YIMBY Pod – formerly The Abundance Agenda

James O'Malley and Martin Robbins
  • 4.9 (57)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast about growth and progress. www.abundancepod.com

  1. The NHS Data Goldmine

    1 DAY AGO

    The NHS Data Goldmine

    James tells Martin the story of Open Safely, an incredible tool that scientists can now use to research country-wide NHS GP data. And we speak to energy policy guru Adam Bell, partner at Stonehaven, ex-head of the government’s energy strategy, and writer of the excellent Unbalancing Mechanism Substack about the wild complexity of pricing energy as we transition to Net Zero. James’s newsletter is here. This week he wrote about proportional representation. James wrote about Open Safely here. Martin’s newsletter is here, and his Old Bridge Way video is here. 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, Spotify, YouTube and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here. 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

    44 min
  2. Some actual good news for once!

    2 MAR

    Some actual good news for once!

    On YIMBY Pod this week, James and Martin have good news for once: Cornwall might be about to become Britain’s lithium-and-geothermal powerhouse, and London is (finally) getting a pedestrianised Oxford Street — after years of institutional gridlock. Plus: a celebrity guest! James speaks to Prof. Chris Lintott (Oxford astrophysicist and The Sky at Night presenter) about looming UK science funding cuts that could gut astronomy — and why “curiosity-driven research” is anything but a luxury. Chris’s piece on the threat to astronomy funding is here. Chris’s book Our Accidental Universe is here, and details on his upcoming talk in London is here. James’s newsletter is here. His piece on why we should abolish Natural England is here. Martin’s newsletter is here, and his Old Bridge Way video is here. 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, Spotify, YouTube and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here. 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

    46 min

  3. 23 FEB

    HS2's gravel nightmare

    Arch-Remainer James discovers why re-aligning with Europe could spell doom for Britain’s critical fixes to how we build nuclear power plants. Martin updates us on the drama at Dobbins Lane in Wendover, and how HS2 and the council have landed on an insane solution to a stupid problem. And we speak to Phil Tinline about his fascinating new paper, Power Failure: A new theory of Power. James’s newsletter is here. His piece on vibe-coding is here. Martin’s newsletter is here, and his big pothole video is here. 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, Spotify, YouTube and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here. 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

    46 min

  4. 16 FEB

    Europe needs better rockets

    How just one planning objection scuppered a neighbourhood battery storage project in Banbury – and what this says about how much money councils are wasting on vexatious complaints. Why Europe needs its own independent space launch capability if we want an abundant future. And we speak to Zion Lights, author of the new book Energy is Life, about how we’re already living abundant lives – and how we can persuade degrowthers of the error of their ways. James’s newsletter is here. His piece on whether Reform can ever be YIMBY is here. Martin’s newsletter is here, and his big pothole video is here. 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, Spotify, YouTube and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here. 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

    58 min

  5. 9 FEB

    Does AI make you stupid?

    A new study casts doubt on whether AI really will be a big productivity boost, so Martin and James have their AI argument again. A small tweak in how the government determines value for money could have big implications for new infrastructure like railways. And we speak to Alexander Iosad and Eleni Arzoglou from the Tony Blair Institute about their fascinating new paper, Public Service Reform in the Age of AI. Our previous AI episode is here, and our previous discussion about the cancelled plans to move Cambridge Sewage Works is here. James’s newsletter is here. His piece on AI growth zones is here. Martin’s newsletter is here. 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, Spotify, YouTube and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here. 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

    58 min
  6. Universal's troubled waters

    2 FEB

    Universal's troubled waters

    Martin bursts open the maddening story of how the new Universal theme park is worrying Anglian Water… and how nobody seems to have anticipated this? James talks about his big day grandstanding at the London Assembly’s Planning and Regeneration Committee – and explains how he was almost thwarted by a spider. And we speak to Eamonn Ives from The Entrepreneurs Network about his new research into the contribution of foreign-born founders to the British economy – and how we can make our immigration regime actually support growth. Martin’s latest video, on the Badger Road, is here. James’s newsletter is here. Martin’s newsletter is here. 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, Spotify, YouTube and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here. 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

    52 min
  7. NIMBYs vs Bristol Zoo

    26 JAN

    NIMBYs vs Bristol Zoo

    Martin digs into the NIMBY drama at Bristol Zoo… and then enters the lion’s den himself, and attends a meeting of his Parish Council. James goes full neoliberal shill talking about Darren Jones’ proposals for fixing the Civil Service. And we speak to policy guru Tim Leunig, Chief Economist at NESTA, to learn how he thinks about policymaking, and why we should build a massive electricity cable from Texas to the UK. Martin’s latest video, on the Badger Road, is here. Darren Jones’s speech is here. An explanation of the Postcode Address File issue is here. James’s newsletter is here. Martin’s newsletter is here. 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, Spotify, YouTube and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here. 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

    1h 4m

  8. 19 JAN

    Somehow, HS2 to Manchester returned

    James argues the digital ID U-turn doesn’t deserve the hysterical coverage that Westminster lobby journalists have been giving it. Martin concludes the incredible story of a 17th century engineering project – and how it is weirdly similar to HS2 today. And we speak to transport guru Michael Dnes to break down the news that Northern Powerhouse Rail is back – and that there’s going to be a strangely familiar new railway line built between Birmingham and Manchester. Our original Britcard interview is here. The Stepchange podcast on the history of coal, which James mentions, is here. James’s newsletter is here. Martin’s newsletter is here. 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, Spotify, YouTube and hopefully wherever you get your podcasts! You can find James on Bluesky here, and Martin here. 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

    1h 4m
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4.9
out of 5
57 Ratings

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A podcast about growth and progress. www.abundancepod.com

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