Urban development companies are described as ‘profit maximisers' and ‘risk minimisers' in their approach to development. This frequently manifests into a discrete or site-focused mindset where outcomes such as high plot-coverage ratios, inward-looking developments, and homogenous land uses are prioritised. Incremental forms of development often result which overlook the potential for higher profits through cooperation and the opportunity to redevelop urban areas more creatively on a greater scale. Although large-scale development projects have attracted critical interest during recent decades, research has tended to assess the achievements of single landowning organisations or consortiums. This downplays the tendency for development sites to be clustered and the importance of investigating the factors which encourage and/or discourage nearby developers from collaborating. Drawing on empirical research, the author focuses on the case of Paddington on the western fringe of central London. Interview material reveals how a multisite developer partnership was established, strengthened over time, and adopted various regeneration initiatives. Critical insights describe how area collaboration was shaped by the complexities facing individual development sites and contradictory local authority attitudes. Conclusions are drawn about area master planning and future urban development research.
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