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Ben Castell

@bencastell.bsky.social

The town planner

337 Followers  |  117 Following  |  127 Posts  |  Joined: 30.10.2023  |  1.9546

Latest posts by bencastell.bsky.social on Bluesky

I never noticed that she was but that was OK as she left it to Pennycook, who is.

06.02.2026 20:14 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

And I see people denigrating neighbourhood plans where 2500 citizens turn out for the referendum for lack of engagement. Levels of participation that local plans can only dream of.

23.01.2026 15:19 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

@accidentalp.bsky.social

14.01.2026 20:59 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Wonderful, although clearly exposing the German audience’s shameful ignorance of South Essex geography.

20.12.2025 15:13 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Yes

08.12.2025 21:39 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Hi Phil. Cycling is my most common mode when I go β€˜central’. Love cycling down Oxford St much more than walking down it (hate cycling the unsafe parallel streets to the N). Pedestrianisation is decades overdue but I’d need convincing it can work if there are cyclists in the mix too.

08.12.2025 18:35 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

It’s at times like this awful/wonderful World Cup draw that I wish Twitter still existed.

05.12.2025 19:16 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

They should just give Cook the Countryfile gig now.

22.11.2025 13:15 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Why can’t we just have the Aus commentary? Would certainly have more energy. Although didn’t they do that for the first Test last time then switch to a weird hybrid of Brit commentators watching on TV back home & Gower in the grounds?

22.11.2025 13:13 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Mary Gauthier and Aimee Harris on stage

Mary Gauthier and Aimee Harris on stage

Mary Gauthier for us last night. Spellbinding in a lower key way. Interesting how sad songs make me happy.

09.11.2025 21:45 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Is it possible to have fireworks that are beautiful and spectacular but don’t bang?

Asking for my dog and sanity, 3 weeks after Diwali and 4 days after Bonfire Night.

09.11.2025 19:46 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Was moaning about this all weekend. My daughter suggested The Woolympics.

03.11.2025 14:15 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Because the there is no logical way of making any informed decisions! Almost nothing that happens means anything of consequence! The whole system is fatally flawed!

22.10.2025 23:14 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Yes. Neighbourhood plans are bottom-up and resident/community led. This proposal is nothing of the sort.

26.09.2025 11:20 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Album cover by the Go-Betweens

Album cover by the Go-Betweens

So annoyed. 16 Lovers Lane is exactly the music 15 year old me loved. I knew the band & taped the singles so why on earth did I never listen to the album until now? These songs should have been living in my head for the last 37 years.

1988 was the best year for music as it was the year I turned 16.

02.09.2025 20:21 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Sounds good but is there a way of reading without a Times subscription?

21.07.2025 13:47 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Maybe you were hearing Get It On on the Golden Hour. (This isn’t to say I have a problem with Noel using this brilliant riff from a brilliant old song on a brilliant new song - it’s a fantastic steal)

11.07.2025 11:20 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

The anti campaign, inc this meeting, led by Highgate Society, outside the proposed LTN area. At least 3 of the anti speakers live in LTNs already tho may not realise. Most resident groups within DP, & respondents to the online engagement, do strongly oppose btw - may or may not reflect wider views.

07.07.2025 07:19 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

β€œYeah, that's why I can never understand any of those silly letters you send me." Brilliant.

15.06.2025 14:43 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I’m just going to enjoy the song titles for a day before listening.

14.06.2025 21:50 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

The Bible revival starts here, @boohewerdine.bsky.social

13.06.2025 21:18 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Yes, London North airport is in West Sussex.

13.06.2025 16:39 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Extract from email references London North airport

Extract from email references London North airport

Email from EasyJet inviting me to check in. Any guesses which airport they, or presumably their AI, are calling London North?

13.06.2025 16:34 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I’m not usually much of a hay fever sufferer, but having just ran from Highgate to Mayfair - and back! - on this blustery late spring day, I am sad to add the London Plane tree to noisy fireworks on the list of things that @london.gov.uk must ban!

25.05.2025 12:13 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I am pledging Β£50 to charity if Crystal Palace score more goals in the Cup Final than the UK Eurovision entry gets points tonight. Fully expecting to be paying up.

17.05.2025 13:50 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Already closed. Great for pedestrians & most likely traders. Note: impossible to cycle down - too many people - as was Parkway - too much stuck traffic, though that may be normal; in the end I got off and pushed bike on pavement. Arlington Rd also gridlocked, don’t know if that’s normal, guess not.

02.05.2025 17:51 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Headline referring to Jimmy Anderson and Glen Campbell

Headline referring to Jimmy Anderson and Glen Campbell

Wichita Line and Length Man

26.03.2025 20:26 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

You can try your #plantech if you like but don’t tell me a planning notice on a lamppost will never elicit pubic comment.

21.03.2025 20:01 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Have heard Luton fans sing this at Cambridge. I guess that shitholery is in the eye of the beholder.

22.02.2025 21:14 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I think a big part of it is the removal of party political games from national policy making. If only the same could happen at the local level. Linking planning to a raft of new elected mayors will not help this.

20.02.2025 23:39 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

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