New Plans To Transform Bloomsbury, Holborn

Sir Terry Farrell has been given the job of masterplanning the areas of Bloomsbury, Holborn, and St. Giles. Inmidtown, the unfortunately named Business Improvement District set up in 1996 that comprises the area, favoured Farrell's idea, which yokes together the districts around Holborn Circus into a "world-class public realm" (presumably in contrast to its current, run-down, rarely visited state). A public consultation will be launched in the spring, but in an interview with the Independent, the architect said that his vision for the city was one of "high streets and a collection of urban villages", and a shift in favour of the pedestrian over the car. Will the motorist-friendly Tories approve? (Photo of Central St Giles by Bill Martin).