Gateway Digital: November edition
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Unsurprisingly, the Thames Gateway’s news agenda for November was dominated by the goings on in and around the Thames Gateway Forum, held at the O2 on Greenwich Peninsula on 3/4 November. In fact we make no apologies that this newsletter is longer than usual, but do please read on! Our conference line-up of political and business heavyweights ensured plenty of news coverage (see below for a selection of news links). But rising above the new political commitments and breaking investment deals, the really big message was confirmation that whatever happens in the general election, the Thames Gateway will continue to enjoy the highest level government support. In the Labour camp John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government observed that this has been an extremely tough year. “But we made a clear decision that continuing to invest in the Gateway was absolutely the right thing to do. It is that decision which means that despite the current economic climate, there has been progress throughout the Gateway - new projects, new jobs, new houses. Conservative shadow regneration minister Stewart Jackson also made clear the Tories’ support for the Gateway on economic grounds, even if they do think the delivery mechanisms need to be shaken up. Lord Falconer, a former cabinet minister under Tony Blair, and now chair of the Thames Gateway London Partnership, best summed up the situation with the observation: “from what I could hear when I went to the Tory party conference, what was being said there was that while there would be a forensic assessment of the various agencies in the Thames Gateway, they were as committed as we were… Whatever happens in May 2010, I think we will find that government continues to give the same commitment.” The other big news is the Thames Gateway has clearly got onto the radar of the (largely international) investment community. No doubt helped by exchange rates and relatively low land and property values, the Forum enjoyed its biggest ever attendance from investors. In fact their numbers increased by more than ten-times, catapulting them ahead of architects, lawyers and construction companies. In visitor numbers we now have approximately equal numbers of investors, central government, local government and consultants – a potent mix. Finally for now (and maybe it’s just a sign of the times) but this year’s Forum generated an unprecedented plethora of blogs. While we suspect many of our peers in the media world were simply keen to see if we could pull off our bold relocation to the O2; we are grateful to those who bothered to write about it. Paul Norman, news editor at Estates Gazette’s EGi “had a thoroughly interesting day”, while his EG co-blogger Jackie Sadek, writing as chair of BURA, popped down for old time’s sake on the basis that when she first met the organisers, she was “so blown away by their passion and energy”. Rosie Niven of New Start welcomed the Forum's relocation to “a truly world class venue” and found “the innovation of allowing delegates to text questions from the floor a useful way of monitoring the audience's hopes and fears for the Gateway.” While Kevin Lynes, a conservative councillor from Kent County Council, took advantage from the networking, reporting in his blog “today spawned several good ideas from those chats, any of which could be timely and effective projects.” But most of all we loved the following from Building editor, Denise Chevin: "What a turn up. Even though the plans for a housing-led regeneration of London’s estuary have been blown miles of course by the worst recession in 50 years, the mood at the annual Thames Gateway Forum was more upbeat than it has been for years." Denise the Christmas card is in the post. You will find links to reports and news from the Gateway using the links below: Reports and speeches Read John Denham’s speech in full Poul Christenson, Acting Chair of Natural England, speech in full Watch video interviews from the Forum OTHER GATEWAY STORIES THIS MONTH: |
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BBC South East News at Thames Gateway Forum