Design for London: BOROUGHS

The question of how industrial activities should best be accommodated in the contemporary city is increasingly significant for London. As demand for housing soars and land supply becomes increasingly constrained, competition for space becomes intense. Simultaneously, while many industrial activities have been in decline and the managed release of industrial land for other uses is accepted, London Plan policy underlines the need to selectively retain space for appropriate industrial activities.

Industrial space is vital to sustaining the success of London's economy. As well as providing jobs, it sustains many sectors - such as food processing, construction and printing - which support London's main economic drivers. In addition, London needs utilities, waste, recycling and distribution facilities to operate efficiently and reduce transport costs.

In 2006, the London Development Agency and the GLA Architecture and Urbanism Unit (now part of Design for London) commissioned Urhahn Urban Design to explore new approaches to the physical accommodation of industrial activities in the city.

The study shows how London can retain industrial capacity in the face of growing demands for land, through innovative design solutions. These include both single-use industrial developments which make the most of land availability, and through mixed use developments which can accommodate residential and other uses in close proximity to industry.