London has a long history of manufacturing. Its industrial activity continues up to this day in areas like Haringey, Old Oak & Park Royal, and the Maker Mile. The Cities of Making project examined these London areas. The result: three extensive case studies and many valuable lessons about urban manufacturing in London, its characteristics, and challenges.
London is known for many things. Its financial core, Westminster, or the cultural attractions. One of the city’s key characteristics, however, has become almost invisible: its manufacturing industry. Capital of country that gave us the Industrial Revolution, it is no surprise that London still has a strong manufacturing base. It is home to most of the UK’s manufacturing jobs, and making takes place not just in its periphery but also right at its heart. With reference to Cities of Making’s extensive reports, we took a closer look at three industrial areas in London – Haringey, Old Oak & Park Royal, and the Maker Mile – to see what and where global cities can manufacture and which hurdles they might face.
Manufacturing in London: Haringey, Old Oak & Park Royal, and the Maker Mile
Haringey
Haringey is a borough in Greater London. Thanks to frequent trains, tubes, and busses, it is well linked to the city centre. Haringey is known for its medium-scale manufacturing industry. In 2006, the sector provided 4,600 jobs.
Industry in Haringey is centred around clothing and food production, but other industrial trades like building, furniture, and printing are found there too.
Manufacturers have settled in Haringey for various reasons. The top 4 are:
- High-end clientele: many of Haringey’s clothing manufacturers cater to a wealthy upper-class client base, which values high quality, local production, and transparent manufacturing processes.
- Accessible public transport: Haringey is well connected to the rest of London via various public transport links. This facilitates access and makes it an attractive employment area.
- Proximity: some manufacturers choose to produce in the area because they live there or close by.
- Availability of industrial space: in London, this is diminishing. Between 2001 and 2015, the city lost about 20% of its industrial land reserves. Some manufacturers have settled in Haringey due to a lack of other options.
But Haringey’s manufacturing is in decline too, mainly due to urban regeneration, the strong competition for space, and rising rents. The area is becoming increasingly gentrified and residential while manufacturers are pushed out. A local producer explains:
“I think it’s inevitable that businesses like ours get pushed out of London, because the population is increasing, we need more homes. An industrial unit of this size could produce hundreds of homes. If my children were growing up next to a place like this, I wouldn’t like it, I want green space for my kids, clean air.”
Old Oak & Park Royal
Old Oak & Park Royal are industrial areas in West London. Like Haringey, they are well connected to Central London thanks to various rail and tube lines. Major roads, like Western Avenue, are close by too.
Interestingly, the area was not urbanised until the 1870s. Then gradually, housing developments started popping up. During World War I, however, Old Oak & Park Royal were rapidly industrialised and remained a manufacturing base until the 1960s. Afterwards, the area fell into decline. Still, Park Royal alone is one of Europe’s largest – if not the largest – industrial estate and home to over 2,000 businesses.
Old Oak & Park Royal are mainly populated by small- to medium-sized companies. The top 5 industrial trades in the area are:
- food and drink,
- building-associated manufacturing,
- wood, carpentry, furniture,
- electronics,
- printing.
The main reason for manufacturers to set up business in Old Oak & Park Royal is the site’s proximity to Central London. Other motives include owners living close by, rent being cheaper than in the city centre, and the availability of good public transport links.
However, manufacturers in Old Oak & Park Royal face several issues too. Since the area has been used for manufacturing since WWI, it is designed for industrial use. For instance, the road network mainly serves companies and their activities. It is unclear whether the area’s infrastructure is compatible with residential use. Under recent redevelopment plans, however, new railway lines and more housing will be added. While authorities have promised to protect industrial land in Park Royal, many companies in Old Oak fear having to relocate due to urban regeneration. On top of these worries, companies struggle to attract skilled workers.
The Maker Mile
Also in the centre of London is the Maker Mile. It is a mainly residential and commercial area, accommodating some urban industrial and artisanal businesses.
The Maker Mile is home to many different types of companies, such as hardware start-ups, artist and design studios, clothing manufacturers, and food producers. It is generally associated with the hipster community and attracts this type of clientele and residents. The mix between residential, commercial, and industrial works well in the area, especially because most companies don’t produce a lot of noise or dirt, which could interfere with residential use.
Manufacturers enjoy working in the area as employees often live nearby, and there are plenty of opportunities to network with other businesses (e.g., in maker spaces). Additionally, the Maker Mile’s central location brings in many customers. In response to this, some companies have even started offering training courses, i.e., workshops during which customers can learn how a specific product is made.
Despite such efforts, however, manufacturers struggle to pay the high rents. Central London usually comes with rising property prices and business rates. Additionally, it is very difficult for companies to expand as (suitable) space in the densely populated area is scarce. There is also a lack of knowledge about waste flows and the circular economy.
Urban Manufacturing in London in a Nutshell
Despite certain challenges, London’s manufacturing industry is still going strong. It hosts large industrial estates as well as small making businesses. Urban manufacturing brings jobs, innovation, skill, and local products to the city. In turn, the city provides manufacturers with great infrastructure (road networks, public transport, etc.) and allows for proximity to staff and clients. It’s a symbiosis.
However, this symbiosis is fragile. Large industrial areas, like Haringey and Old Oak & Park Royal, increasingly find themselves under pressure from urban regeneration. Some of the activities in these areas are incompatible with residential use. On the other hand, smaller businesses that produce less noise and dirt, like those in the Maker Mile, can be easily integrated into residential and commercial areas. They, however, struggle with expanding and finding suitable, affordable spaces.
What can be observed in London takes place in many cities around the globe. It is now time to find solutions to the problems of big and small producers and revive urban manufacturing.
If you want to learn more about the challenges of urban manufacturing, check out this handy guide.
Note: This article is commissioned by and produced in collaboration with JPI Urban Europe, a European research and innovation hub founded in 2010. The original version of this article is published here.