Role played by Housing in Relation to Urban Regeneration in London - Essay Example

Role played by Housing in Relation to Urban Regeneration in London Introduction Urban regeneration in London is increasingly becoming vital is basing the argument on the way other approaches have failed to address current problematic issues such as social and economic problems caused urban development, capitalization, and urbanization trends such as migration, social inequity, healthy problems, poverty, unemployment, hunger, illiterate, and lack of adequate skills. London views urban regeneration as among the potential solutions since urban regeneration has highly resulted to improvement of economy, social, environment, and health (Gayler 2006, p. 34). However, there happens to be the particular practice in urban regeneration. The schemes of urban regeneration differ in their sizes, their types, as well as the involved parties. Housing plays a major role towards urban regeneration in London. The aim of this paper is to access critically the roles played by housing towards urban regeneration in London. Urban regeneration started in the United Kingdom as one of the public responsibilities back in the 1960s. However, economic growth changed this phenomenon during the 1980s since this became the major focus for urban regeneration. During this time, public money was mainly used in the markets to deliver urban regeneration. However, this has highly changed with the current policies, which associate local communities to participate in the process of urban regeneration through NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations), social enterprises, CBOs (Community Based Organizations, as well as resident associations (Roberts 2007, p. 90). Urban regeneration refers to an integrated and a comprehensive goal and actions that aim at addressing the problems that affect urban areas. Such visions and actions seek to ensure everlasting improvements in physical, economic, environmental, and social conditions in areas that are subject to such improvements. This result in urban regeneration being divided into four parts, which include economic, social/cultural, environmental/physical, and governance. There are so many significant roles that housing plays towards urban regeneration in London (Gayler 2006, p. 36). To begin with, housing is a vital part of all cultural and social dimensions that lead to urban regeneration. In addition, housing plays a vital role in relation to urban regeneration in London since it directly relates to communities’ welfare as well as wellbeing. However, housing in London contributes to urban regeneration indirectly because it has relationships with various other physical, environmental, social, cultural, and economical issues that result to urban regeneration. In London, the contribution of housing towards urban regeneration can be divided into two broad parts; indirectly contributions (housing plus) and direct contributions (Stouten 2010, p. 46). These two types of housing contributions towards urban regeneration has impacts on all levels of regeneration such as national, individual, and local levels. From the year 1850 onwards, the condition of urban poverty in the London’s slums started to draw the interest of most social reformers as well as philanthropists. The social reformers as well as the philanthropists due to the increased urban poverty in London slums started a movement to ensure implementation of social housing, which highly contributed to urban regeneration. Their fast target was one of the biggest and notorious slums in London known as Devil’s Acre, which is near Westminster (McCarthy 2006, p. 68). This is clear evidence that housing played a vital role towards urban regeneration in London as well as in other countries. The founders of this new social housing movement were George Peabody and Peabody trust who had great impact towards urban regeneration in London. Clearance of slums in London started with all Rochester buildings around the Perkin and Old Pye Streets whose constructions took place in the year 1862 by one of the ancient merchants of London, William Gibbs (Leary & McCarthy 2013, p. 13). These were among the oldest and major philanthropic constructions of housing in London. Housing played a very vital role towards urban regeneration in London since all the slums with urban centres were destroyed, hence improving the economic, social, cultural, physical, and environmental conditions within urban centres in the country. In the year 1869, the Peabody Trust housing association set up its first estate housings in various places such as Brewer’s Green. The social housing movement, hence contributing greatly to urban regeneration in the country cleared all the remaining slum buildings (Gayler 2006, p. 39). The clearance of these slum buildings created space for housing associations such as Peabody to build more estates hence contributing to urban regeneration at a faster rate in London. In the year 1882, Peabody Trust housing built other housing estates in several places in London such as Abbey Orchard Street and Old Pye Streets. This resulted in a number of flat blocks being built around the courtyard. This created a little private place in between the estates to serve as a recreation centre. The aim of creating the courtyard was mainly to ensure a community atmospheric place. On the other side, the flat blocks were designed to mainly let sunlight in the courtyards (Maginn 2004, p. 62). The contractors who took part in the construction of the flat blocks made use of high quality brickworks, which included architectural techniques such as glazing, fittings, fixtures, and lettering. Social housing in London due to the effort of clearing all the poor slums resulted in urban regeneration. The new estates were termed as modern dwelling places, whereby the houses had shared sanitary, and laundry facilities, hence improving the wellbeing of the city dwellers (Leary & McCarthy 2013, p. 15). This construction design highly spread in other housing places in London hence improving all estate places in the country leading to urban regeneration as well. Social housing also contributed to the passage of a health police (Public Health Act) in the year 1875 by the country’s parliament. The aim of this Act was to combat all filthy city conditions, which contributed to outbreak of many killer diseases in the country. Social housing movement in London brought major development and improvement in London urban centres. All the new residential estates were now required to have running water taps and appropriate drainage systems to enhance prevention of outbreak of waterborne diseases such as cholera. Housing policies also banned the building of shoddy houses in urban centres by construction contractors (Stouten 2010, p. 46). In the year 1889, there was a creation of the London’s County Council, which issued all municipal authorities in London County. In the 1890, the EEL (East End of London) was proved to a slum thus the city council authorized that it be cleared for the purpose of building new modern estates hence improving urban regeneration. The clearance of this slum took place in the year 1891, which had 735 houses occupying an approximate amount of 6,000 people. Therefore, it is logical for one to argue that housing really played a major role towards urban regeneration in London. Housing highly resulted in clearance of filthy slums in urban centres, which highly contributed to disease outbreak as well as other problematic issues such as theft and environmental pollution. This is because sufficient supply as well as choices of quality housing is the key to better social and economic well being of a city as well as the entire nation (Leary & McCarthy 2013, p. 40). In London, housing had both direct and indirect roles towards urban regeneration. While the WHQS (Welsh housing Quality Standards) tries to make sure all building stocks in urban centres are owned by both local authorities as well as the registered property owners, in most cases the home owners achieve these standards and maintain them for a period of thirty years (Maginn 2004, p. 64). The aim of this is to ensure a high quality level of housing in urban centres by mainly addressing issues such as social, economical, health, safety, and environmental matters. The main intention of corresponding CDT (Can Do Tollkit) in London is to ensure that building constructors maintain greater benefits of urban regeneration such as provision of skills, employment, and environmental maintenance, and education, encouragement to both local industries and local constructors towards urban regeneration (station 2010, p. 49). The whole plans of these programmes are to ensure measurable benefits in urban areas through the creation of communities as well as contributing towards growth of urban regeneration. Through demand of minimum ownership standards in London, this has highly contributed to the achievement of environmental sustainability, especially within the urban centre hence contributing to urban regeneration. Housing also tackles mental, physical, and social issues such as theft in urban centres of London. However, housing in London has led to the provision of other various benefits such as job opportunities, advancement of employment skills among many others, which are extremely uneasy or costly to measure. In London, housing plays direct roles towards contribution of urban regeneration. Housing in the urban centres has contributed to the availability of affordable housing and housing market. Housing here has contributed to urban regeneration since urban dwellers being able to afford descent houses is the key to urban regeneration (Leary & McCarthy 2013, p. 41). Affordable housing in London is delivered through various mechanisms that involve both personal and public sectors. The common known mechanisms in London include payment of taxes by the homeowners as well as the private investors, public housing, private renting support plans, and housing vouchers. The demand of affordable housing in London urban centres portrays a symbol of urban regeneration as well as urban improvement. Housing has led to economic success in London hence influencing a large of companies to invest there, evidence that housing plays a major role in relation to urban regeneration in London (Maginn 2004, p. 67). This has highly resulted in job creation opportunities thus helping to address both social and economic issues in London urban centres. However, increased demand for housing and decreased housing supply leads to increased housing rental prices and thus urban dwellers are likely to suffer from house scarcity. Consequently, the salaries of employees will go higher influencing many companies to relocate from such urban centres to elsewhere. Alternatively, a decrease in housing demand entails that the supply is higher than demand and thus housing price will definitely decrease resulting to problematic issues in both housing markets and economy in such urban centre (station 2010, p. 51). In addition, in London, housing has highly delivered self-confidence as well as social inequity hence contributing to urban regeneration. Housing plays a major role towards improvement of wellbeing and health of urban residents. Housing quality in London affects social, health, and physical status of those who make use of the houses but also exceeds its effects to other households in other areas as well as the entire community (Leary & McCarthy 2013, p. 45). This is because housing environments have a direct impact towards public health. In London, there are direct connections between the quality of housing and public health, which include quality of air, domestic noises, standards of space, and food storage services. Most studies suggest that urban issues such as noises, congestion, architecture, and the distance might result to health problems such as mental health. However, housing in London addresses all these issues, including criminal behaviour thus improving behaviour and lifestyle of urban residents in London. Moreover, housing in London has highly contributed to urban environmental sustainability. The housing sector in London plays a very vital role of ensuring environment health in urban centres (Nagle 2004, 78). Apart from the role housing plays in addressing health issues, sustainable housing in London has also helped in reducing damages human beings cause to the environment especially through clearance of slums, which highly contributed to air and water pollution (Great 2004, p. 56). This reduction of environmental pollution not only benefits the current generations, but the potential future generations. For instance, the British encountered a higher level of energy inefficiency in homes. However, although a large number of local authorities established programmes to aid in limiting this energy inefficiency, overall energy usage is no longer declining. The housing sector in London has highly contributed towards urban regeneration due to improved housing stability through the creation of restrictions and standards like energy efficiency policies. These housing standards in London promote the consumption of renewable energy sources, construction of better houses, which have good sustainable communications schemes as well as the implementation of effective systems for monitoring and controlling housing efficiency (Leary & McCarthy 2013, p. 80). In London, housing, specifically affordable housing is highly considered as the key to social equity, sustainability, wellbeing, and health of urban residents thus promoting urban regeneration in the country. Housing is used for improvement of both public health and condition as well as reduction of mental, physical, and social problematic issues. The implemented housing regeneration plans in London as well as housing quality policies highly help in achieving all these urban regeneration objectives even more effectively. However, achievement of these goals, mainly depends on the parties involved, such as homeowners, authorities as well as the urban residents. The London housing plans have fully identified what most people refer to as “Opportunity areas” in London as well as its surrounding hence leading a faster rate of urban regeneration. These areas in London highly contribute to urban regeneration due to their potentiality to accommodate new model housing, commercial as well as other infrastructure facilities that aid in urban regeneration (Great 2004, p. 78). Housing has highly reduced air and water pollution in urban centres, thus playing a vital role towards urban regeneration. For instance, factories are set far from residential places and the housing policies in London entails that all factories that emit harmful gases causing global warming should make of improved chimneys, which reduce such emissions. London is currently facing minimal air and water pollution due to the housing policy efforts (Healey 2007, p. 57). Lastly, housing in London has indirect impacts towards urban regeneration. These contributions are also as important as the direct contributions. People should often view housing as a continuous process rather than the final product. Housing in London has been a process since, for instance, Non Governmental Organizations use housing as a means of providing job opportunities, providing the workers with appropriate skills, achieving environmental goals as well as governance benefits (Graaf 2009, p. 76). Housing plays a vital role towards contribution of urban regeneration in London through the achievement of environmental benefits such as reduction of both water and air pollution. In addition, housing plays a vital role in relation to urban regeneration in London since it directly relates to communities’ welfare as well as wellbeing. Housing in London has led to the provision of other various benefits such as job opportunities, advancement of employment skills among many others, which are extremely uneasy or costly to measure (Great 2004, p. 89). This is because housing in London is a vital part of all cultural and social dimensions that lead to urban regeneration. Due to housing in London, urban regeneration has improved at a greater rate placing the urban centres among the most regenerated cities in the world. Conclusion In conclusion, housing can play vital roles towards contribution of urban regeneration. This is highly evidence after outlining the roles housing has played in relation to urban regeneration in London. Therefore, it is important for governments of all countries to consider housing policies in all urban regeneration plans. Housing is also important to be highly considered when governments are planning for any urban regeneration projects. However, although housing shows positive contribution towards urban regeneration through enhancement of social, economical, healthy, and physical status, it also has some constraints. It is, therefore, good to evaluate these constraints when setting up housing programs. Bibliography Gayler, HJ 2006, Geographical excursions in London. Lanham, MD, University Press of America. Graaf, PVD 2009, Out of place?: emotional ties to the neighbourhood in urban renewal in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. [Amsterdam], Vossiuspers UvA. 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