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Urban regeneration in London Docklands: a five-year policy review

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Sustainable Development Goals

  • SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
    SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth

Abstract

An urban development corporation was established in London Docklands in 1981. Recently, central government has announced its intention to set up similar organisations elsewhere in Britain, and, therefore, a review of the impact of the London Docklands' initiative is appropriate. In this paper I outline the impact of the urban development corporation, in terms of economic regeneration and of the effect on local unemployment. It is argued that demand-led economic regeneration, based on the redevelopment of derelict land, has changed the nature of the local economy, although as yet it has not had any significant effect on the numbers of jobs in the local economy, because of continued decline in existing industries and because of pressures on firms to relocate. Local unemployment has gone on increasing, and evidence is presented to show that labour-market adjustment mechanisms and recruitment patterns severely limit the impact of economic regeneration on unemployment in Docklands. Even major developments, such as the proposed office complex on Canary Wharf, will have only a relatively small effect on local unemployment. Local labour-market intervention has been slow to occur, limited in its aims, and uncoordinated. Urban development corporations are useful policy devices for the encouragement of large-scale land redevelopment, but in their present form they do not represent a complete solution to the economic and employment problems of depressed urban areas.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 187-208

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy (Volume 6, Issue 2)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 01/06/1988

Publication status

Published - 01/06/1988

ISSN

0263-774X

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/625209
  • Scopus: 0023796506

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