Read my review of Municipal Dreams for the LSE Review of Books “Nobody argues that the post-war planners and architects didn’t care enough or act with idealistic intentions. The issue is that they were able to act with impunity, sweeping away lived-in communities and upending people’s lives.” Image taken by me at the University of […]

Read my report for the National Association of Neighbourhood Management “Our research report “Doing the right thing”, written by John P. Houghton, has built up a picture of locality and neighbourhood working across England in 2018; where it being used, what models are in place, and what factors are likely to affect its future. Images […]

Read part 3 of the Hope Street series of essays for New Start magazine “Regeneration has led to stasis at best and further damage and abandonment at worst. The shamans of the old religion still recant the same prayers and promises, but nobody believes them anymore.”

Read part 2 of the Hope Street series of essays for New Start magazine “There had been talk of ‘regeneration turning 40’, but there was no birthday celebration. People spoke instead in hushed tones, as if discussing a patient whose prospects darkened with every passing day.” Photo taken by me in Liverpool.

Read part 1 of the Hope Street series of essays for New Start magazine “With so much energy directed inward, on the administration of the system, there was precious little focus on the need to wire what was happening at the neighbourhood level into opportunity and growth.”

Read the final word on the story of my old house As a regeneration professional, empty and vandalised homes are a sadly commonplace sight. That didn’t, however, alter the shock of seeing my old home in such a sorry state.    

Read my review of The Last of London for 3AM Magazine “The soulful strands of Sinclair’s threnody are almost lost in a sea of quotidian bile.” Picture taken by me old Deptford High Street

Read my third instalment for 3AM Magazine’s ‘Cities in Cinema’ series “Fargo is full of alerts and alarms, from the road signs warning drivers of storms and snowdrifts to the advert for Miller Beer that can be seen behind Marge as she radios the police station from her car. “As if this town wasn’t cold enough…” […]

Read my article for New Start magazine on the failure of regeneration in Kensington, Liverpool “The Liverpool Echo’s recent reports into the state of the city’s ‘Kenny’ neighbourhood paint an alarming picture. Yet the most shocking fact is that the same neighbourhood was the recipient of £62m through the New Deal for Communities programme.” Photo […]