The last metre problem

The Manchesterism theory of growth

James and Martin talk about some exciting new energy storage schemes to help us during the next heatwave. And we speak to Michael Hill [https://catchingmice.substack.com] from Britain Remade [https://www.britainremade.co.uk] about Manchester’s theory of growth, and what the much-discussed ‘Manchesterism’ could actually be. James’s piece reflecting on the Londependence movement is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/londependence], and his argument for a Gamer’s Charter is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/labour-should-fight-reform-by-pitching]. Martin’s piece on ‘picky bits’ and national decline is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com/p/on-picky-bits-and-national-decline], and his YouTube channel is here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Picture credit: Peter McDermott [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Skylines_of_Manchester#/media/File:Manchester_at_Night_-_geograph.org.uk_-_7891410.jpg] (CC BY-SA 2.0) Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@YIMBYPod] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Computer says... Maybe

We explore why has the government given Cherwell Council a big slap on the wrist? James tries to sell Martin on the idea that AI can fix the planning system… And then we speak to Paul Maltby from Faculty AI about how, well, he is using AI to fix the planning system. Paul Maltby’s blog post on Augmented Planning Decisions (APD) is here [https://faculty.ai/insights/articles/how-were-building-ai-to-help-fix-the-english-planning-system]. James’s deep dive into Extract and APD is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/build-gemini-build]. Martin’s newsletter is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com], and his YouTube channel is here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@YIMBYPod] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

How the Swiss would have built HS2

James and Martin discuss Zack Polanski’s claim that food is too expensive – and why politicians should face up to difficult trade-offs. And James makes himself popular by defending the poor, beleaguer mega-corporations that own supermarkets. And then we speak to the excellent Thomas Ableman [https://www.freewheeling.info/thomasableman] about how Switzerland would have built HS2 [https://www.freewheeling.info/blog/swiss-hs2] – and why it wouldn’t have been a disaster. James’s post about Liam Byrne, which was discussed in the episode is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/has-liam-byrne-had-his-weetabix-452?utm_source=publication-search]. James’s newsletter is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/], and his post about the Elon Musk debate is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/displacement-arguments]. Martin’s newsletter is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com], and his YouTube channel is here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@YIMBYPod] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The last metre problem

James tries to persuade Martin that he’s solved the mystery of the National Data Library. And we speak to Andrew Hunter Murray about his big day out at the EV charging select committee! Andrew’s new book, Bad Deeds is out this week! Make sure you buy it [https://amzn.to/4dV7n8g]! James’s newsletter is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/], and his post about the National Data Library is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/omg-ndl-wtf-bbq]. Martin’s newsletter is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com], and his YouTube channel is here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@YIMBYPod] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Why space data centres might actually work

The government is proposing new measures to stop NIMBYs vexatiously taking energy projects to judicial review! And James tries to persuade Martin that space-based data centres aren’t a completely ridiculous idea. The Ben Thompson article making the case for space data centres is here [https://stratechery.com/2026/the-spacex-ipo-and-data-centers-in-space/]. James’s newsletter is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/], and his post about Japan (including the train-bus!) is here [https://takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/japan-is-an-urbanist-yimby-paradise]. Martin’s newsletter is here [https://martinrobbins.substack.com], and his YouTube channel is here [https://www.youtube.com/@MFRobbins]. Don’t forget to tell your friends about the pod – and leave us a nice review on Apple Podcasts! YIMBY Pod is available on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-abundance-agenda/id1797392263], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2OrB7qxXY7p23kJFVWPeXa?si=2ef32f53891544df], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheAbundanceAgenda] and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here [https://bsky.app/profile/jamesomalley.co.uk], and Martin here [https://bsky.app/profile/mjrobbins.bsky.social]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.abundancepod.com [https://www.abundancepod.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]