ABSTRACT
Urban planning has had an uneasy relationship with the office economy. Indeed, once office activity was recognised as a major force in the economy in the early part of the twentieth century, it was politicised and given particular treatment in economic and planning policies by central, regional and local government. Throughout much of the post-war period until the late-1980s, office activity was seen as a problem, a negative trend, and was subjected to policies aimed at limiting its growth.
The latter part of the chapter places planning in the context of the 1980s ‘technological revolution’ which was to bring about immense change to the economy. White-collar work suddenly grew very rapidly, along with the deregulation of financial services. At long last, in the late 1980s, planning responded with policies more in tune with the direction of travel in the office economy, and facilitating in the rebirth of London as a global city.
