City centric world

lisyloo

We've often had discussions on here about companies moving out of London.
I like to think I'm open minded and willing to change my mind if presented with good arguments bug I've always been of the opinion that businesses value qudos, being close to customers, talent and good infrastructure and that most board members place low priority on housing and staff commutes.

Just recent we've had a company (the range) want to put a large (15 x Wembley stadium) distribution center near where I live In Wiltshire. There was a lot of local opposition so the range is now taking their operation and 1000 job opportunities to an industrial part of Bristol where there was less opposition and they were keener to have the deal (don't know exactly what that mean).

So does this mean thtat I'm right that we're going to become more city centric as everyone wants/needs to be near the same infrastructure/talent/customers?

For housing this means bubbles in big cities and lack lustre elsewhere as we sort of have now.

princeofpounds

There has always been clustering of economic activity. That's why cities exist in the first place. It's nothing new.


Many types of businesses do like to stay in surprisingly expensive locations, for their rent and their staff, but I know from discussions with many businesses that have moved out that attracting staff of the right calibre can be very hard when growth or replacement is needed, even though it can work very well for the staff that have already been relocated.

purch

Avonmouth has a huge number of large distribution centres already, in fact Bristol City Council and South Gloucs Council are having to spend loads ££ upgrading the A403 and there is talk of a new junction being put on the M49 to serve the area, as J18 of the M5 is becoming overloaded.

When these large sums have to be spent upgrading infrastructure, there will certainly be good reasons to push more economic activity towards the big centres.

Jonbvn

purch wrote: »

Avonmouth has a huge number of large distribution centres already, in fact Bristol City Council and South Gloucs Council are having to spend loads ££ upgrading the A403 and there is talk of a new junction being put on the M49 to serve the area, as J18 of the M5 is becoming overloaded.

When these large sums have to be spent upgrading infrastructure, there will certainly be good reasons to push more economic activity towards the big centres.

Ah the M49. My favourite motorway! Never seen it busy - ever.

purch

Jonbvn wrote: »

Ah the M49. My favourite motorway! Never seen it busy - ever.

Yes, here's a free tip to anyone going to the west country in the summer, especially Friday evenings and Saturdays.

Continue on the M4 towards Wales, and then take the M49 towards Avonmouth and join the M5 at J18. It takes about 15 minutes, but beats sitting in the barely moving queue on the M5 southbound for hours.

zagubov

As princeofpounds says, you need to achieve a certain critical mass of people and businesses to set up a virtuous cycle of economic activities and opportunities, so cities exist for a reason.

It's the same process of urbanisation occurring all across the world.

Mistermeaner

Yes

Was there a question?

I'm not sure I understand the point..... mankind has since the beginning of its existence, and in common with numerous animals, found advantages in all manner of ways from gathering together and sharing economies of group activity. There have been settlements known as cities for many thousands of years, often growing around particular resources.

Have I missed the revelation?

With no data at all I would guess that if anything the populous of the UK is actually more geographically spread now than at any time in history - tech and ease of transport makes location less important

cells

cities are getting a little bit more attractive as crime rates fall and things get a bit cleaner but the boom in prices is to do with the lower end imo. Simply people outside of England and even a lot of people inside England when they wish to try their luck elsewhere can probably only ever think of moving to the capital

Thrugelmir

lisyloo wrote: »

There was a lot of local opposition so the range is now taking their operation and 1000 job opportunities to an industrial part of Bristol where there was less opposition and they were keener to have the deal (don't know exactly what that mean).

NIMBYS


With the devolution to local councils from Central Government. Business rates ( in this case) will form a core part of income. That'll pay for local services. Few seem to have woken up to this fact yet.

padington

lisyloo wrote: »

We've often had discussions on here about companies moving out of London.
I like to think I'm open minded and willing to change my mind if presented with good arguments bug I've always been of the opinion that businesses value qudos, being close to customers, talent and good infrastructure and that most board members place low priority on housing and staff commutes.

Just recent we've had a company (the range) want to put a large (15 x Wembley stadium) distribution center near where I live In Wiltshire. There was a lot of local opposition so the range is now taking their operation and 1000 job opportunities to an industrial part of Bristol where there was less opposition and they were keener to have the deal (don't know exactly what that mean).

So does this mean thtat I'm right that we're going to become more city centric as everyone wants/needs to be near the same infrastructure/talent/customers?

For housing this means bubbles in big cities and lack lustre elsewhere as we sort of have now.

This guy does a brilliant lecture about the growth of cities here ...

https://www.ted.com/talks/geoffrey_west_the_surprising_math_of_cities_and_corporations?language=en

Pennywise

Thrugelmir wrote: »

NIMBYS

Don't you just love 'em?

People in small towns and villages make the most fuss whenever their services are lost, i.e. libraries, shops, bus routes, etc., usually because of lack of demand. But the same people start petitions etc to prevent any new developments that might breath in new life and preserve such services due to higher demand. Doh!

I've lived and worked in a large village (a few thousand residents) for a couple of decades. The same names are always on the petitions to prevent a business (say a shop or pub) being turned into a house because they want to preserve services - but if they used the service, they'd still have remained open and not shuttered and empty! But those same names are always on the petitions against any new businesses coming in, i.e. building new business premises or converting a residence into a business. You really couldn't make it up! At the end of the day, their only logic is that they want the village to stay just the way it is and object to any change at all.

There is a local bus that runs through the main street twice a day to the local city - I've never seen more than 2 people on it as most residents live closer to the village by-pass road which at most is quarter of a mile away and has a regular 10-15 minute bus service. It's just been announced that it is to be stopped and there are literally hundreds of people who've complained and insisted it remains - that's far more than the residents who live close enough to the old route who may have used it. It's just inertia and complaining for the sake of it! The villagers are just accustomed to signing all petitions put in front of them whether they're affected or not.

No wonder businesses look to city centres - there'll be far fewer nimbys and it will be easier, quicker and less exhausting for them to get the required permissions etc.