Urbanism
Environment
Design

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Our founder director Dr. Nicholas Falk has the leading letter in todays guardian.

Your editorial (Should we be hitching our star so closely to Beijing’s wagon?, 20 October) and Martin Jacques’s article (China is rising as the US falls. Britain can’t ignore this reality, 20 October) on turning to China to fund the infrastructure we badly need miss out a range of other options for Britain’s future. First, much of the infrastructure we need is local, for example upgrading local rail and road systems, or saving energy through local networks. Here the solutions include enabling local government or development corporations to promote sustainable growth and regeneration projects, borrowing against the consequent uplift in land values. There is more than enough finance looking for a relatively secure return before we need to increase our dependence on China.

Second, the pent-up demand for housing would provide the economic boost the UK badly needs to rebuild its worn-out economy, and create the greener new industries to replace the old declining ones. We should strengthen relationships with European cities that offer better models for sustainable growth and human wellbeing. Finally, if we want to act on the world stage, why not rebuild trade with India, where growth is much higher and the second language is English? We sell them less than Belgium does, and yet they have the trained engineers and IT specialists that the UK lacks.
Dr Nicholas Falk
Director, URBED (Urbanism Environment and Design)

Read the full letter here.