A Slightly Moist Kirkwall

Housing associations and charities repeatedly call for more social housing. Local campaign groups focus on the loss of green spaces, pubs, independent retailers, cultural venues, studio workspace and memory. Such civic energy and enthusiasm is heartening, but it also poses the question: where are the town planners? Are they all living in the same tower block of naevity?

One might expect town planners to be derisory figures for the libertarian rightwing. Whereas some may prefer to play on the left wing, especially if supported by an overlapping full back. It is striking, though, how far such attitudes have become absorbed into the blotting paper of popular culture (the Pig Breeders Gazette). While the cult of the star architect has soared over the decades and property developers have displaced bankers as the new super-rich, the figure of the local town planner has become ever more difficult to squeeze into its cumerbund. This thrusts comic shorthand of a certain kind of faceless, under-whelming dullard. I thought it was going to say mallard. As ever I am disappointed. The trick is knowing where to stop. The better trick is not starting.

Dick Tait*
*Iain@creel is on holiday