Inside Brent’s Regeneration Project with Alice Lester

In this special UKREiiF 2025 edition of Urban Forecast, co-hosts Oli Lowrie and Jon Ackroyd sit down with Alice Lester, Director for Neighbourhoods and Regeneration at Brent Council. Alice shares her journey from a geography student fascinated by cities to shaping one of London’s most ambitious regeneration areas. They explore the delicate balance between delivering much-needed homes and protecting local character, the evolving role of green infrastructure, and how policy can either unlock or stifle good development. With honest insights from the frontlines of planning and place-making, this episode is a must-listen for anyone invested in the future of our cities.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

Alice’s early fascination with urban geography and how human behaviour is shaped by the built environment sparked her career in planning.

Her first ‘you had me at hello’ planning moment came atop Piccadilly Circus, inspecting air conditioning units behind the iconic Coca-Cola sign.

Place-making is not one-size-fits-all: successful development responds to the unique identity of each neighbourhood.

Brent’s regeneration, especially around Wembley Park, has been transformational, but local resistance highlights the need to bring communities along.

The planning system is increasingly overburdened, with competing requirements leaving little room to negotiate on affordable housing.

Green infrastructure and access to open space are now recognised as fundamental to health, happiness, and successful places.

The decline in car ownership, coupled with better public transport and cycling infrastructure, is reshaping London’s urban landscape.

Flexibility and pragmatism within local planning teams can help unlock stalled sites and drive delivery.


 BEST MOMENTS

“If you’re annoying lots of people, you’re probably doing something right.”

“The thing we want most is affordable housing… but that’s the only thing left to negotiate.”

“You can’t just have a blueprint for development. You have to respond to the uniqueness of each place.”

“Living in London’s good… and it’ll just get even better in the future.”


VALUABLE RESOURCES

https://www.ackroydlowrie.com 

https://www.harlow.gov.uk 


EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT

Building Fairer Cities with Cllr Claire Holland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UznEV9fWYS0

Harlow’s Regeneration Comeback | How Harlow Delivers More Homes with Cllr Dan Swords

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMcoe24JLPA 


ABOUT THE HOSTS

Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us.


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