The 90min discussion will be based around the principles of Roger Zogolovitch’s book "Shouldn’t We All Be Developers", looking at an alternative to the volume house builder model of development, focusing on building on gap sites in cities and investing for long-term rather than building on Green Belt and selling land ownerships as house builders do. This will be an opportunity for the other panellists to respond to Roger’s arguments and support, or not, the case for the independent developer.
Roger Zogolovitch is an architect and developer and founder of Solidspace, independent developers working exclusively on ‘gap sites’ in Central London. Inside each Solidspace home is an open plan split-level form that provides space to eat, live and work and gives a greater sense of spaciousness. Each project pursues a consistent approach to a sculptural form of development, modelling volumes internally and externally to suit occupier and the city with imagination and equality.
Marc Vlessing is a founder Director and CEO of Pocket, London’s first private developer that focuses exclusively on delivering intermediate housing for the starter market. Pocket’s award winning housing requires no grant, is secured as affordable in perpetuity and sold outright to people on low to moderate incomes – see: www.pocketliving.com.
Finn Williams is an architect-turned-planner based in London. Finn is Regeneration Area Manager at the Greater London Authority, and the founder of public sector planning thinktank NOVUS and independent research platform Common Office. He is currently developing a not-for-profit agency to place entrepreneurial designers in local authority planning departments. twitter: @commonoffice
Nicky Gavron is a London-wide Assembly Member and chair of the cross-party Planning Committee. In 2000 she became the first statutory Deputy Mayor of London with responsibility for the London Plan, strategic planning, and London’s response to climate change. She has a track record in urban policy development for every level of gov- ernment. In particular, she has been at the forefront of developing land-use, transport and environmental planning policies to make London a sustainable city.
Image:"Shouldn’t We All Be Developers" - www.solidspace.co.uk/