Against the Olympic 'Regeneration Culture' in London

In a new book, author Iain Sinclair argues against the Olympic redevelopment of London's East End, and argues that the legacy goals its planners are pushing largely already exist.

1 minute read

July 9, 2011, 7:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


Sinclair refers to the communities that exist in the area, which are being pushed out by the massive regeneration efforts underway to prepare for next summer's event.

"Certainly Sinclair has responded with all guns blazing: his new book, Ghost Milk, is an elegiac assault on the Olympics and the regeneration culture it has spawned – or ‘Dr Frankenstein with a Google Earth programme and a laser scalpel', as he calls those he blames for carving up his beloved borough. It seethes with anger at the impact of the Olympics' computer-generated aesthetic on a previously rough and ready part of London and, crucially, on the people who live there.

‘Everywhere there's an erosion of locality,' he says as we walk towards the vast, churning building site circumscribed by the now infamous blue fence.

‘Everywhere communities – allotment growers, houseboat communities, small businesses – are being wiped out by this global conglomerate obsession with putting up huge blocks.'

Sinclair was never going to take kindly to the Olympic development that has bulldozed through Hackney Wick and parts of Stratford where, in the 1970s, he used to work at Chobham Farm."

Friday, July 8, 2011 in Metro

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

July 2 - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

July 2 - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

July 2 - CNU Public Square