Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Piccadilly Circus. The London
Underground celebrates 150 years in
existence in 2013, and provides the
structural basis for urban development
in the city.
Source
: Alexandra Gomes.
realised, famously including Sir Christopher Wren's plans for reconstruction of the city of
London in 1666 (Hebbert, 1998). But there is still a tradition in city planning, which remains
strong and progressive today. Societal challenges have moved on, but perhaps the tradition
and experience in city planning can assist in making progress against difficult issues.
The population of the London urban area has risen from just 850,000 (1801) to the current
8.17 million in Greater London (Office for National Statistics, 2012), and 12-14 million in
comprises relatively compact densities, with a dense central area and in polycentric centres
in the outer areas. London is known as 'the city of villages' - there are two defined international
centres (the West End and Knightsbridge), ten metropolitan centres (e.g. Ealing, Kingston,
Croydon and Bromley), together with a series of major centres (e.g. Richmond, Chiswick,
Wimbledon, Edgware, Dalston, Stratford and Eltham) and numerous district centres (Greater
London Authority, 2004). Most of these centres have arisen from the original 'villages'.
Average dwellings per hectare in the Victorian suburbs are around 30-60 dwellings per hectare
(dph), so levels of density are relatively high (URBED, TCPA, 2002).
Central to much of the urban expansion debate has been the transport network, with transport
often providing the framework for development. London provides a classic example of
integrated urban and transport planning, so often called for - and seldom achieved - in the
present day policy rhetoric. The Metropolitan Railway was developed as the first underground
railway in the world from 1867, and later as part of a more extensive underground network.
