There is a pattern to the growth of cities. Most grow up around industry, become successful, property prices rise and larger industries are forced to the edges while a complex network of small workshops remains to punctuate the urban fabric.
But what happens when manufacturing industry disappears altogether? If London’s property prices and a planning regime which prioritises housing continue, then the capital might become a case study. Despite rhetoric about rebalancing the economy and the value of exports, London is losing its industrial infrastructure. A 2015 report for the Greater London Authority found that 600 hectares of industrial land was lost in London in the previous seven years.
The question is how cities can both accommodate a diverse economy of production and meet the need for affordable housing. “The most important thing is planning,” says Mark Brearley, head of the Cass Cities unit at London Metropolitan University.