Locatum

The various  build build build  (coincidentally the name for Duterte's 2018 infrastructure programme!) announcements in July have attracted varying degrees of attention with particular focus first on zoning and the approval presumption as well as the removal of s106 and the effective evisceration of local planning authority (LPA) autonomy.  Centre4Cities had helped prepared the ground for with their  planning for the future  report.   Well made arguments from across the professional community in, amongst others,  Housing Today ,  RTPI and others ,  The Architects Journal  and by  HQN  as well as across Twitter, paint a picture of deep anxiety as to the consequences, intended and otherwise of these proposals. I would strongly urge everyone to engage with the government's  planning for the future consultation  (coincidence?) on these proposed changes.  As the summer ticks by focus (you will find comment and ad...

So, 4 weeks on from the launch of the geospatial strategy , and having written a light-touch reflection  on the event and the strategy I thought I’d now surface some of the questions and more broadly policy ambitions asked by the (virtual) audience on the Remo virtual platform (that will become more familiar I am sure) that day.   A public service if you like. (c) Remo I’ve taken a somewhat liberal rather than literal view of the questions, hacking them into sub-themes or subject areas.  Of course, there are others but these are some of those that continue the conversation. Geospatial data , in particular open geospatial data, opening up data and maintaining that data was a prominent area of interest and concern.   With the new PSGA and the launch of the OS DataHub on 1 st July the public sector has never had better access to OS data or greater opportunity to derive new insights.  At the same time are cash-strapped local authorities able to co...

Despite our best efforts the kids have grown up with a certain white bread, you know the one, in the orange (or blue) waxed packaging. Yep, (c) Warburtons While supply chains have always been an interest, bread ingredients wasn't shall we say prominent. Warburton's decision to switch suppliers  is a handy exemplar not just for the global nature of trade but for the different regulatory environments and production standards that go with that.  The switch doesn't come until 2022 with the new supplier being US Frontier Agriculture and you would think that they will seek to protect the brand - you get those kids early they stay for life. At this stage it is unclear from where Frontier will source the wheat for the flour as they do have a large UK operation including in Northumberland. Nevertheless this highlights the challenges global supply chains represent to industry (think food processing, for schools, hospitals, canning etc), retail (think bread/bakery buyers across all m...

Or has some wit had it (I spy Bob Barr), another national geospatial strategy. Amid a recent flurry of things geospatial and amid a veritable storm of everything data, evidence and the digital economy, the Geospatial Commission last week launched  Unlocking the Power of Location , the UK's Geospatial Strategy. The questions you're asking are likely, is it any good, is it worthwhile, does it set out a clear vision, is it indeed a strategy, and you may well have drawn your own conclusions.  You should definitely read it. For all the old hacks going "here we go again", it is safe to say that as someone who bleeds geospatial and whose own career has paralleled the rise of digital geography and latterly location intelligence, you can never really get enough of what the former Director of the Geospatial Commission, William Priest, termed this geospatial moment.  And long may it continue. The Zoom launch was always going to be a challenge as strategies are necessa...