After attending a talk in 2017 as part of CSM Fundamentals series led by Olly Wainwright, Sarah began questioning how we can live and coincide next to each other in the city. The panel was diverse, with Mark Brearley-Cass Cities, Jessica Ferm- UCL, David Saxby-Architecture 00, Christian Spencer-Davies, Camley Street Neighbourhood Forum & Paloma Strelitz- Assemble. The focus was INDUSTRY. Sarah thought it was about architecture as an industry. Actually, it was about industry in the city, with a focus on the much-discussed Old Kent Road.

Sarah was consumed by it. As a mostly rural dweller she had moved to London and been exhumed by the ‘city’ lifestyle with no regard for how the city actually works. She suddenly realised how contemporary life has become disempowering for the people, as the city and its inhabitants consume with no regard for how commodities are produced and processed. She felt that the situation had become exacerbated since October 2017, as light industries had become a political target to resolve the housing ‘crisis’.

Since October, the change of use application has changed from ‘light industrial’ to ‘permitted development’ and no longer needs planning permission.

Due to this change of legislation, we are faced with becoming more and more disconnected from the process - the change will force industry into the fringes of the city and enforce damaging travel patterns. How do we tackle this? Do we need community action plans? These would be driven by the industrial maker re-awakening the way we live, to awaken the residential industry into a mixed-use coalition. Why do we need use classes? Is it not a feudal system of uses where value is determined by those divorced from the process?

Should we aim for bio regions defined by what the area naturally defines itself to be, where production, consumption, the residents and life are combined? We want to step out of our homes, into our local area and smell, hear, see and sense the production of London and our community as a circular, resourceful, growing, breathing city.

For the fundamental lecture series: https://www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/central-saint-martins/about-csm/our-programmes/spatial-practices-programme/lecture-series

Sarah Ackland