Case study: Placemaking in Stratford

Explain the role of governments and other organisations in placemaking?

• The use of geographic information system has meant that governments use technology to plan spaces and places.

• The attraction of FDI - with the growth of TNCs, governments have been keen to get investment into their country.

Why hasn’t Foreign Direct Investment been constant?

The state of the global economy

What is the usual flows of FDI?

• They flow from TNCs to ACs such as Barclays and Sony.

• TNCs have bases in EDCs/LIDCs which is having a regional impact.

• For example China is set to become one of the world’s biggest overseas investors. In 2019, $98 billion of FDI was invested by Chinese companies.

When did Hitachi Rail opened a new manufacturing plant?

September 2015 in Newton Aycliffe in northeast England

How much does FDI from Hitachi Rail bring in?

£85 million from Japan to the UK

What is the history of Japanese FDI?

Japanese companies have been investing into the UK since the 1980s. This is because the UK has a special agreement with Japan to allow for no tariffs on their products. Also English is the preferred language for Japanese companies.

What is the impact of the FDI in the northeast in particular?

It has helped towns that were in decline due to structural economic change.

What did the govt do which attracted Hitachi Rail to come to the UK?

They awarded them a £5.7 billion contract to build the future inter city

What is placemaking?

Transferring public spaces into places that works for the wider community and fulfils all its function. Successful placemaking needs to be collaborative process.

Placemaking in Dubai

• Fishing village to a hub to regeneration - why: oil rich state that couldn’t last forever (finite) - revitalise its economy

• Methods: Transport and infrastructure - build an airport - stopover (busiest international airport) Emirates has become a luxury brand and has invested into sports such as football.

• Free zones has encouraged many business from entering due to the profit gains (650,000 private businesses registered)

Why did Stratford need rebranding?

• Due to the decline in the industrial sector, Stratford became a neglected landscape due to the closure of the London Docks - Canary Wharf was regenerated.

• Stratford had one of the most deprived communities in the country. There was a lack of infrastructure in the town and health levels were poor as well as the surrounding environment.

What was the unemployment rate in Stratford before its rebranding?

8%

What was the average family income in Stratford in comparison to the rest of London?

• Stratford: £28,900

• London: £37,000

What was the GCSE pass rate in London and in Stratford?

• Stratford: 51%

• London: 57%

What was Stratford’s image before the rebranding?

Not positive - second highest poverty rate, deterring businesses and out-migration of the area

What was announced in July 2005? What was the impact?

The Olympics chose London as the city for the 2012 Olympics - this catalysed the Stratford regeneration as the govt had been wanting to regenerate Stratford for some time.

What type of strategy was the Stratford rebranding?

Top down strategy

What is the history of Stratford?

• By the late 1880s, the West Ham area of Stratford had become a major manufacturing centre for pharmaceuticals, chemicals and processed foods.

• The Royal Docks improved access to the rest of London allowing a growth in trade.

• However, it closed due to the growth of the secondary sector leaving many unemployed in the 1960s.

Who were the key players and stakeholders in the rebranding?

• The Olympics - they announced that London would hold the Olympics in 2012.

• Westfields - a key private player who invested £2 billion into its regeneration.

• UCL and Loughborough uni invested £1bn to encourage a younger crowd in the area - primarily for innovation/entrepreneurship. This makes Stratford attractive for uni graduates and business who want high end employees - changed the narrative of unemployment to prime working hub

• The Legacy Development Corporation - a key public player who were appointed by the govt to increase employment and local housing. They aimed to make Stratford an area for visitors and also aimed to build five new neighbourhoods with new schools and services. They also stated that there would be 40,000 new homes by 2030.

• Government spending - £8.6bn from taxes and lottery money spent. Their focus was to make Stratford a renowned place for sports changing its brand image.

How was Stratford rebranded in terms of architecture?

The idea of modernisation managed to translate into the surrounding environment. Instead of old, semi-derelict buildings like Hackney Wick, they made the area more accessible. Many people say that buildings however have lost their character.

What was the impact of Legacy in the rebranding?

They were behind the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2012. This was the focus of the Olympic and attracted 4 million people in 20212. Instead of the Industrial town of Stratford, people could go their to not only watch sports but to now see cultural and sport based events whilst in green spaces. The park is now a landmark space for families and individuals.

How was Stratford rebranded in terms of sport?

Sport England and Places People Play began as a grassroot sports clubs. This kept with the brand of the Olympics as the sporting legacy became a big part of Stratford’s identity and now impacts how people interact with the space.

How was Stratford rebranded in terms of Westfields?

This is London’s most popular shopping centre by footfall. It has 51 million annual customers and has turned Stratford into a retail hub

How was Stratford rebranded in terms of transport?

Stratford was always a hub for transport with the royal docks. After the Olympics, ten railway lines and one international station kept the same level of accessibility that Stratford had in the past. This means that people who previously worked in the transport industry are able to transition to those jobs - not excluded.

How did the role of essence impact the rebranding?

Many people experiences in Stratford now revolves around leisure and consumership which forms a large part of their identity

How was Stratford rebranded in terms of the brainscape?

In comparison to the other places such as Canary Wharf as Stratford seems to be more inclusive with more activities (bar and restaurants) for both children and adults.

Economic benefits of the rebranding:

• Ideal commuter town due to closeness to zone 1 and transport links

• £9.3 million tourists - created jobs

• Sustainable living in East Village

• Elrow Town Festival helps community spirit

How has rebranding impacted the residents?

• Changed the nature of Stratford (skyscrapers)

• Social housing was destroyed (carpenters estate0

• Clay’s lanes residents had to leave and 73% were on social housing.

• Fish Island and Stratford new town appeared to still be run down

• Residents can’t afford the new housing - exclusive