Soho Comes Clean
The Soho Neighbourhood Forum completes the first ever detailed study of local waste management for Westminster City Council. Report released this week
FOR RELEASE: AUGUST 4, 2022
Soho, London: “The Soho Neighbourhood Forum (SNF), a Soho business and residents community interest organisation, this week releases the eagerly anticipated forensic review of the current state of waste management in the area, including recommended actions to make Soho a rubbish-free zone within a year.
The 88-page study, titled ‘Soho Comes Clean’ makes 18 clear recommendations to achieve a cleaner, greener and healthier Soho, that include the introduction of a Waste Engagement and Enforcement Officer for the area and installing cost-effective, fibre-optic connected CCTV at key fly-tipping trouble spots. The study also recommends that WCC conduct a full review of routes and timings, including the possible abolition of one of the collections, or its replacement with a dedicated recycling collection, new consolidation points, the further roll-out of electric waste vehicles and smart bins, and education campaigns to deter fly-tipping and encourage more recycling.
The study represents the culmination of five months’ work by data analytics and city planning consultancies Orbitl and Crystal Associates, who were briefed back in September 2021 to “review, investigate, analyse and make recommendations on current waste management practises in Soho, with the twin objectives of changing public behaviour to reduce waste left for long periods on streets and optimising refuse collection movements, with a view to improving air quality and reducing congestion in the neighbourhood.”
The project focused on a sample area bounded by Wardour St to the West, Soho St/Frith St to the East, Oxford St to the North and Old Compton St to the South, including the ‘extensions’ of Dean St, Frith St and Romilly St.
The project team adopted a data-driven approach in order to quantify and qualify the nature and extent of the ‘problem’ and accumulate a body of evidence that could be used to support potential solutions. Over the course of its work, the team engaged with around 130 businesses, large and small, comprising the key sectors of Hospitality, Retail and ‘Other’ (non-hospitality/retail businesses such as recording studios, advertising agencies, galleries and co-working spaces) as well as residents of Soho, through Focus Groups, In-Depth Interviews, a Quantitative Business Survey, and a Street Waste Survey, as well as desk-top research including reviewing the Soho Neighbourhood Plan.
The study is the first of its kind to be carried out in Soho and includes many convention-breaking findings, confirming that:
· Almost 80% of businesses agree waste is a problem and that hospitality businesses are primarily responsible
· Around 130 tonnes of waste is generated in Soho every day
· Recycling in Westminster is low but businesses are trying to do the right thing
· At least 17 waste providers operate within the focus area
· Current collection times may be incentivising poor practices
· More positive engagement is required between the Council and local businesses
The Soho Neighbourhood Forum has made public its bold ambition to remove all waste from Soho streets within 12 months. This first ever in-depth study into the real data behind the dumped bags on the area’s pavements represents a significant first step in that direction.
Councillor Patrick Lilley, WCC's Lead Member for Soho, welcomed the report, calling it 'an historic effort to change Soho for the better'.
SNF Chair, Lucy Haine hailed the study as the most extensive of its kind ever undertaken in the area, adding that ‘SNF and its partners look forward to working closely and collaboratively with Westminster City Council to implement the report's recommendations and deliver a cleaner, greener Soho for the neighbourhood's businesses, residents and visitors'."
ENDS
ABOUT THE SOHO NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM:
The Soho Neighbourhood Forum (SNF) is a neighbourhood forum operating under the authority of the Localism Act 2011. It is a forum with equal representation on its Steering Committee between businesses and residents. Working since 2015, they have produced a statutory neighbourhood plan for Soho, which came into force in October 2021. The forum is now focused on ensuring both that the plan is delivered and that its portion of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is spent on improving the infrastructure of Soho – and an important aspect of this is waste management.
Contact: Lucy Haine, Chair – E-mail: lucy.haine@planforsoho.org
ABOUT ORBITL:
Orbitl is a consortium of experienced, independent consultants, offering a combination of bespoke research, data science, behavioural psychology and communications strategy to companies and organisations in the UK and internationally. By applying scientific rigour to clients’ marketing communications, user experience design and product development, we take the guesswork out of business strategy, increase budget efficiency and improve the effectiveness of sales and marketing.
Contact: Alastair Harris, Managing Partner – E-mail: al@orbitl.ai
ABOUT CRYSTAL ASSOCIATES:
Crystal Associates is an independent consulting company helping cities, communities and businesses to become smarter and more sustainable. With expertise in dealing with Climate Emergency, the Circular Economy, poor Air Quality, Sustainable Buildings, Smarter Cities, the Internet of Things and Planning for a Digital Future, our team of senior independent directors and entrepreneurs are able to mobilise our unique, in-depth knowledge to solve even the most challenging of problems, without the overheads of larger agencies.
Contact: Mark Jenkinson, Director – mark.jenkinson@crystal-associates.co.uk