat itself. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion