Nigel Barker is English Heritage’s Director of Planning and Conservation. Taryn Nixon, MOLA Chief Executive, met with him to find out about the latest thinking in English Heritage (EH) about key issues for London and the implications of announcements, following the Government spending review that EH will restructure in 2015.
TN There are huge pressures to build new housing to meet the fast growing London population. What does EH London see as the key issues?
NB There is a ‘storm’ of issues challenging the capacity of London in terms of its historic environment. The most obvious issues are ‘building tall’ and increasing building densities. One of London’s great attractions, alongside its dynamism and variety, is its mix of new and old. For us the key concern is the lack of strategic overview of what the city should look like in 20 years’ time.
