Planning
The Great Pedestrianisation Question
John always said that London Street was not the first example. Martin Shaw writes:
In Norwich there is no doubt that Alfie Wood, the City Planning Officer in the 1960s, was a charismatic figure (now deceased). His international reputation as a visionary planner was to a large extent based on the assertion that London Street was ”the first existing shopping street in the UK to be pedestrianised”; and he lectured widely on this theme. While London Street was an excellent example of a well designed traffic management scheme - and publicity about the project brought Norwich’s rich architectural heritage to the attention of a national audience - the facts are more prosaic...
A sewer collapse in November 1964 forced the closure of London Street to traffic. In February 1965 the EDP reported that trade had not suffered and traders favoured closure between 9am and 6pm. Following a trip to European towns for councillors led by Alfie Wood a report to committee in December 1966 recommended a 3-month experimental closure. This commenced on 17 July 1967. Most traders were in favour and no motorists objected so the closure of London Street was made permanent.
Kings Lynn had been designated as an overspill town for London in 1962. Work on its expansion proceeded rapidly, led by the County Planning Department jointly with the Borough Council. John was heavily involved in plans for the redevelopment of the town centre, which included the pedestrianisation of High Street, one of the main shopping areas. An early result was the experimental pedestrianisation of High Street and New Conduit Street in September 1965, which was subsequently made permanent. Hence, while the design was unimaginative (the Borough Surveyor retained the existing pavements to save money) my conclusion is that this closure in the shopping centre of Kings Lynn can indeed lay claim to be the first planned pedestrianisation in the country.
This story serves to illustrate John’s ability to challenge the conventional wisdom as well as his personal role in shaping the townscape of Norfolk.
From Rob Cranthorne
I worked in the various iterations of the County Planning Department from late 1973 to 2012, and of course saw a lot of John. He always managed to make the work enjoyable, and I valued his guidance generally, and in my case particularly when I was drafting reports to the Planning Committee. He could often see a better way of crafting a planning judgement, to secure the best result in Committee - and he could do that without any suggestion that he was right and I was wrong. That was a rare skill, and I am grateful that he treated me as a professional equal, notwithstanding his position in the Department. He was a pleasure to work with, and always had the time and inclination to listen, advise and support, with good humour too. On the subject of humour, my family has a good collection of his characterful pottery figures too, which we love. Thank you John.
From Richard Hollox
I knew John from when I worked in his section at the Norfolk County Council Planning Department during the late 1960s and up to 1970. If I remember rightly, he was my line manager as I believe we now call them. He was always calm, pleasant and encouraging and it was a pleasure and privilege to work for and with him. He was well liked and respected in the Department. During the last few years, my brother and I have tried to meet each other for lunch once a month somewhere between Norwich and Chelmsford. Recently, I have come to Norwich so we could include John for lunch, and also Don Buckingham. It was always good to recall happy times in the Planning Department with them. John's dry sense of humour was much appreciated. I shall always think of him with much affection.
From Martin Shaw
Humour and humanity, intelligence and modesty , diffidence and passion, integrity and ingenuity: these are just some of the words that characterise John for me - and I am sure for many of us.
I first met John almost exactly half a century ago when I was appointed as assistant county planning officer. John was also a candidate for the post and it was typical of the man that he mentioned in the nervous conversation while awaiting our interview the importance of stressing Norfolk’s pre-eminence as an agricultural county. I did and got the job. It is also to his credit that from the day I arrived at County Hall in 1971 not only did he never begrudge my becoming his (less experienced) boss but he was unfailingly loyal and helpful to me personally.
While it is primarily as a friend that I shall remember him, John’s contribution in the world of town and country planning was considerable. Born in Wymondham, he attended Norwich School and studied geography at Southampton University and town planning in London. After a brief spell as a planner in Kent he returned to Norfolk as soon as a job came up. That was in 1959 from when he was employed by the county council for the next 34 years.
Life as a planner at county hall was full of conflicts and John had the rare ability to strike the right balance between the pressures for development and the interests of conservation. His passion for Norfolk and public service was evident to generations of young men and women who passed through the county planning department and who gained from his example. For my part (though my memory is not perfect!) I can only say that during the 22 years that we worked together I cannot recall a single occasion when we disagreed. Like his fellow officers and elected politicians I relied on and trusted John for the wisdom and sensitivity of his advice.
John was the most modest of men whose ability during his early career had in my view been underestimated by his senior officers. So one of the great pleasures was when in 1977 I became director of the planning and subsequent merged departments (adding property and transportation) I was able formally to recognise his qualities by appointing him deputy county planning officer and later head of planning services.
In these posts John’s role was significant in that Norfolk was well regarded in national planning circles particularly for its approach to rural planning. Outside Norfolk John was regional chairman of the RTPI and in his speaking and writing over three decades he had a key influence on policies for the development of villages, small towns, countryside, coast and the Broads. In giving numerous presentations at public meetings and talks to local groups in Norfolk he was an outstanding ambassador for the county council. In his dealings with the district councils, with whom relations were sometimes strained by the shadow of local government reform, it is a tribute to his temperament that we maintained a harmonious relationship with our district colleagues.
But while John’s professional contribution to planning in Norfolk was huge my overriding memory of working with him is of having fun. Indeed some of my most painful memories are of trying to keep a straight face in committee meetings when I was in a state of near-hysteria. We shared a common - probably in both senses - sense of humour.
As well as caring deeply for Norfolk’s environment John’s aesthetic judgment was reflected in his life outside the office. Our children were captivated by a short story he both wrote and illustrated with cartoon drawings about a family of mythical beasts - well before the BFG appeared. On his retirement Jan and I often visited him and were privileged to view the commendably diverse artistic output that filled his garden studio-shed. His paintings of Norfolk’s vernacular buildings are as evocative of what remains of traditional townscapes as those of the earlier Norwich School.. But for me it is his pottery figures that are the most memorable. Apart from one of me personified as a bird, his models of owls, dogs and cats (not always distinguishable) as well as a large collection of old men mardling on a garden bench and a complete village cricket team typified his work: all were whimsical, genial and kindly figures. Rather like John, in fact.
We shall all miss him.
From Michael Knights
Of all the many planning bosses I had during my 45 year career John was by far the nicest and the most supportive of all. I joined the old department of Planning and Property as it was in 1990 and John immediately made you feel welcome. He used to run regular management meetings that were a pleasure to attend (unlike so many others that I had to go to) and he showed genuine interest in all aspect of the department's work and as you can see from the photos he always had a smile, well at least I can't remember any time he didn't? His knowledge of the county was terrific and he knew all the back roads and shortcuts over the whole of Norfolk. I remember him driving us over to the far reaches of west Norfolk via obscure back lanes and such like. I wondered if we would actually ever arrive at our destination but we did and we even got to the meeting early! What a sad loss and I'll never forget him.
From Randall Arendt
All my memories of John are very pleasant ones, dating from the relatively brief time (1974-76) when I worked with him, Martin, and John Wright at the NCC Planning Department. Back then I was a mere Sr. Planning Assistant, but John and the others encouraged me to complete an important cost-benefit study (begun by another young planner) of three different rural planning strategies for the North Walsham area. And that led to leading a small team that prepared the Rural Area chapter of the Norfolk Structure Plan. That large undertaking (part of a truly massive “Report of Survey”) could not have been completed (or completed well) without generous help and advice from John and his senior colleagues. Throughout all that time John was an very easy-going person to work with. I still recall a very enjoyable Christmas party at his house, attended by many of our co-workers. He and I shared common interests in rambling, archaeology, nature, and art. After leaving the NCC to return with my wife and infant son to my native US, John and I maintained an annual correspondence lasting 45 years. Luckily, I saved (and scanned) three of his whimsical Christmas cards from those days, which I’m sharing with his children. About 18 years ago John was among several former colleagues who warmly supported my application for Fellowship in the RTPI -- a rare honour for a Yank like me. The last time we saw each other was about a decade ago when Martin and Jan arranged for us to meet John at a pub along one of Norwich’s rivers. He will always be remembered by me with great fondness.
From Graham King
John was a much appreciated, admired and wise colleague, always approachable and always friendly. I am very sad to learn of his passing.
From Berni Marfleet
John had so many interests and projects he was involved with but for me there were two in particular which we shared: town planning and art. You’d think that these were quite separate but with John they were very much intertwined in his job and career as a town planner. There was art in his approach to his job. He had such a creative attitude to his work and brought fresh insights from different perspectives to problems and challenges we dealt with. As with his art he was able to see different angles that wouldn’t have occurred to many of us....and again as with his artistic creations there was a humour and sense of fun in there too.
I have known John as a friend ...and I hope he wouldn’t mind me saying ...as a mentor for over 35 years. I first met him as a refugee from the abolition of the Greater London Council. One of my first memories early on was concerning a problem I’d created with our Property colleagues. They were to put it mildly a bit unhappy on onerous London style planning conditions I’d put on land owned by the Council for a proposed quarry which reduced the asset value. I was more than a tad apprehensive about the meeting with them but John chaired it calmly and fairly, listening to all the different sides before arriving at an agreed outcome. Bringing the meeting to a close he looked at me with a hint of a twinkle in his eye and said “Berni, here at Norfolk we like to share the blame”. I was of course much relieved but it set up my regard for John as someone you could trust and would help you and that likewise you would want to do the very best for him in your work.
Over the years we worked together particularly with the Planning Committee. We had Members from all different backgrounds and with different and conflicting interests. He would have to give them advice and recommendations which were far from popular at times but there was respect for his advice helped again by his humour....and also dare I say it that he was seen a Narfuk bor and not one of em foreigners that most of us Planners were!
Planning Committees were of course always very serious affairs!.... sometimes exciting and tense or sometimes a bit tedious. The later was particularly difficult if you were sitting next to John when he would go into doodling mode. You knew where it would end up. He’d start with some abstract creations in the margins of his papers and then if it got particularly boring he would start on caricatures of certain Members . That’s when you had to bite your tongue to stop the giggles!
From Richard & Dee High
John was Richard’s first boss after qualifying as a town planner, he feels so privileged and glad to have had the opportunity to work for and with such a special man. He always had time for me & others and a lot of good advice. His caring didn’t stop there and my wife Dee and I have enjoyed many happy social times being warmly welcomed by both John and dear Pom up until her death and afterwards seeing John and popping to the Red Lion. Being part of the Ayton 11 was a uniquely enjoyable sporting life experience. He was still enthusiastically creating his pottery models - quirky and lovely just like John, we will miss him
From Mike Halls
I was one of several Planners who have benefitted from John's wise counsel whilst working for Norfolk County Council. John always had a measured and light touch way of dealing with problems (or indeed opportunities) - always finding an appropriate solution. I was often grateful for when he took a great interest in, and gave full support to, the conservation and environment elements of the Council's work with which I was particularly involved. After my retirement I was closely involved in the Wymondham Abbey Development Project entailing two large extensions to the Abbey Church. I recall giving a talk to the Wymondham Society explaining the project before work began and as a member of the Society, John was present. I felt somewhat comforted afterwards when discussing it with John that he gave his full support to the plans. I recall finishing the talk with reference to a prayer that John and I had discussed some years previously ie sometimes called the the Engineers or Planners prayer :- " God give me the grace to change the things that can be changed, the serenity for things that cannot be changed, and the wisdom to know the difference". We must always be grateful that John had that wisdom in abundance!!