The politics of planning: a political study of the redevelopment of the city centre in Newcastle upon Tyne

This is a study of various groups in an English city and their contribution to policy making for city centre redevelopment. The study concentrates on the period 1958 to 1967 when the Labour Party controlled the City Council and the most important policy decisions were taken. After a brief historical introduction, the membership and the contribution of the elected representatives are analysed and shown to be minimal. Secondly the ideas and contribution of the City Planning Officer are explained and his crucial role revealed. Thirdly the role of the City Labour Party and the decisive contribution of the Group Leader are discussed. It is suggested that the main external group, the Central Government, made a negligible contribution to the decision process. It is also shown that interest groups such as the business community, the local university and amenity group had little or no influence. The study argues that the Labour Group Leader and the City Planning Officer were the key decision makers with few restraints placed upon them in policy making for city centre redevelopment. The decision making system tended to be closed and to support and concentrate authority in the hands of one or two leaders.