Why It Matters Opportunity Areas and Intensification Zones
Summary
We have measured and graded whether the neighbourhood you are investigating falls within the boundary of either an Opportunity Area, an Intensification Zone or both. This lets you know whether your neighbourhood sits within an area that has been designated/promoted by London’s authorities as a place for enhancement, densification or intense augmentation of the built environment.
Interpretation
| Augmentation Propensity Score | Postcode’s relationship to an Opportunity Area and/or an Intensification Zone |
|---|---|
| Score of: 0 - 1 | This postcode does not fall within the boundary of either an Opportunity Area or an Intensification Zone. |
| Score of: 1 - 44 | This postcode falls within the boundary of an Intensification Zone. |
| Score of: 45 - 66 | This postcode falls within the boundary of an Opportunity Area. |
| Score of: 67 - 100 | This postcode falls within the boundary of both an Opportunity Area and an Intensification Zone |
| London-wide Average Augmentation Propensity | This tells you the average (mean) postcodes Augmentation Propensity Score |
Definition
For the purpose of this metric an “Opportunity Area” is recognised as per the definition provided in the London Development Plan. Therefore, opportunity areas are neglected industrial spaces (previously developed or brownfield land space) which have significant capacity for redevelopment (housing or commercial).
Meanwhile the term “Intensification Zone” refers to the process of enhancing and improving the already strong characteristics of an area with the focus of creating more residential and/or commercial units and improved transport links.
Why the metric matters from a commercial inhabitant’s perspective
For a commercial inhabitant, being situated within an Opportunity Areas may mean that the future will bring increases in competition for geographically local clientele, as the enhancement/augmentation of the built environment leads to more commercial units, especially in respect of retail, restaurant and leisure activities. In addition, common wisdom indicates that intense residential and commercial development is often accompanied by rising rental prices, and so unexpected upwards rent reviews may become more likely.
More positively however, the influx of new residential units and transport infrastructure improvements of Opportunity Areas and Intensification Zones can enable the expansion of customer boundaries, by attracting new geographically local clientele to the newly developed opportunity area.
Why the metric matters from a residential inhabitant’s perspective
Being local to an opportunity Area or Intensification Zone matters for residential inhabitants because, during the period in which real estate is being developed, extensive noise, light and air pollution might impact surrounding neighbourhoods.
Similarly, it may signal the beginnings of displacement of the existing community. For example, in Canada Water, since the area’s redevelopment started, rental prices have increased dramatically, impacting the ability of the locals to afford a place near to where they have historically lived. It is not uncommon that after the period in which real estate is being developed rents subsequently rise, resulting in the existing population of an area being replaced, or displaced, which impacts the social fabric of the local community.
Nevertheless, Opportunity Areas and Intensification Zones developments are often associated with the upgrading of neglected areas and the creation of much needed housing capacity, which could prove beneficial to local home seekers. In addition, new facilities and commercial activity ensures that more goods and services will be available to the residents of neighbouring areas.
The area around Old Street is one of London’s fastest growing Intensification Zones (Photograph: Colin, Wikimedia Commons)
General Commentary
Strategic spatial planning in London is the shared responsibility of the Mayor of London, London Boroughs and the City of London. The London Plan is the Mayor’s over-arching strategic planning policy, with which the individual spatial plans of the London Boroughs and City of London must conform. The Mayor has a duty to keep The London Plan “under review”, and provide an integrated economic, environmental, transport and social framework for the spatial development of London over a 25-year period. The primary method by which this is achieved is by designating parcels of land within London as Opportunity Areas and Intensification Zones for new housing and commercial development. Although Opportunity Areas and Intensification Zones vary in physical size and growth potential, their fundamental aim is always to provide land for hundreds of thousands of new jobs and homes.
The rationale for Opportunity Areas and Intensification Zones is embodied in the “Compact City Philosophy”, which has guided the approach taken by the Greater London Authority since its inception. Successive iterations of the London Plan have been premised on the need to contain London’s growth within its longstanding boundaries through the planned intensification of development. Policy designations such as Opportunity Areas, Intensification Zones/Areas, and Housing Zones have been used to support the redevelopment of land to accommodate increases in floorspace, typically in areas characterised by less dense lower (monetary, or rental) value uses.
Also, worth noting is that although our measure of Opportunity Areas and Intensification Zones considers what most people need to know, it does not take into consideration the extent to which the proposed enhancement/augmentation of the built environment will be achieved and if it will be achieved in a timely manner. Therefore, the potential implications of living close to such an area may not be realised if the planned enhancement/augmentation of the built environment is never implemented.
Trivia
Opportunity areas can vary in size. Did you know that the largest opportunity area is over 3900 ha long? While the smallest one is just 19 ha.
History
Opportunity and Intensification AreasSince the 1930s and the establishment of London’s Green Belt, development density has become an increasing focus for planning. However, for the first time in London’s history we are seeing a major programme of densification of areas prompted by a lack of land for new homes. Although London has historically grown outwards, up to (and over) the Green Belt, the Second World War necessitated the re-planning and re-building of large areas.
The decade spanning 2000-2010 was the first time we started identifying growth areas in order to recycle existing neighbourhoods and land. As the “Compact City Philosophy” actively encouraged denser development, from around 2000 onwards, brownfield land has been the focus input for effecting changes in density as the then Government set a bold target of over 60% of new developments to be built in brownfield land.
The London Plans overseen by Ken Livingstone put significant emphasis on sustainable development, and this meant that accessibility became a major driver in identifying areas for growth. Under Boris Johnson, planning policy shifted towards diversifying economic growth and protecting London’s suburbs by limiting major development to key sites and Opportunity Areas and intensification Zones.
Since the introduction of the London development plan in 2004, the Opportunity Areas and Intensification Zones conception has received a mixture of criticism, with many fearing the negative consequences of intense development in the areas might have on its appearance and social fabric, while others hailing the beautification process and the opportunity to strengthen the economy. Nevertheless, as a concept, redeveloping brownfield land, is far from new. Currently there are over 30 areas across London listed as opportunity areas covering Bexley Riverside to Southall.