120 ULI UK members enjoyed a superb and, occasionally supersonic-speed, discussion at the 2015 Annual Members’ Meeting, generously hosted by Linklaters this week.

The LSE’s Prof. Tony Travers set the scene by reminding attendees that until the 1980s the general view was that cities, including London and New York, were dying! Among a range of extraordinary challenges still faced by cities, the expert discussion he facilitated left us in no doubt that ULI’s 2015 focus on urban density is exactly right.

The FT’s Martin Wolf pulled no punches, stating that: “The current flawed land use and planning regulations are causing a gradual social & economic disaster in the UK.” His comprehensive critique of the UK’s demand-side housing policies, poorly structured taxation, green-belt preservation & large-scale farming were given extra emphasis with a few comments on the Election campaign. Harvard Prof. Ed Glaeser echoed much of Wolf’s criticism, saying:  “We should apply the same rigorous cost-benefit analysis to land use regulations as for large-scale transport projects. It is outrageous that in the US and UK, we don’t!”

Prof. Glaeser then enthralled the audience with the ultimate quickfire presentation on US and UK cities. He outlined the clear economic benefits of density, noting that “the 3 largest metropolitan areas in the US create 18% GDP with 13% of the population”  before presenting, at phenomenal speed, an emphatic case for “why cities are part of the solution for so many of the world’s problems,”, from affordability to achieving a greener planet.

Michael Spies, of Tishman Speyer, provided an industry response, with a particular focus on the contentious topic of sightlines in London, although  Tony Travers reminded the audience that urban density doesn’t equate to height – “it’s just that up is far easier than out in UK context!” 

A dynamic audience debate concluded with each panellist being asked to name their city of future. Spies chose Singapore, Glaeser went for Mumbai and Wolf secured the audience vote by selecting London!

If you missed this superb discussion or wanted to watch again with a pause button to hand, ULI UK will have a video of the event coming  soon on our website thanks to the generosity of Strutt & Parker. There will also be an article in Urban Land magazine.

Words by Alex Notay.